A rigorous method for the analysis of localization of axisymmetric buckling patterns in thick cylindrical shells

This paper theoretically investigates the localization of axisymmetric buckling patterns in cylindrical shells because this phenomenon has a large influence on the strength degradation in the post-buckling range. The localization behavior is caused by a plastic bifurcation on the decreasing equilibrium path subsequent to the maximum load point. Thus, we first show a rigorous numerical method based on the finite-element method technique for analysis of plastic bifurcation under two-axial stresses. Then, using this method, we examine how the structural parameters, constitutive models and boundary conditions affect the deformation capacity of cylindrical shells.     

Plastic buckling of complete toroidal shells of elliptical cross-section subjected to internal pressure

The plastic bifurcation buckling pressures of 60 internally-pressurised, perfect, complete toroidal shells of elliptical cross-section are given in the present paper, assuming elastic, perfectly plastic, material behaviour. The shell buckling programs employed in the computations were BOSOR 5 and INCA. Denoting the major-to-minor axis ratio by k, the numerical results show that the plastic buckling pressures are considerably lower than their elastic counterparts in the range 1.25≤k≤1.5 and are approximately equal to them for k=2.5. A limited study of the effects of non-axisymmetric initial geometric imperfections on the buckling pressures of the shells was also carried out using the INCA code. For the four cases studied the post-buckling behaviour was stable. This means that designers can use the buckling pressures given herein for perfect shells as a basis for their initial designs.     

Plastic Axisymmetric Collapse of Thin-Walled Circular Cylinders and Cones Under Uniform External Pressure

This paper reports on two theoretical investigations and an experimental investigation into the plastic axisymmetric buckling of two thin-walled conical shells and several thin-walled circular cylindrical shells, under uniform external pressure.

One of the theoretical investigations was a non-linear finite element solution for plastic axisymmetric buckling, which gave good results.

The other theoretical solution was for the plastic non-symmetric bifurcation buckling of thin-walled circular cylinders. This second solution was a very simple one and, although it was based on plastic lobar buckling, it gave very good predictions for plastic axisymmetric collapse. This latter observation prompted the conclusion that there may be a link between plastic lobar buckling and plastic axisymmetric buckling.     

Overall buckling behavior of all-steel buckling restrained braces

One of the key requirements for the desirable mechanical behavior of buckling restrained braces (BRBs) under severe earthquake loading is to prevent global buckling until the brace member reaches sufficient plastic deformation and ductility. This paper presents finite element analysis results of the proposed all-steel buckling restrained braces. The proposed BRBs have identical core sections but different buckling restraining mechanisms (BRMs). The objective of the analysis is to conduct a parametric study of BRBs with different amounts of gap (between the core and the BRM) and initial imperfections to investigate the global buckling behavior of the brace. The results of the analysis showed that BRM flexural stiffness could significantly affect the global buckling behavior of a brace, regardless of the size of the gap. In addition, a minimum ratio of the Euler buckling load of the restraining member to the yield strength of the core, P_e/P_y is suggested for design purposes. This ratio is the principal parameter that controls the global buckling of BRBs.     

Numerical and experimental investigations on buckling of steel cylindrical shells with elliptical cutout subject to axial compression

The effect of cutouts on load-bearing capacity and buckling behavior of cylindrical shells is an essential consideration in their design.In this paper, simulation and analysis of thin steel cylindrical shells of various lengths and diameters with elliptical cutouts have been studied using the finite element method and the effect of cutout position and the length-to-diameter (L/D) and diameter-to-thickness (D/t) ratios on the buckling and post-buckling behavior of cylindrical shells has been investigated. For several specimens, buckling test was performed using an INSTRON 8802 servo hydraulic machine and the results of experimental tests were compared to numerical results. A very good correlation was observed between numerical simulation and experimental results. Finally, based on the experimental and numerical results, formulas are presented for finding the buckling load of these structures.     

Parametric study on buckling behaviour of dented short carbon steel cylindrical shell subjected to uniform axial compression

Generally, thin cylindrical shells are susceptible for geometrical imperfections like non-circularity, non-cylindricity, dents, swellings, etc. All these geometrical imperfections decrease the static buckling strength of thin cylindrical shells, but in this paper only effect of a dent on strength of a short (Lc/Rc∼1, Rc/t=117, 175, 280) cylindrical shell is considered for analysis. The dent is modeled on the FE surface of perfect cylindrical shell for different angles of inclination and sizes at half the height of cylindrical shell. The cylindrical shells with a dent are analyzed using non-linear static buckling analysis. From the results it is found that in case of shorter dents, size and angle of inclination of dents do not have much effect on static buckling strength of thin cylindrical shells, whereas in the case of long dents, size and angle of inclination of dents have significant effect. But both short and long dents reduce the static buckling strength drastically. It is also found that the reduction in buckling strength of thin cylindrical shell with a dent of same size and orientation increases with increase in shell thickness.     

