Large-amplitude vibrations of geometrically imperfect shallow spherical shells with structural damping

Abstract

This paper deals with the effects of geometric imperfections on the large-amplitude vibrations Of shallow spherical shells. The initial geometric imperfection, the vibration mode, and the forcing function are of the same spatial shape. It is found that the presence of geometric imperfections of the order of a fractionof the shell thickness may significantly raises the free tine vibration frequencies. Further, they may even cause the nonlinear hard-spring character of spherical shells to exhibit soft-spring behavior. The effects of structural damping are also considered. © 1983 American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Inc., All rights reserved.