POSTBUCKLING OF ANISOTROPIC FLAT AND DOUBLY-CURVED SANDWICH PANELS UNDER COMPLEX LOADING CONDITIONS

A study of the postbuckling behavior of geometrically imperfect anisot ropic sandwich doubly-curved and flat panels subjected to a system of compressive edge loads and a lateral pressure is presented. The study is carried out in the context of the weak core sandwich shell model wh ose superior structural performance as compared to those of the strong core sandwich or standard laminated structures has resulted in its in creased use in the design of advanced flight vehicles. A detailed inve stigation of the influence played by a number of kinematical and physi cal parameters as well as by the character of tangential boundary cond itions on the load carrying capacity of sandwich structures is perform ed and pertinent conclusions are outlined. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science L td. All rights reserved.