Analysis of Pressurized Arch-Shells

Type of Document Master's Thesis
Author Goh, Julian Kok Seng
URN etd-110298-213557
Title Analysis of Pressurized Arch-Shells
Degree Master of Science
Department Civil Engineering
Advisory Committee
Advisor Name Title
Raymond H. Plaut Committee Chair
Rakesh K Kapania Committee Member
Siegfried M. Holzer Committee Member
Keywords

* shell
* arch
* Rayleigh-Ritz method
* wind load
* structural analysis
* snow load

Date of Defense 1998-11-19
Availability unrestricted
Abstract

A pressurized arch-shell structural component made of flexible material is considered.

The component is inflated with high internal pressure. The behavior of similar types

of structures, such as a pair of leaning pressurized arches and pressurized arch-supported

membrane shelters, has been investigated in the past. More recently, several types of

pressurized structures have been incorporated as part of the framework for a variety of

structural systems. Particularly, the U.S. Army has been investigating the use of large

lightweight and transportable pressurized arch-shell structures to be used as maintenance

shelters for vehicles, helicopters, and airplanes.

The formulated equations using thin shell theory are applied to a pressurized arch-shell

component. A numerical investigation based on the Rayleigh-Ritz method is utilized to

determine the behavior of arch-shells under various types of loading. The types of loading

include a uniformly distributed vertical load representing snow, a wind load, and a

horizontal side load distributed along the arc length. Deflections, stress resultants, and

moments at various locations are computed for two types of shapes: circular and non-circular

arch-shells.

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