Buckling and Postbuckling Behavior of Initially Imperfect Orthotropic Cylindrical Shells under Axial Compression and Internal Pressure

Abstract

In recent years orthotopic cylindrical shells such as stiffened or fiber reinforced cylinders have been used extensively in aerospace structures. These structures are often subjected to axial compression and internal pressure. The thin cylindrical shells are known to be imperfection sensitive, and their buckling loads are substantially reduced by the presence of small initial deviations from the circular shape of the shell. The behavior of imperfect cylindrical shells has been studied by various investigators [1–5]. Both isotropic and anisotropic shells have been considered in these structures. In most of these investigations Karman-Donnell strain-displacement equations were used.