The Theory of Simple Elastic Shells: January 2004
The Theory of Simple Elastic Shells: January 2004
The Theory of Simple Elastic Shells: January 2004
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Abstract. In the report the main aspects of the shell theory based on the direct
approach are presented. The main attention will be focussed on the establishment of
the constitutive equations. It is shown that the deformation energy must be an integral
of a system of partial differential equations. Thus it can be expressed as a function
of integrals of the characteristic system of the ordinary differential equations. These
integrals are called the reduced deformation tensors. In order to found the structure of
the elasticity tensors a new theory of symmetry is introduced.
1 Introduction
At present the shell theory find out the new branches of applications. As an ex-
ample, biological membranes, thin polymeric films and thin structures made from
shape memory materials may be pointed out. In addition, the manufacture tech-
nology for some shells results in significant changes of the material properties.
As a result the conventional versions of the shell theory, based on the deriva-
tion of the basic equations from the 3D-theory of elasticity, can not be used.
In these situations the effective elastic modulus of the shell must be found di-
rectly for the shell structure. That means that we have to use the direct method
of the construction of the shell theory. The main idea of the direct approach
is the introduction of an elastic 2D-continuum with some physical properties.
The basic laws of mechanics and thermodynamics are applied directly to this
2D-continuum. The main advantage of the direct approach is the possibility to
obtain quite strict equations.
At present many variants of the shell theory exist. Most of them can be
characterized by two facts: a) they are based on two-dimensional equations and
b) they operate with forces and moments (moments of the higher order are
ignored). These two facts may be used for the following definition:
A simple shell is a 2D-continuum in which the interaction between different
parts of the shell is due to forces and moments.
A simple shell is a model for the description of the mechanical behavior of
shell-type structures. The theory of simple shells allows to make a correct plane
photo of three-dimensional phenomena. The main advantage of the theory of
simple shells is that this theory can be applied for shells with a complex inner
2 Holm Altenbach and Pavel A. Zhilin
structure - for multilayered, for stiffened, etc. In addition, such a theory can be
used in the analysis of biological membranes, etc. In this sense the theory of
simple shells allows the formalization of an old engineering problem - the built
up of the shell theory with effective stiffness.
Below only some part of the report is presented. The results are based on
works of authors (Zhilin, 1976; Zhilin, 1982; Altenbach, 1988; Altenbach and
Zhilin, 1988) with some new modifications.
with r(q) ≡ r(q1 , q2 ) - the position vector defining the geometry of the surface,
q1 , q2 ∈ Ω, dk (q) with k = 1, 2, 3 denote a triad of orthonormal vectors obeying
the condition dk · dm = δkm . In the actual configuration (t = 0) we have
Note that R(q, 0) = r(q), Dk (q, 0) = dk (q). In addition, a natural basis can be
introduced
∂R
Rα (q, t) = ≡ ∂α R, R3 ≡ N : N · Rα = 0, N · N = 1.
∂qα
Ri : Ri · Rk = δik , R3 ≡ N.
≡ Rα (q, t) ∂ ,
∇ ∇ = rα (q)
∂
.
∂qα ∂qα
Let us introduce the first A and the second B fundamental tensors of the surface
where 1 is the unity second rank tensor. In what follows we accept a = A(q, 0) =
∇r, b = B(q, 0) = −∇n and n = N(q, 0). Note that all tensors here and below
are introduced as quantities of the 3D-space defined on the surface.
The motion of the directed surface can be defined as
R(q, t), P(q, t) ≡ Dk (q, t) ⊗ dk (q), Dk = δkm Dm .
Here P(q, t) is an orthogonal turn-tensor, Det P = +1, P(q, 0) = 1. Let us
introduce the linear and the angular velocities v, ω of the body-points
df
v(q, t) = Ṙ(q, t), Ṗ(q, t) = ω(q, t) × P(q, t), P(q, 0) = 1, ḟ ≡ .
dt
For the further discussion we need a vector Φα characterizing the change of
P(q, t) along the surface
1
∂α P = Φα (q, t) × P(q, t), ⇒ Φα = − [∂α P · PT ]x .
