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.     

Buckling and postbuckling behaviors of imperfect cylindrical shells subjected to torsion

Buckling and postbuckling behaviors of imperfect cylindrical shell subjected to torsion are investigated. The governing equations are based on the Karman–Donnell-type nonlinear differential equations. A boundary layer theory of shell buckling is applied to obtain the analytic solutions that meet the boundary conditions strictly. A singular perturbation technique is employed to determine the buckling loads and postbuckling equilibrium paths. Numerical results reveal that the current theory gives quite good estimates of the postbuckling paths of cylindrical shells. The effects of the geometric parameters on the buckling and postbuckling behaviors of the cylindrical shells are analyzed. It is confirmed that the postbuckling equilibrium paths of cylindrical shells subjected to torsion are unstable and the relatively shorter shells have higher postbuckling equilibrium paths. Finally, the effects of the initial imperfections on the buckling and postbuckling behaviors of the cylindrical shells are clarified. The illustrated results of the imperfect shells with different initial transverse deflections show that extremely small imperfections do indeed reduce the buckling loads and make the postbuckling equilibrium paths be lower. The buckling and postbuckling of cylindrical shells under torsion exhibit obvious imperfect sensitivity. Furthermore, the effects become greater following with the larger imperfections.     

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.     

径向荷载作用下功能梯度柱壳非线性后屈曲研究

基于柱壳非线性大变形理论,研究承受径向荷载的功能梯度柱壳的非线性后屈曲性能。依据功能梯度参数,功能梯度材料沿厚度方向的属性有差异。考虑依赖温度的材料属性,比较不同温度的影响。研究了功能梯度参数与空间参数的影响。最后,利用试验结果对理论结果进行修正。     

Recent advances on postbuckling analyses of thin-walled structures: Beams, frames and cylindrical shells

The lateral postbuckling response of thin-walled structures such as bars and frames with members having steel rolled shapes as well as circular cylindrical shells under axial compression is thoroughly reconsidered. More specifically via a simple and very efficient technique it is found that beams with rolled shapes (symmetric or non symmetric) under uniform bending and axial compression exhibit a stable lateral-torsional secondary path with limited margins of postbuckling strength. New findings for the static and dynamic stability of frames with crooked steel members-due to the presence of residual stresses-are also reported. It is comprehensively established that the coupling effect due to initial crookedness and loading eccentricity may have a beneficial effect on the load-carrying capacity of the frames. Moreover, simple mechanical models are proposed for simulating the buckling mechanism of axially compressed circular cylindrical shells. Very recently Bodner and Rubin proposed an 1-DOF mechanical model whose buckling parameters correlated to those of the shells by using an empirical formula based on experimentally observed shell buckling loads. In the present analysis a new 2-DOF model for the static and dynamic buckling of axially compressed circular cylindrical shells, which can include mode coupling, is presented.     

真空引起的薄壁圆筒屈曲压力预测

研究均匀外压力下初始缺陷对圆柱形薄壳结构屈曲性能的影响。对缩尺薄壁圆筒的外形进行分析以测量壳体表面的几何缺陷。有限元分析时将这些初始缺陷考虑在内,并进行静态几何非线性分析。在实验室进行圆筒的倒塌试验,并将试验结果和有限元分析结果进行比较。结果表明,有限元分析能够准确预测圆筒的破坏坍塌压力和后屈曲模态。     

Tailoring the elastic postbuckling response of thin-walled cylindrical composite shells under axial compression

The buckling of cylindrical shells has long been regarded as an undesirable phenomenon, but increasing interests on the development of active and controllable structures open new opportunities to utilize such unstable behavior. In this paper, approaches for modifying and controlling the elastic response of axially compressed laminated composite cylindrical shells in the far postbuckling regime are presented and evaluated. Three methods are explored (1) varying ply orientation and laminate stacking sequence; (2) introducing patterned material stiffness distributions; and (3) providing internal lateral constraints. Experimental data and numerical results show that the static and kinematic response of unstable mode branch switching during postbuckling response can be modified and potentially tailored.     

Postbuckling analysis of circular cylindrical shells under external pressure

The postbuckling behavior of circular cylindrical shells of finite length under uniform external pressure is analysed using the spline finite strip method. A Total Lagrangian formulation on the displacement dependent pressure load in the orthogonal curvilinear reference frame is derived. An improvement for the arc-length iteration method is presented. The postbuckling equilibrium path and the contour map of equal radial deflection computed are in good agreement with the experimental and analytical results reported in Esslinger, M. and Geier, B., Postbuckling Behaviour of Structures, Springer-Verlag, Wien, New York, 1975.     

Lower bound to plastic load of cylinders with opening under combined loading

This paper proposes an analytical solution to obtain the lower bound limit load of cylindrical shells with circular opening under the action of combined axial force and bending moment at ends. The yield criterion proposed by Ivanov for plastic analysis of shells employing Von Mises criteria is used for general cylindrical shells. The method of solution is based on formulating the lower bound to limit load as a nonlinear mathematical programming problem. In this analysis Feasible Sequential Quadratic Programming (FSQP) is employed as an optimization technique to obtain the lower bound limit load. The lower bound results are presented in dimensionless form for a wide range of loading cases and geometric parameters of practical interest and compared with finite element elastic–plastic results which are found to be in good agreement.     

局部双层柱面网壳的几何非线性稳定性分析

本文探讨了局部双层柱面网壳的合理结构形式,对其非线性受力性能进行了详细的研究。针对这种结构中比较特殊的一端校接一端刚接桀单元提出了坐标转换矩阵的计算方法,并编制了相应的计算程序。通过对若干算例及一个局部双层丹壳的计算分析,验证了本文方法理论的正确可靠,并得到了一些有价值的结论。     

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.     

