Design of domes for polymeric composite pressure vessels

Abstract

The role of mechanical properties of composite material in dome contour design has been investigated. It has been shown that the optimal dome profile depends on the ratio of longitudinal Young's modulus to transverse Young's modulus in individual laminae (E_x/E_y). This profile for any type of composite material always lies between the Netting Analysis solution (E_y = 0, E_x/E_y =∞) and a semi-circle which is the solution for the square symmetric (E_x/E_y = 1) and isotropic materials. The shells of revolution of double curvature, classical lamination theory (CLT) and the geodesic-isotensoid assumptions have been used.