VIBRATION OF MODERATELY THICK CYLINDRICAL SHALLOW SHELLS

A first-order shear deformation theory is employed for the vibration a nalysis of shallow cylindrical shells of rectangular planform. A gener al method of solution based on the Ritz extremum energy principle and two-dimensional polynomial is developed to examine the effects of thic kness and curvature on the vibrating response of shells having various boundary constraints. Convergence and comparison studies are conducte d to justify the accuracy of the eigenvalues. Numerical results are pr esented to demonstrate the capability of the present method and to pro vide new data for design purposes. Sets of new vibration mode shapes a re also presented to illustrate the vibratory characteristics of the s hells. (C) 1996 Acoustical Society of America.