An investigation into the compressive properties of elliptical cylindrical shells with ribs: Effects of geometric parameters and gradient change of ribs

Elliptical cylindrical shells with longitudinal and ring ribs are widely recognized for their versatile applications in critical sectors, such as marine engineering, aerospace engineering, and civil engineering. This study focuses on the fabrication of various types of elliptical cylindrical shells with longitudinal and ring ribs using vat photopolymerization technology. An integration of experimental testing and numerical simulations was conducted to investigate the compressive performance and energy absorption capabilities of these structures. The research systematically analyzed the impact of rib layout, width, quantity, and configuration on the compressive behavior of elliptical cylindrical shells. The results demonstrated that, compared to ribless elliptical cylindrical shells, the compression modulus, energy absorption, and specific energy absorption of elliptical cylindrical shells with outer longitudinal and ring ribs were improved by 19.09%, 82.96%, and 30.40%, respectively. Furthermore, under identical rib size and quantity parameters, shells with outer longitudinal and ring ribs exhibited superior compressive performance compared to those with inner longitudinal and ring ribs. Increasing the rib width and quantity of the elliptical cylindrical shells significantly enhanced the compression modulus, energy absorption, and specific energy absorption properties of the structure. Moreover, elliptical cylindrical shells with thicker reinforcing ribs at the ends and thinner ribs in the middle not only enhanced the ultimate bearing capacity but also significantly improved energy absorption efficiency.