Optimal stabilization of the post-buckling path for cylindrical shells under external pressure

Abstract

The post-buckling path for a cylindrical shell under compressive radial pressure is unstable. The effect of modification of the post-buckling behaviour is in most cases obtained by changing sizing variables, which are usually dimensions of the design element. In this article an alternative concept is applied, namely stabilization of the post-buckling path for a simply supported cylindrical shell under radial compressive pressure is obtained by application of additional loadings acting on the structure without changing the shape or sizes of the optimized element. These loadings can be either active forces applied to the structure or passive ones (reactions of the additional supports) or both active and passive forces acting simultaneously. All three types of stabilizing forces were investigated. Calculations were performed using the ANSYS 11.0 Academic Research code for elastic and elastic–plastic deformations of shells of different length and thickness.