Imperfection sensitivity of elastic and elastic-plastic torispherical pressure vessel heads

The paper deals with the results of a systematic numerical investigation of the nonlinear elastic and elastic plastic load-carrying behaviour and imperfection sensitivity of torispherical pressure vessel heads under uniform external pressure. In particular, the presentation focuses on the qualitative and quantitative influence of the radius-to-thickness ratio R/t, the yield stress σ₀ and the magnitude of initial geometric imperfections (in the shape of the elastic bifurcation mode) on the elastic-plastic load-carrying behaviour. It is found that thinner shells are more sensitive to the value of the yield stress and the magnitude of initial geometric imperfections, but their load-carrying capacity, relative to the elastic bifurcation pressure, may also be significantly higher than that of thicker shells.     

Effects of imperfections of the buckling response of composite shells

The results of an experimental and analytical study of the effects of initial imperfections on the buckling response and failure of unstiffened thin-walled compression-loaded graphite-epoxy cylindrical shells are presented. The shells considered in the study have six different shell-wall laminates two different shell-radius-to-thickness ratios. The shell-wall laminates include four different orthotropic laminates and two different quasi-isotropic laminates. The shell-radius-to-thickness ratios includes shell-radius-to-thickness ratios equal to 100 and 200. The numerical results include the effects of traditional and nontraditional initial imperfections and selected shell parameter uncertainties. The traditional imperfections include the geometric shell-wall mid-surface imperfections that are commonly discussed in the literature on thin shell buckling. The nontraditional imperfections include shell-wall thickness variations, local shell-wall ply-gaps associated with the fabrication process, shell-end geometric imperfections, nonuniform applied end loads, and variations in the boundary conditions including the effects of elastic boundary conditions. The cylinder parameter uncertainties considered include uncertainties in geometric imperfection measurements, lamina fiber volume fraction, fiber and matrix properties, boundary conditions, and applied end load distribution. Results that include the effects of these traditional and nontraditional imperfections and uncertainties on the nonlinear response characteristics, buckling loads and failure of the shells are presented. The analysis procedure includes a nonlinear static analysis that predicts the stable response characteristics of the shells, and a nonlinear transient analysis that predicts the unstable response characteristics. In addition, a common failure analysis is used to predict material failures in the shells.     

Multiobjective optimization of orthogonally stiffened cylindrical shells for minimum weight and maximum axial buckling load

In the present research, the weight and axial buckling optimization of orthogonally stiffened cylindrical shells is carried out by the Genetic Algorithm. Constraints include two nondimensional functions of weight and buckling load in such a way that the stiffened shell has no increase in the weight and no decrease in the buckling load with respect to the initial unstiffened shell. In analytical solution, the Rayleigh–Ritz energy procedure is applied and the stiffeners are treated as discrete members. The optimization is implemented for shells with simply supported end conditions stiffened by four shapes of stiffeners including rectangular-, cee-, I-, and hat-shaped ones. The results show that the I-section and rectangular-section stiffeners are, respectively, the most and the least efficient in designing stiffened cylindrical shells for minimum weight and maximum critical axial buckling load.     

Experiments on the deflection and buckling behavior of ring-stiffened cylindrical shells under wind pressure

Buckling behavior of thin circular cylindrical shells stiffened by one or two rings has been studied in a wind tunnel. Both the prebuckling deflection and the buckling load were measured with a variety of a specimens in a smooth flow, and the effects of the stiffeners on them were examined. For comparison purposes, the buckling load of each specimen under hydrostatic pressure was also measured.The results indicate that the prebuckling deflection and ovalling oscillation can be significantly suppressed by relatively light stiffeners. As the flexural rigidity, E_sI_s, of the ring increases, the axial buckling mode changes from a symmetric one accompanied by ring deflection to another one with the rings acting as nodes, at a critical value of E_sI_s. This critical value was found to be nearly equal to that for the hydrostatic pressure. On the other hand, contrary to the hydrostatic pressure case, the buckling load gradually increases with an increase in E_sI_s, even for values of E_sI_s greater than the critical value.     

