Optimally reinforced cutouts in laminated circular cylindrical shells

The problem of designing a cutout in a load bearing structural member in the form of a shell, such that the cut structure maintains its stress state with a minimal departure from the stress state of the uncut structure is addressed herein. Symmetrically laminated composite circular cylindrical shells under hydrostatic compression and axial pressure are considered. Shallow thin shell (Donnell shell theory) lamination theory is utilized. The original (uncut) stiffness of the shell structures is recovered considerably by appropriately designing an edge reinforcement around the cutout. The buckling load of the designed shells are analyzed via the finite element method. An experimental investigation has been carried out to verify some of the results obtained from the finite element analysis. In the work presented, the reinforcement is modeled as a one-dimensional rod/beam type structural element.