2
It is easy to show that
Φ̇α = ∂α ω + ω × Φα , ∂α Φβ − ∂β Φα − Φα × Φβ = 0.
Note that Φα = 0 if we have only a rigid body motion.
where U is the mass density of the intrinsic energy. For isothermal processes U
is called the deformation energy. The local form can be expressed as
ρU̇ = TT ·· ∇v
˜ − (Rα × Tα ) · ω − MT ·· ∇ω.
˜
Introducing the energetic tensors (Lurie, 1990)
T · T · P,
Te = (∇r) T · M · P,
Me = (∇r)
finally we get
ρU̇ = TTe ·· Ė + MTe ·· Ḟ, (1)
where E, F denote the first and the second deformation tensors
E = ∇R · P − a, F = (Φα · Dk )rα ⊗ dk . (2)
For elastic simple shells from the energy balance equation (2) the Cauchy-Green
relations follow
A ∂ρ0 U A ∂ρ0 U
Te = , Me = . (3)
a ∂E a ∂F
For the first equation of this system we have the characteristic system
d d
E = (E + a) · c, F = (F − b · c) · c, (7)
ds ds
This is a system of an order 12, which has only 11 independent integrals. One
can choose the next 11 integrals
1
E= (E + a) · a · (E + a)T − a , Φ = (F − b·c)·a·(E + a)T +b·c·E+b·c,
2
γ = E · n, γ∗ = F · n. (8)
γ ≡ (E + a) · n = ∇R · D3 = rα (Rα · D3 ) = 0 ⇒ D3 = N,
where N is the unit normal to the deformed reference surface. Besides, the equal-
ities (2) and D3 = P · n were used. The inertia tensors (4) and the deformation
tensors must be replaced by
ρ ρ
ρΘ2 = ρ̃0 z2 A, ρΘT1 = − ρ̃0 z2 C, C = −A × N
ρ0 ρ0
6 Holm Altenbach and Pavel A. Zhilin
and
1
E= (E + a) · a · (E + a)T − a , Φ = −∇R · B · C · ∇RT + b · c · (1 + E) (9)
2
respectively.
Moment-free (membrane) shell theory. This case follows from the Love-
type theory when the specific deformation energy depends on tensor E only. We
have
A ∂ρ0 U
Te = , Me = 0, Θ2 = Θ1 = 0 ⇒ T = TT , T · N = 0.
a ∂E
Soft shells. Soft shells are made from a material like textile. In addition to
the previous case we have to accept
∂U
a· · a 0 ∀a : |a| = 0, a · n = 0.
∂E
Besides, some additional restrictions must be accepted. Soft shells are very im-
portant for applications and rather difficult for solving. As far as we know the
general theory of soft shell is absent in the literature.
For a shell made from the solid material the deformations are relatively small
while the displacements and rotations can be relatively large. In such a case the
following quadratic approximation can be introduced
1
ρ0 U = T0 ·· E + MT0 ·· Φ + N0 · γ + E ·· (4) C1 ·· E + E ·· (4) C2 ·· Φ+
2
1 1
Φ ·· (4) C3 ·· Φ + γ · Γ · γ + γ · ((3) Γ 1 ·· E + (3) Γ 2 ·· Φ). (10)
2 2
Here
T0 , M0 , N0 , (4) C1 ,(4) C2 ,(4) C3 , (3) Γ 1 ,(3) Γ 2 , Γ denote stiffness tensors of dif-
ferent rank. They express the effective elastic properties of the simple shell. The
differences between various classes of simple shells are connected with different
expressions of the stiffness tensors, the tensors of inertia and the two-dimensional
density. Approximations like (10) are very popular in the nonlinear theory of
elasticity. The stiffness tensors in (10) do not depend of the deformations. Thus
they may be found from the experiments with the linear shell theory.
