VIBRATION OF THERMOMECHANICALLY LOADED FLAT AND CURVED PANELS TAKING INTO ACCOUNT GEOMETRIC IMPERFECTIONS AND TANGENTIAL EDGE RESTRAINTS

A study of the effects played by tangential edge constraints on the vi brational behavior of single/multilayered doubly-curved shallow panels subjected to complex thermomechanical loading systems acting in the p re/postbuckling regimes is presented. In addition, effects related to the transverse shear and initial geometric imperfections are incorpora ted and their influence is highlighted. Numerical illustrations based on a higher-order theory underline the strong influence played by the above mentioned effects, in general, and by tangential-edge restrains on the alleviation of the intensity of the snap-through buckling, its delay and suppression, in particular. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Ltd.