Seminar, Hosted by ASCE Engineering Mechanics Institute — Stability Committee
Buckling of Open Cross-Section Composite Thin Shells
California Institute of Technology, Booth-Kresa Department of Aerospace
Abstract
Sergio Pellegrino studies deployable composite shells for large space solar arrays, where lightweight construction and compact storage are essential. A design explored in Caltech's Space Solar Power Project uses slender cylindrical longerons formed from two circular-arc flanges bonded along an edge. Laminates thinner than 0.1 mm permit tight packaging but make bending behaviour sensitive to local geometric imperfections. The talk examines how the size, shape and distribution of those imperfections explain nonlinear moment–rotation measurements and determine overall bending stiffness, connecting detailed structural analysis with prototype observations.