Large Elastic Deformation of Shear Deformable Shells of Revolution: Numerical and Experimental Results

Abstract

Through an integrating matrix approach, a numerical solution is obtained to the equations governing large elastic deformation of a clamped circular cylinder due to internal pressure. The shell equations include the effects of large strains, thickness changes, and transverse shear deformation. The numerical solution is compared to results from an asymptotic analysis and from experiments on rubber cylinders. A specialized Rivlin-Saunders strain-energy density function is assumed for the rubber, with material constants determined from tensile tests and deformed cylinder profiles at a high inflation pressure.