Investigation of Design Criteria of Stiffened Wood Curved Panels

Citation

Dixon, Howard Henry (1944) Investigation of Design Criteria of Stiffened Wood Curved Panels. Engineer's thesis, California Institute of Technology. doi:10.7907/HJ3Y-3F83. https://resolver.caltech.edu/CaltechETD:etd-11242008-145312

Abstract

A total of 92 stiffened panel specimens of birch plywood of a nominal thickness of one-eighth inch with spruce stiffeners set parallel to the applied load were tested at California Institute of Technology to obtain the stress strain relations and the ultimate compression stress of the panels. The panels had heights of 12, 18, and 24 inches; stiffener spacings of 2, 3, 4, and 5 inches; and radii of curvature of 400, 200, 100, 50, 12, and 6 inches. The experimental data are presented as stress strain and column curves, and in tabular form.

The principal results of the research are as follows:

a) Although the scope of the tests were insufficient to formulate general design data, the results present a guide for design criteria of wood panels. Experimentally it has been shown that the effective width method of analysis is applicable to wooden panels.

b) The percent reinforcement vs. ultimate stress investigation indicates that a minimum of 50 to 60% reinforcement should be used in stiffened panel construction.

c) A decrease of the [radius of curvature divided by sheet thickness] ratio gives an increase of ultimate stress approximating a logarithmic variation.

Thesis Files