Post-buckling nonlinear static and dynamical analyses of uncertain cylindrical shells and experimental validation

The paper presents a complete experimental validation of an advanced computational methodology adapted to the nonlinear post-buckling analysis of geometrically nonlinear structures in presence of uncertainty. A mean nonlinear reduced-order computational model is first obtained using an adapted projection basis. The stochastic nonlinear computational model is then constructed as a function of a scalar dispersion parameter, which has to be identified with respect to the nonlinear static experimental response of a very thin cylindrical shell submitted to a static shear load. The identified stochastic computational model is finally used for predicting the nonlinear dynamical post-buckling behavior of the structure submitted to a stochastic ground motion. (c) 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.