Nonlinear Mode Interaction for Thin Circular Cylindrical Anisotropic Shells

The Sanders shell equations for imperfect anisotropic circular cylindrical shells are used for the development of a research tool to study the nonlinear interaction of circumferential waves under different loading conditions. Therefore, a truncated Fourier series in circumferential direction is used as a possible solution of the nonlinear equilibrium equations in combination with the anisotropic constitutive relations. The envelope of the Fourier series coefficients in the axial direction is computed using a numerical integration technique satisfying the rigorous boundary conditions at the lower and upper shell edges. The case of an isotropic shell under axial compression is used to compare the results obtained by the current theory and the STAGS-A program.