Three-dimensional analysis of a cross-ply cylindrical shell subjected to a localized circumferential shear force

The objective of this work is to provide a three-dimensional elasticity solution with tabulated numerical results for a laminated composite cylindrical shell subjected to a localized circumferential shear force. The three-dimensional solution is valuable because it enables the validity of simple two-dimensional laminate theories such as the classical lamination theory to be judged for such analysis. It is shown here that the classical theory yields unacceptably erroneous predictions of the stresses in the vicinity of the local load even if the shell is thin. © 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.