Optimal Design of Layered Cylindrical Shells with Minimum Weight Under Impulse Loading

The problem of minimizing the mass of layered orthotropic constant-thickness non-closed shells at impulse loading is solved. The shell behavior is described within the framework of the improved theory. According to the extension method, the complex-shape shell can practically be extended to an auxiliary layered cylindrical non-closed simply supported rectangular-shape shell with the same composition of layers. An auxiliary shell is a body whose contour shape and boundary conditions yield a simple analytical solution. In this case, the auxiliary shell is a simply supported non-closed cylindrical layered one with a rectangular plan-view shape, making it possible to find the problem solution as a trigonometric series. To meet the specified boundary conditions, we apply compensating loads to the auxiliary shell. The adaptive optimization method with hybrid elements is applied to solving the problem of optimal shell design. The effect of the geometrical parameters on the optimum design of a two-layer composite shell is investigated. In addition, extremums corresponding to optimum shells and plates are found.