Influence of wall constructions on the load-carrying capability of light-weight structures

Results of systematic numerical studies are presented which suggest that suitable alternative wall constructions may lead to elastic load-carrying capacities of light-weight structures which significantly exceed those of conventional monocoque constructions, and that in certain cases this improvement may also be accompanied by a decrease in imperfection-sensitivity. Two kinds of wall modifications are considered: a hybrid wall construction where the skin of a light-weight structure is coated with a low-density material, and nonhomogeneous – in particular lattice and biaxially corrugated – wall constructions. The paper focuses on the elastic load-carrying behavior of shell- and plate-like structures, and structural efficiency is assessed on the basis of their bifurcation buckling resistance while other design criteria, such as e.g. stiffness and plasticity, are not taken into account.