Plates and Shells
MIT OpenCourseWare offers the materials from this graduate mechanical engineering course covering the structural mechanics of plates and shells. Topics include derivation of elastic and plastic stress-strain relations for plate and shell elements, bending and buckling of rectangular plates, and nonlinear geometric effects. The course covers post-buckling and ultimate strength of cold formed sections and stiffened panels used in naval architecture, the general theory of elastic and axisymmetric shells, and buckling, crushing, and bending strength of cylindrical shells applied to offshore structures. It closes with applications to vehicle crashworthiness and structures under explosive or impact loading. Taught during the first half of term, the course provides lecture notes and problem sets as free downloadable materials, with no certificate offered.