Buckling and large deformation behaviour of composite domes compressed between rigid platens

This paper aims at describing the large deformation behaviour of transversely loaded composite spherical domes. Two distinctive glass fabrics, woven and knitted, embedded in the same thermoplastic matrix, polypropylene, were utilised to produce the composite domes. The doubly curved shells with different number of plies and orientations (radius to thickness ratio in the range of 22–53) were compressed between two rigid flat platens. Load–displacement responses and deformed patterns were examined using experiments and numerical simulations. Because of the large deformation involved, a non-linear stress analysis technique has been adopted to simulate the responses. The loaded domes, both woven and knitted, display rolling-plastic hinge post-buckling response after initial buckling. Some interesting results due to orthotropy have been presented along with comprehensive material characterisations. The numerical simulations have produced very promising matching results.