A system of nonlinear ckifferential equations governing the statical behavior of multisandwich shells built up of stiff and weak layers is derived in this contribution. The stiff layers are assumed to be ela&c, isotropic, and obeying the Kirchhoff-Love hypothesis.
The weak layers are assumed to be elastic, orthotropic, and deformable in tangential directions.
The thickness of the shell is small compared to its radii of curvature. The shell may be of arbitrary shape. The derived system of equations is specialized to cylindrical shells and compared with the equations of Kurshin for sandwich shells and the equations of Bolotin for multisandwich plates with infinitesimal de$eetions. Nomenclature x9 Y, 2 K,k R,r a,B,Y A h b Shell coordinates based on curvature lines. z is the normal distance outward from a reference surface Principal curvatures of middle surface of a layer; K = l/R, k = 1 /r Principal radii of curvature of middle surface of a layer Lame coefficients for curvilinear orthogonal coordinates; y = 1 for shell coordinates a@, Y, O), R = /%r, Y, 0) Thickness of a layer Normal distance between middle surfaces of two neighboring stiff layers, bj = Q&+r + 2h, + h,-J 1, 3, . . ., N. Index i is used as either subscript or superscript on a letter to indicate a stiff layer 2, 4, . . . . N -1. Index j is used as either subscript or superscript to indicate a weak layer A comma before a subscript indicates partial derivative with respect to that subscript. Other symbols will be defined in the text wherever thay occur first.