Behaviour of Thin Cylindrical Shells Strengthened Using CFRP

Thin-walled cylindrical shell structures are extensively used in aerospace, nuclear, civil engineering, aircraft, storage vessels, industrial buildings and other fields due their efficient load carrying capacity. The purpose of this study is to investigate the behavior of the thin cylindrical shell strengthened by Carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP). CFRP is a type of composite materials consists of carbon fiber and polymer. While the polymer serves as a cohesive matrix to preserve and hold the fibers together in structures, the carbon fibre adds strength and durability. Composite shells are widely applied in pressure vessels, reservoirs, and tanks, as well as in spacecraft and rocket parts and various infrastructure elements. CFRP composites were initially developed by aircraft and weapon industries. The use of CFRP composite materials has gained its popularity in the strengthening of different structures. The cylindrical shell specimens with composite cover and without composite cover subject to external pressure were investigated. The study focus on vibration characteristics and buckling behaviour of aluminium and steel cylindrical shells strengthened using the FEAST^SMT. FEAST^SMT software is the structural and heat transfer analysis software based on the finite element analysis (FEA) of structures developed by Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC) and Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO). It is used to solve engineering problems with complicated geometries and different boundary conditions. The effects of fibre orientations, stress distribution, strain distribution and frequency variations on the strengthened thin cylinders are also investigated.