Buckling analysis of thin plates with circular cut-outs for sustainable ventilated food packaging design

Abstract

Thin plates with circular cut-outs are widely used in engineering structures such as bridges, construction, and ventilated corrugated paperboard boxes in food packaging. This study investigates the critical buckling loads of thin elastic plates comprised of a single circular hole at different locations and with different sizes. To determine the critical loads, experimental tests and finite element method simulations are conducted. The vertical location and the diameter of the hole impact the buckling results significantly. The results indicate a significant correlation between the experimental and finite element data. The study develops second and third order polynomial formulas that predict buckling loads. In this study, corrugated paperboard plates were used as samples to gain insights into ventilated food packaging designs, aiming to enhance their buckling strength while reducing packaging material consumption for packaging sustainability purposes. The solution proposed in this study can be applied to predict the buckling of other elastic thin plate structures with a circular hole, relevant to industries such as construction and aerospace.