Abstract. Dynamics of reinforced shallow spherical caps is considered in this paper. The cap is subjected to a uniform dynamic pressure that results in a globally axisymmetric motion. The reduction of amplitudes and stresses is achieved by using pairs of piezoelectric actuators bonded to the meridional stiffeners (one of the actuators can be bonded to the inner surface of the skin). These pairs of actuators produce dynamic couples that can reduce the amplitude of motion. The analysis is based on the theory of shallow shells (Donnell-Mushtari-Vlasov theory) using a smeared stiffeners technique. The analytical solution is generated for a cap clamped along the boundary using the approximation of the meridional curve suggested by Huang. Numerical results illustrate the feasibility of a significant reduction of deflections and stresses using piezoelectric actuators with weight and energy consumption acceptable in practical design
