| Abstract: | A finite difference method for the large deformation elastic-plastic analysis of spherical caps is applied to predict the collapse strength of initially imperfect deep spherical shells. Twelve uniformly loaded hemispherical shell models with flat spots at their apex are analysed. For each model, a number of shallow spherical regions containing the flat spot are selected from its domain. One of these selected shallow regions yields a minimum buckling pressure; this minimum value is taken as the theoretical buckling load for the shell model under consideration. Present solutions are in good agreement with existing experimental and empirical results. The good comparison suggests that initially imperfect deep spherical shells may be analysed by using a much simpler mathematical model—the spherical cap—and thus the analytical cost may be greatly reduced. This also demonstrates that the collapse of imperfect spherical shells is primarily a local phenomenon and therefore dependent on local geometry. Consequently, the presence of initial imperfections must be fully taken into consideration in any large deformation inelastic buckling analysis before such analysis can be expected to quantitatively predict the collapse strength of practical shell structures. |
