Residual Strength of Dented Stiffened Panels

The residual compressive strength of dented stiffened panels is investigated. Numerical simulations were performed using the finite elements program ABAQUS. The analysis is carried out in two steps. First the panel indentation damage is imposed using the ABAQUS explicit code program. After the indentation, a compressive load is applied and then the panel residual compressive strength is verified. Local damage was simulated by a dynamic collision due to an object fall. Therefore the distortions and the residual stresses due to the damage are both considered in the subsequent compression analysis. The aim of the work is to study the failure behavior up to and beyond buckling to evaluate the strength loss due to the damage imposed to the panel. The numerical models are represented by shell elements assuming finite membrane strains and large rotations, considering both geometric and material nonlinearities.