Experimental and numerical investigations on buckling behaviours of axially compressed cylindrical–conical–cylindrical shells at elevated temperature

Abstract

In this work, experimental and numerical studies are conducted to explore the buckling behaviours of cylindrical–conical–cylindrical assembly shells under axial compression at elevated temperature. Firstly, bucking experiments of six test specimens at 600 °C are carried out. Then, numerical method considering initial geometric imperfection is used to predict buckling behaviours of these assembly shells. Furthermore, the effects of key factors on buckling behaviours of cylindrical–conical–cylindrical shells are also discussed. Results indicate a good agreement between experimental data and numerical result based on the model with measured geometric imperfection, and the shell model with measured outer surface imperfection is adequate for buckling analysis. Comparatively, the buckling load predicted by the model with eigenmode imperfection is reasonably conservative compared with experimental result only when the amplitude of imperfection is close to the measured imperfection amplitude. In addition, the effects of material properties and geometry parameters, e.g., yield stress, ratio of radius to shell thickness and semi-vertex angle, on the load-carrying capacity and buckling mode of cylindrical–conical–cylindrical shells are investigated systematically. Finally, a strategy for buckling analysis of cylindrical–conical–cylindrical shells is proposed.