In the linear theory there are no differences between the actual and the reference
configurations. This is equivalent to the condition that the energetic and the true
The Theory of Simple Elastic Shells 7
tensors of forces and moments are the same. The displacements and rotations
are supposed to be small. In such a case instead of (8) we have
1 1
E
≡ (e·a+a·eT ), Φ
k ≡ κ·a+ (e··c)b, γ = e·n = ∇u·n+c·ϕ, (11)
2 2
with
e = ∇u + a × ϕ, κ = ∇ϕ. (12)
The linearized equations of motion (2.2) take a form
T·n = N0 +Γ ·γ+ (3) Γ 1 ··+ (3) Γ 2 ··k, MT = MT0 +·· (4) C2 + (4) C3 ··k+γ· (3) Γ 2 .
⊗p
1Q ·
(p)
S ≡ Si1 i2 ...ip Q · gi1 ⊗ Q · gi2 ⊗ . . . ⊗ Q · gip ,
S ≡ (n · Q · n)β (DetQ)α ⊗p
(p)
1 Q·
(p)
S,
where α = β = 0, if (p) S is polar; α = 1, β = 0, if (p) S is axial; α = 0, β = 1, if
(p)
S is n-oriented; α = β = 1, if (p) S - is axial n-oriented. Note that Q · n = ±n.
The group of symmetry (GS) for a tensor (p) S is called a set of the orthogonal
solutions of the equation
(p)
S = (p) S,
where (p) S is given and Q must be found.
In what is followed we shall use the conventional relation
ρ0 (u̇ + ΘT1 · ϕ̇) = ρ̃0 u̇∗ , ρ0 (Θ1 · u̇ + ΘT2 · ϕ̇) = ρ̃0 u̇∗ · cz
may be obtained in order to find the displacement and rotations in terms of the
vector u∗ of displacement of 3D-theory of elasticity.
The external force ρF∗ and moments ρ0 L may be found as
ρ0 F∗ = ρ̃0 F̃ + μ+ σ+ − −
n + μ σn , ρ0 L = n × ρ̃0 F̃z + (h/2)n × (μ+ σ+ − −
n − μ σn ),
+(−)
where μ+(−) = 1 − (+)hH + (h2 /4)G, σn are the stress vectors on the upper
and lower face surfaces of the shell.
If we know the stiffness tensors, then we are able to find LGS of the shell. However
it is much more important to solve the inverse task and to find the structure of
the stiffness tensors, if we know some elements of the shell symmetry. To this
end let us introduce Curie-Neumann’s Principle:
GS of the consequence contains GS of the reason.
The GS of the reason is the intersection of the next groups of symmetry: 1.
GS of the material at given point of the shell, 2. LGS of the surface and 3. LGS
of the intrinsic structure of the shell. For the surface LGS is determined as a set
of the orthogonal solutions of the system
Q · a · QT = a, (n · Q · n)Q · b · QT = b. (15)
It is easy to see that LGS of the surface in a general case contains only three
irreducible elements: 1, n ⊗ n − e1 ⊗ e1 + e2 ⊗ e2 , n ⊗ n + e1 ⊗ e1 − e2 ⊗ e2 , where
eα are eigenvectors of b. For the plates (b = 0) the LGS is much more rich. In a
general case the GS of a shell can not be richer than (15). That means that we
are not able to simplify the structure of the stiffness tensors without additional
assumptions. But up to here we do not use the fact that the shell has small
thickness.
Eh ∗ Eh2
C1 = C (hb · c, ν), C2 = C∗ (hb · c, ν),
12(1 − ν2 ) 1 12(1 − ν2 ) 2
Eh3 E
C3 = 2
C∗3 (hb · c, ν), Γ = GhΓ ∗ (hb · c, ν), G = . (16)
12(1 − ν ) 2(1 + ν)
Here all quantities with a star depend on the dimensionless tensor which is small
Ehs
(0) (1) (2) 3
Cs = Cs + Cs · ·(hb · c) + (hb · c) · ·C s · ·(hb · c) + 0(h ) ,
12(1 − ν2 )
Γ = Gh Γ (0) + Γ (1) · ·(hb · c) + 0(h2 ) , 0(hp ) ≡ 0(
hb · c
P ) (17)
that the representations for the stiffness tensors does not simplify our discussions.