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.     

扭转作用下有缺陷柱形壳的屈曲和后屈曲性能

分析扭转作用下有缺陷柱形壳的屈曲和后屈曲性能。基于Karman-Donnell-Type非线性微分方程建立计算公式,采用壳屈曲的边界层理论进行分析,以获得能严格满足边界条件的解决方案。采用奇摄动技术,以确定屈曲载荷和后屈曲平衡路径。数值结果显示,目前的理论能对柱形壳的后屈曲性能进行较好评估。同时分析了几何参数对柱形壳的屈曲和后屈曲性能的影响。证实了扭转作用下柱形壳的后屈曲平衡路径并不稳定,并且相对更短的壳体具有更高的后屈曲平衡能力。最后,指出初始缺陷对柱形壳屈曲和后屈曲性能的影响。对具有初始横向挠曲的有缺陷壳体的分析结果显示：即便是非常小的缺陷,也确实会减少屈曲承载力,并使得后屈曲稳定性变差。扭转作用下柱形壳的屈曲和后屈曲性能显示出明显的缺陷敏感性。此外,如果缺陷更大,那么带来的影响也随之会变得更大。     

Delamination buckling for composite laminated cylindrical shells in Hamilton system

In this article, a semi-analytical three-dimensional model based on the modified Hellinger–Reissner (H–R) variational principle and a nonlinear spring-layer model are presented for the buckling analysis of composite laminated cylindrical shells with a delamination. The method allows the effect of transverse shear deformation in the control equations of the composite laminated structures. In addition, it uses a two-dimensional mesh and can ensure that the number of variables is independent of the layer number. The nonlinear spring-layer model between the exterior and interior sub-laminates ensures the continuity of transverse stresses and displacements in the undelaminated region by specifying infinite values of springs and therefore avoids the possibility of material penetration phenomenon in the delaminated region. As an application of the present method, the influence of the delamination length on the critical buckling loads of delaminated composite laminated stiffened cylindrical shells is investigated.     

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。     

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.     

Postbuckling analysis and imperfection sensitivity of viscoplastic plates and cylindrical panels

The postbuckling behaviour of elastic-viscoplastic rectangular plates and cylindrical panels is analysed. The rate-dependent inelastic material behaviour is modelled by a unified theory of viscoplasticity. Initial geometrical imperfections of the inelastic structure are included and their effect on the postbuckling behaviour is investigated. The analysis relies on an incremental approach in which at each loading increment the Galerkin method is employed. Results are presented for a plate made of an elastic-viscoplastic material and subjected to a uniaxial compression, applied at a constant strain rate on both edges. The results display the applied loading against the out-of-plane displacement, and the effects of loading rate and imperfection sensitivity. It turns out that there is a significant difference between the postbuckling behaviour of a plate in the two cases: (1) when the bifurcation buckling of a geometrically perfect plate occurs in the elastic region, and (2) when it occurs after a plastic flow takes place.     

Postbuckling analysis of cross-ply laminated cylindrical shell panels under parabolic mechanical edge loading

Postbuckling equilibrium paths of simply supported cross-ply laminated cylindrical shell panels subjected to non-uniform (parabolic) inplane loads are traced in this paper. Love's shell theory with higher order shear deformation theory and von Kármán nonlinear strain–displacement relations are used in the mathematical formulation of the problem. In the first step, the plate membrane problem is solved to evaluate the stress distribution within the prebuckling range as the applied inplane edge load is non-uniform. The governing shell panel postbuckling equations are derived from the principle of minimum total potential energy using the above stress distributions. Adopting multi-term Galerkin's approximation, the governing equations are reduced into a set of non-linear algebraic equations. Newton–Raphson method in conjunction with Riks approach is employed to plot the postbuckling paths through limit points. Numerical results are presented for symmetric (0/90/0) crossply laminated cylindrical shell panels under parabolic inplane load, lateral distributed load and initial imperfections. Limit loads and snap-through behavior of shell panels are studied.     

Wind loading and its effects on single-layer reticulated cylindrical shells

In this paper, the wind load distribution as well as its effects on single-layer reticulated cylindrical shells, which are widely used in practice, is investigated. At first, wind pressure distributions on three rigid cylindrical shell models considering different shape ratios are measured simultaneously in a wind tunnel. Some special characteristics of the measured wind pressure, especially its fluctuating component, are discussed. Then, considering the special structural mechanical behaviors, the effects of wind load, especially the fluctuating component, on the limit load-carrying capacity and the stability of the shells are investigated by both equivalent static analysis and dynamic analysis. Suitable methods to get a reasonable estimation of wind load effects in estimating the equivalent static wind load distribution for such shells are investigated. Finally, with comparison analyses using different methods mentioned in this paper, the efficiency of the method in estimating the effective wind load distribution presented by the authors previously for single-layer reticulated spherical shells is demonstrated, and some advices for estimating the wind load distribution on single-layer reticulated cylindrical shells is given for wind-resistant design in practice.     

Static and transient response of cylindrical shells

Static and transient analysis of composite cylindrical shells is presented using a recently proposed shear deformation theory. The dynamic response is obtained by employing the numerical time integration scheme due to Newmark. The results obtained by using classical shell theory (CST) and Mindlin-type shear deformation theory (SDT) are compared with those obtained by using the proposed theory. The comparison studies reveal that the linear stress distribution, as assumed in CST and SDT, differs considerably from the predicted nonlinear distribution of the proposed theory.