Loads imposed on intermediate frames of stiffened shells

The loads imposed on intermediate frames by the curvature of the longitudinal and by the diagonal-tension effects are treated. A new empirical method is proposed for analyzing diagonal-tension effects. The basic formulas of the pure diagonal-tension theory are used, and the part of the total shear S carried by diagonal tension is assumed to be given the expression S (sub DT) = S (1-tau sub o/tau)(sup n) where tau (sub o) is the critical shear stress, tau the total (nominal shear stress), and n = 3 - sigma/tau where sigma is the stress in the intermediate frame. Numerical examples illustrate all cases treated.