Finite, inelastic deformations of clamped shell membranes subjected to impulsive loadings.

This paper presents a practical method for analytically describing the finite deformations of clamped thin shells with rectangular planforms subjected to transverse impulsive loadings. The loading is assumed to be delivered in the form of either initial velocities or transient pressures. The transient pressures are assumed to be independent of the motion of the shell. The shells are idealized as membranes and the incremental theory of plasticity is used. The governing differential equations of motion are converted through the use of kinematic relations to yield three coupled equations in three orthogonal displacement components. Established numerical methods of structural dynamics are used in solving for the orthogonal displacements. A limited parametric investigation tends to substantiate the results and describe interesting trends.