Isotropic Cylindrical Shells under Line Load

Morley's equations for circular cylindrical shells are solved for uniform line load along a generator. The solution is compared with those obtained from the equations by Flugge, Novozhilov, and Donnell. Extensive experimental work on cylindrical shells is reported and detailed data are provided. The new solution produces good results for most practical shell geometries. The results indicate that root comparisons of the characteristic equations are not reliable in predicting the accuracy of a particular set of equations. Based on the Flugge equations the applicable range of parameters for which the solutions are valid is given and the computational effort of the four solutions is assessed.