The NASA Monographs on Shell Stability Design Recommendations: A Review and Suggested Improvements

A summary of existing NASA design criteria monographs for the design of buckling-resistant thin-shell structures is presented. Subsequent improvements in the analysis for nonlinear shell response are reviewed, and current issues in shell stability analysis are discussed. Examples of nonlinear shell responses that are not included in the existing shell design monographs are presented, and an approach for including reliability based analysis procedures in the shell design process is discussed. Suggestions for conducting future shell experiments are presented, and proposed improvements to the NASA shell design criteria monographs are discussed.