The specially orthotropic GRP multi-layered cylindrical shell: a theoretical approach for the general loading case

Abstract The constitutive relations for the specially orthotropic lamina under a plane stress state are employed with a linear shell theory, to obtain the governing equations for the multi-layered cylindrical shell with through thickness symmetry, when subject to a general loading system. The well-known Fourier expansion methods, used extensively in the analysis of isotropic shell problems, are extended to handle the more complex case of the anisotropic shell subject to a general loading case. Attention is confined to those loads which are symmetric with respect to the generator passing through the lowest point of the horizontal shell; that is, liquid fill, self weight, support loading, etc. Examples of these loading cases are given in detail in Refs 1 and 2.