Preliminary Analysis of Grid Stiffened Composite Cylinders

Abstract

Stiffened cylindrical shells are major components of Aerospace structure application. Two models were developed for assessing the universal buckling load of a generally cross and horizontal stiffened composite cylinder. The first model uses a simple conservation of volume and direction of stiffener orientation, while the second model analyzes the force and moment interaction of the stiffeners and the shell. Based on these models the A, B and D matrix stiffness parameters were determined for the overall cylinder panel. The buckling load was solved for a particular stiffener configuration by using the energy method. Buckling test was also performed on a stiffened composite cylinder and compared with buckling load results of both analytical models, and conclusions were drawn on the degree of reliability of the models developed. Finally, parametric analysis of some of the important design variables was performed based on the ‘Force Smearing’ model.