(p)
But the Ci did not depend on the geometrical shape of the surface. In this
(p)
case the group of symmetry of the tensors Ci does not include the GS of the
second metric tensor b.
Q = ± n ⊗ n + q, q · qT = a, q · n = n · q = 0. (18)
We see that tensors C1 , C3 and Γ with an error of 0(h2 ) can be found from the
plate tests. Tensor C2 may be found only from the shell tests. Let the tensor
(k)
(18) belongs to GS of tensors Ci , Γ (k) . That means that these tensors must
be transversally isotropic. It is not difficult to find such tensors and after that
we get
Eh
C(1) = 2
A1 a ⊗ a + A2 (rα ⊗ rβ ⊗ rα ⊗ rβ + rα ⊗ a ⊗ rα − a ⊗ a) ,
1−ν
Eh2
C(2) = 2
B1 hH a ⊗ c + B2 hH(rα ⊗ c ⊗ rα + cαβ rα ⊗ a ⊗ rβ ) +
12(1 − ν )
+ B3 a ⊗ (hb · c − hHc) + B4 h(b · c − Hc) ⊗ a + B5 h(b − Ha) ⊗ c] ,
Eh3
C(3) = 2
C1 c ⊗ c + C2 (rα ⊗ rβ ⊗ rα ⊗ rβ + rα ⊗ a ⊗ rα − a ⊗ a)+
12(1 − ν )
+h2 H21 C4 a ⊗ a , Γ = GhΓ0 a (20)
with 2H1 = −(1/R1 ) + (1/R2 ). All results are valid for non-polar material and
have an error 0(h2 ). The modulus A1 , A2 , C1 , C2 , C4 , Γ0 , B1 , . . . , B5 depends only
on the Poisson’s ratio.
Making use of the solutions of some test problems one can obtain the following
elastic modulus
1+ν 1−ν π2 1−ν
A1 = C1 = , A2 = C2 = , Γ0 = , C4 = , (21)
2 2 12 24
All modulus in (21) and (22), excluding C4 , were found from the tasks in which
they determine the main terms of asymptotic expansions. Modulus C4 is needed
for the deformation energy to be positively defined. Some comments must be
made with respect to the coefficient of transverse shear Γ0 . It may be shown that
the inequality π2 /12 Γ0 < 1 must be valid always. If we are not interested in
the high frequencies, then it would be better to accept Γ0 = 5/(6 − ν). In such
a case the low frequencies can be found more exactly.
The tensors T0 , M0 , Q0 are defined by the expressions
νh νh2
T0 = a n · (σ+ −
n − σn ) , M0 = c n · (σ+ −
n − σn ) ,
2(1 − ν) 12(1 − ν)
Q0 = h(1 − Γ0 )a n · (σ+ −
n − σn ) . (23)
Note that the representations (20) are valid for many cases of the nonhomo-
geneous shell.
4 Conclusion
It was above shown that the direct approach to the shell theory is based on some
new ideas of physical nature. As a result, this approach allows to build up the
shell theory which can not be improved without introduction of new dynamics
quantities like moments of higher orders. It is important that the theory does
not need any hypothesis and may be applied for all possible cases. Of course, the
elastic modulus must be found for these cases by means of special considerations.
For example, the elastic modulus of the three-layers shells may be found from
some transcendental equations which do not contain any small parameters and
therefore can not be solved by means of asymptotic methods. The elastic modulus
may be found for case when the friction between layers is present. In such a case
the constitutive equations must be slightly modified.
Acknowledgment. This work was partly supported by RFBR grant No. 02-
01-00514.
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