Comprehensive study of the strength and stability of shallow shells made of fiberglass

In this paper we report the results obtained in comprehensive studies of the strength and stability of shallow shells made of fiberglass. A regular loss of strength and stability of shells are quantitatively estimated. It is shown that the loss of strength and stability depends on generalized parameters and the radii of curvature. The mathematical model of shell deformation was used based on the Timoshenko hypotheses accounting for the orthotropy of material, on geometric nonlinearity and on lateral shear. The calculation algorithm is developed on the basis of the Ritz method and the best parameter continuation method. As many as 16 options of shells expressed through dimensionless parameters are considered, each corresponding to a series of similar shells.