Calculation of Side Elements of a Long Cylindrical Shell

An analytical solution to the problem of the stress-strain state of a long cylindrical shell supported by two identical side elements of rectangular cross-section is proposed. As a rule, cylindrical shells have side elements in which the main tensioned reinforcement is placed, which significantly reduces the magnitude of tensile stresses, reduces vertical and horizontal displacements of the shell edges. The choice of the type of side elements depends mainly on the conditions of support of the shell edges. Proposals for accounting for the operation of side elements are presented only in regulatory documents and relevant manuals to them. The algorithm proposed by the authors involves the implementation of two approaches ― calculation according to the general semi-moment-free theory and calculation with simplifying hypotheses for shallow shells of medium length. In the first case, the problem is reduced to a system of four linear equations. From this system, it is possible to determine the forces and displacements due to the action of additional edge forces, as well as add them with individual components of the moment-free stress state, to obtain the total forces and displacements in the shell. Two separate cases are considered: gentle cylindrical shells of medium length (the method of forces and the method of displacements are used, the case when the side element is absolutely flexible in some direction is additionally considered) and multi-wave shells in which the side element is loaded by edge forces from both sides (the method of forces is used, symmetric and skew-symmetric loading are considered).