On the nonlinear stability of eccentrically stiffened functionally graded annular spherical segment shells

• The nonlinear stability of eccentrically stiffened FGM annular spherical segment shells.
• The shells are reinforced by eccentrically longitudinal and transversal stiffeners.
• Used the classical thin shell theory and Galerkin method.
• The effects on nonlinear stability of shells are analyzed and discussed.
• The obtained results are verified with the known results in the literature.

The nonlinear stability of eccentrically stiffened functionally graded (FGM) annular spherical segment resting on elastic foundations under external pressure is studied analytically. The FGM annular spherical segment are reinforced by eccentrically longitudinal and transversal stiffeners made of full metal or ceramic depending on situation of stiffeners at metal-rich or ceramic-rich side of the shell respectively. Based on the classical thin shell theory, the governing equations of FGM annular spherical segments are derived. Approximate solutions are assumed to satisfy the simply supported boundary condition of segments and Galerkin method is applied to study the stability. The effects of material, geometrical properties, elastic foundations, combination of external pressure and stiffener arrangement, number of stiffeners on the nonlinear stability of eccentrically stiffened FGM annular spherical segment are analyzed and discussed. The obtained results are verified with the known results in the literature.