Buckling of laminated composite shells under transverse load

The buckling of laminated composite shells subjected to transverse load is investigated. The geometrical non-linear analysis is carried out using the finite element method based on a higher-order shear deformation theory. An eight noded degenerated isoparametric shell element with nine degrees of freedom at each node is considered. The geometric non-linear behaviour and the collapse pressures with the associated mode shapes are presented for simply supported symmetrically and anti-symmetrically laminated spherical shell panels subjected to uniform normal pressure.