Buckling Analysis of Composite Hexagonal Lattice Cylindrical Shell using Smeared Stiffener Model

Hexagonal lattice pattern formed by helical and circumferential ribs is the most common among different possible lattice patterns. An energy-based smeared stiffener model (SSM) is developed to obtain equivalent stiffness coefficients of a composite lattice cylindrical shell with such hexagonal lattice patterns. Using the equivalent stiffness coefficients, Ritz buckling analysis was carried out. Extensive finite element modelling covering different representative sizes have been carried out. SSM is validated by comparing the estimated buckling loads. Variation of material properties of rib unidirectional composites from those of normal unidirectional composites is accounted for in the energy formulations.