Hostname: page-component-7479d7b7d-c9gpj Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-07-15T22:47:47.504Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

An experimental investigation of the post-buckled efficiency of Z-section stringer-skin panels

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  04 July 2016

A. Rothwell*
Affiliation:
College of Aeronautics, Cranfield Institute of Technology

Extract

A stiffened panel, designed so that failure in compression will occur afterinitial buckling, suffers a loss of axial stiffness due mainly to buckling of the skin between stringers and a consequent loss of flexural rigidity of the panel as a whole. The stringers will then carry an increasing proportion of the total compressive load, provided that the stringers themselves are of sufficient buckling resistance. Failure — due either to flexural buckling of the complete panel or to some other mode of stringer failure — can occur at a load substantially in excess of skin buckling. Behaviour of this kind is commonly found in very light structures for which it may be desirable to concentrate the load carrying capacity in certain discrete members, with a minimum gauge skin in between. However, a post-buckled design may also be preferred in rather more heavily loaded structures, in an attempt to reduce the loss of efficiency in a practical design when some restriction on, say, minimum stringer pitch is imposed. The purpose of the present series of tests is to investigate the post-buckled efficiency of a particular family of Z-section stringer-skin panels, of a design representative of current practice, with a stringer pitch chosen to be close to one-third of the effective panel length.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Royal Aeronautical Society 1981 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

1. Farrar, D. J. The design of compression structures for minimum weight. Journal of the Royal Aeronautical Society, Vol 53, pp 10411052, 1949.Google Scholar
2. Cox, H. L, and Grayley, M. E. The influence of production imperfections on design of optimum structures. Contributions to the Theory of Aircraft Structures, pp 261271. Delft University Press, 1972.Google Scholar
3. ESDU. Local buckling of compression panels with flanged stringers. Engineering Sciences Data Item 71014, Structures Sub- series, Vol 8.Google Scholar
4. Handbook of Aeronautics, No 1. Structural Principles and Data (pp 161-166). Pitman, 1952.Google Scholar
5. ESDU. Local buckling and crippling of I, Z and channel section struts. Engineering Sciences Data Item 78020, Structures Sub- series, Vol11.Google Scholar
6. ESDU. Buckling in compression of sheet between rivets. Engineering Sciences Data Item 02.01.08, Structures Sub-series, VoI2.Google Scholar
7. Ellinas, C. P. and Croll, J. G. A. The basis of a design approach for stiffened plates. Stability Problems in Engineering Structures and Components, pp 401422. Applied Science Publishers, 1979.Google Scholar