Porosity effects on post-buckling behavior of geometrically imperfect metal foam doubly-curved shells with stiffeners

Abstract

This papers studies nonlinear stability and post-buckling behaviors of geometrically imperfect metal foam doubly-curved shells with eccentrically stiffeners resting on elastic foundation. Metal foam is considered as porous material with uniform and non-uniform models. The doubly-curved porous shell is subjected to in-plane compressive loads as well as a transverse pressure leading to post-critical stability in nonlinear regime. The nonlinear governing equations are analytically solved with the help of Airy stress function to obtain the post-buckling load-deflection curves of the geometrically imperfect metal foam doubly-curved shell. Obtained results indicate the significance of porosity distribution, geometrical imperfection, foundation factors, stiffeners and geometrical parameters on post-buckling characteristics of porous doubly-curved shells.