Static subsonic aeroelastic stability of a shell wrapped around a rigid surface

A thin elastic shell under tension is wrapped around a rigid curved surface; the latter renders the stiffness of the shell effectively nonlinear. Examples of such a configuration in practice include the NASA Skylab Space Project and certain submarine geometries. The static aeroelastic stability of the shell is examined for a subsonic flow along the axis of the shell and the longitudinal axis of the curved rigid surface. The minimum flow velocity for which the elastic shell will deform statically (buckle) is determined, as well as the amplitude of the deformation as a function of flow velocity. © 1990 American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Inc., All rights reserved.

Duke Scholars

Author Earl H. Dowell Thomas Lord Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materia ...