Ultimate load carrying capacity of thin-walled stiffened structures

To generate more robust designs to serve significant magnitude of compressive forces, plate assemblies are stiffened by specially designed stringers. The benefit of stiffening of a plate structure lies in achieving divided more efficient segments which use compression and bending performances of stringers. The characteristics of structure, expected loading type, used materials, expected performance and employed manufacturing technique are examples of parameters which governs the design and shape of stringers. Generally stiffened panels are constructed as built-up structures, where individual stringers are riveted or welded on thin skins. This way of assembling process has many advantages in conventional stiffened panel manufacturing such as reduction of material cost and production of individual elements with lower imperfection tolerances. In this thesis with the intent of delivering significant key findings, buckling-and post-buckling behaviour of stiffened panels are investigated. Towards this aim, various headings in the field of stiffened panel performance under compressive loadings are studied. Main focus is directed to aircraft stiffened panels. Metallic fuselage panels which comprise the significant components of aircrafts are the main research elements in this thesis. Studied panel configurations selected in such a way that would represent subcomponents of commercial aircrafts. This thesis links experimental and theoretical practices on metallic aircraft panels by laboratory tests and non-linear simulation techniques. Comparisons of the used techniques allowed undertaking some sensitivity and parametric studies on panels? static strength behaviour to deliver the key details. Outcomes of the present study have the potential to guide to build efficient advanced simulation models for compression loaded aircraft panels.