Frequency-load interaction of geometrically imperfect curved panels subjected to heating

The results of a parametric study of the vibration behavior of flat and shallow curved panels subjected to temperature fields and mechanical loads are presented, The mechanical loads include uniform axial-compression prebuckling loads and transverse lateral pressure. The temperature fields include spatially nonuniform heating over the panel surfaces and a linear through-the-thickness temperature gradient. The structural analysis used for the study is based on a higher order transverse-shear-deformation shallow-shell theory that includes the effects of geometric nonlinearities and initial geometric imperfections. Analytical results are presented for simply supported single-layer and three-layer panels made from transversely isotropic materials. The results identify the interaction of the applied thermal and mechanical loads with the fundamental frequencies in both the prebuckling and postbuckling equilibrium states. The results indicate that initial geometric imperfections, transverse-shear flexibility, and changes in curvature are important contributors to the response of a panel for a wide range of structural and loading parameters.