Numerical and experimental investigations of the response of aluminum cylinders with a cutout subject to axial compression

Understanding how a cutout influences the load bearing capacity and buckling behavior of a cylindrical shell is critical in the design of structural components used in automobiles, aircrafts, and marine applications. Numerical simulation and analysis of moderately thick and thin unstiffened aluminum cylindrical shells (D/t=45, 450 and L/D=2, 5, 10), having a square cutout, subjected to axial compression were systematically carried out in this paper. The investigation examined the influence of the cutout size, cutout location, and the shell aspect ratio (L/D) on the prebuckling, buckling, and postbuckling responses of the cylindrical shells.An experimental investigation on the moderately thick-walled shells was also carried out. A good correlation was observed between the results obtained from the finite element simulation and the experiments. Furthermore, empirical equations, in the form of a ‘buckling load reduction factor’ were developed using the least square regression method. These simple equations could be used to predict the buckling capacities of several specific types of cylindrical shells with a cutout.     

An analytical method for the buckling analysis of cylindrical shells with non-axisymmetric thickness variations under external pressure

This article presents an analytical method for the buckling analysis of laterally pressured cylindrical shells with non-axisymmetric thickness variations. The previous results for thickness variations under external pressure are reviewed firstly. Then, a general analytical method that combines the perturbation method and Fourier series expansion is developed to derive buckling load formulas, which is in terms of thickness variation parameter up to arbitrary order. A classical non-axisymmetric thickness variation is discussed in detail by the presented analytical method. When non-axisymmetric modal thickness variation becomes axisymmetric, the buckling loads degenerate to the known results. Furthermore, the influence of circumferential modal thickness variation with mode corresponding to twice the circumferential buckling mode on the buckling of laterally pressured cylindrical shells is analytically investigated and the results show a great agreement with previous numerical ones by Gusic et al. Thus we confirm the presented method. In addition to theoretical analysis, calculations and comparisons are also performed. The general analytical method presented in the article can be utilized to determine the buckling loads of shells with general thickness variations.     

外压作用下偏心加劲功能梯度圆柱壳的非线性屈曲和后屈曲分析

通过解析法研究外压作用下功能梯度加劲薄圆柱壳的非线性屈曲和后屈曲性能。通过其在内部的偏心环和纵梁对壳体进行加固,假定壳体和加固件的材料性能在厚度方向为连续梯度。根据VonKarman理论中的刚度法和传统的壳理论推导出基本关系和平衡方程,可更准确地选择三种关于挠曲的近似公式,且使用盖勒金法得出的显式表达式可以推测出临界荷载和后屈曲压力-挠曲曲线。数值结果显示了加固件能有效地增强壳体稳定性。     

Buckling and postbuckling of cylindrical shells with one end pinned and the other end free

Using finite element analysis, this paper examines the linear bifurcation buckling loads, and nonlinear collapse loads, of cylindrical shells with one end pinned and the other end free, under a variety of axial and pressure load combinations. The pinned end is formulated so as to provide no axial restraint. For the bifurcation analysis, loads are related back to the classical solutions for cylinder buckling loads, to explain the very low values found for this set of boundary conditions.The nonlinear analysis includes both imperfections and material plasticity. In this analysis, it is found that cylindrical shells with pinned-free boundary conditions are notably imperfection insensitive, and for a range of geometries are able to reach collapse loads significantly greater than their bifurcation load. For other geometries, collapse loads very close to the bifurcation load are found. This unusual imperfection insensitivity for a cylindrical shell is explained in terms of the large flexibility engendered by the pinned-free boundary conditions and the oval buckling mode.     

Buckling and postbuckling behaviour of cylindrical shells under combined external pressure and axial compression

Buckling and postbuckling behaviour of perfect and imperfect cylindrical shells of finite length subject to combined loading of external pressure and axial compression are considered. Based on the boundary layer theory which includes the edge effect in the buckling of shells, a theoretical analysis for the buckling and postbuckling of circular cylindrical shells under combined loading is presented using a singular perturbation technique. Some interaction curves for perfect and imperfect cylindrical shells are given. The analytical results obtained are compared with some experimental data in detail, and it is shown that both agree well. The effects of initial imperfection on the interactive buckling load and postbuckling behaviour of cylindrical shells have also been discussed.     

