Experimental and finite element studies of circular cylindrical shells loaded radially through a central pad

Abstract

Examination is made of the static linear response of circular cylindrical shells to a radial loading applied halfway along the shells: the chief concern is with shells in which the loading is applied by way of a circular pad containing a small concentric hole. The examination comprises tests on physical models, in which point displacements and strains are measured, and numerical studies based on the use of the finite element method. In the numerical studies two markedly different types of element are used and particular attention is paid to the modelling of the pad region of the cylinder pad combination. Good correlation between test measurements and numerical results is exhibited for radial displacement and for stresses, even when the pad itself is removed from the finite element models by appropriate specification of boundary conditions which reflect full pad rigidity.