In-plane stability and shear deformation analysis of the H-beam hollow arch

H-shaped circular arc is a relatively novel type of open-web steel arch, and currently, no reports have been published concerning its in-plane stability. In this paper, the elastic and elastic–plastic in-plane stability of the H-shaped hollow circular arch is studied by theoretical deduction combined with numerical simulation. First, the overall shear rigidity of the H-shaped circular arch is calculated, and the elastic buckling load formula of the arch is proposed and verified considering double shear deformation under full-span radial and uniform loading. The overall elastic buckling load deduced in this paper is reasonable according to the finite element analysis. The results indicate that the influence of shear deformation on the overall elastic buckling load of the arch decreases with the increase of the span length. The arch-bearing capacity is the largest when the rise-span ratio is 0.25. Second, the restriction conditions necessary for avoiding local buckling of the chordal web before integral buckling of the H-shaped steel hollow circular arch are analyzed. Finally, the elastic–plastic failure mechanism of the H-shaped arch under full-span radial and uniform loading is examined, and the formula for determining the ultimate bearing capacity that is achievable before failure under full-span radial and uniform loading is proposed. ANSYS analysis shows that under the radial uniform loading, the chordal bars will yield near 1/4L and 3/4L, and ultimately, the structural failure of the lower chord occurs in the vicinity of 1/4L. The formulas presented in this paper agree well with the results obtained from the finite element analysis and can be used as a reference for engineering applications.     

基于改进一致缺陷模态法的轴压圆柱薄壳极限承载力分析

对结构进行缺陷稳定分析的主要方法是一致缺陷模态法和随机缺陷模态法,一致缺陷模态法对薄壁圆柱壳结构进行非线性分析得到的极限承载力与其实际承载能力有一定差距,随机缺陷模态法则工作量很大。基于圆柱薄壳轴压失稳呈现出多模态屈曲的特点,本文提出改进一致缺陷模态法,通过对圆柱壳分别施加不同屈曲模态找到最不利缺陷分布形式。文中通过有限元法验证了改进一致缺陷模态法的可靠性,同时指出按照某一类高阶屈曲模态施加初始缺陷能得到薄壳的最不利极限承载力。     

Dynamic buckling of fiber composite shells under impulsive axial compression

The paper deals with dynamic buckling due to impulsive loading of thin-walled carbon fiber reinforced plastics (CFRP) shell structures under axial compression. The approach adopted is based on the equations of motion, which are numerically solved using a finite element code (ABAQUS/Explicit) and using numerical models validated by experimental static buckling tests. To study the influence of the load duration, the time history of impulsive loading is varied and the corresponding dynamic buckling loads are related to the quasi-static buckling loads. To analyse the sensitivity to geometric imperfections, the initial geometric imperfections, measured experimentally on the internal surface of real shells, are introduced in the numerical models. It is shown numerically that the initial geometric imperfections as well as the duration of the loading period have a great influence on the dynamic buckling of the shells. For short time duration, the dynamic buckling loads are larger than the static ones. By increasing the load duration, the dynamic buckling loads decrease quickly and get significantly smaller than the static loads. Since the common practice is to assume that dynamic bucking loads are higher than the static ones, which means that static design is safe, careful design is recommended. Indeed, taking the static buckling load as the design point for dynamic problems might be misleading.     

Postbuckling analysis of stiffened cylindrical shells under combined external pressure and axial compression

A new approach is extended to investigate the buckling and postbuckling behaviour of perfect and imperfect, stringer and ring stiffened cylindrical shells of finite length subject to combined loading of external pressure and axial compression. The formulations are based on a boundary layer theory which includes the edge effect in the postbuckling analysis of a thin shell. The analysis uses a singular perturbation technique to determine the buckling loads and the postbuckling equilibrium paths. Some interaction curves for perfect and imperfect stiffened cylindrical shells are given and compared well with experimental data. The effects of initial imperfection on the interactive buckling load and postbuckling behaviour of stiffened cylindrical shells have also been discussed.     

复合圆柱形壳在径向冲击荷载和轴压荷载作用下的瞬时动力响应

基于首次逼近理论,利用第一阶剪切变形理论对圆柱形壳的自由和强迫振动进行分析。边界条件（BCs）考虑为悬臂状态。分析复合壳体在横向冲击和轴向压力作用下的动力响应（轴压荷载小于临界屈曲荷载）,同时对复合柱形壳进行了建模分析。利用卷积积分对给定荷载状况下的壳体进行分析。揭示纤维方向、轴向荷载及一些几何参数对壳体时间响应的影响。结果表明：动力响应主要由结构的自振周期所控制。