BUCKLING OF CIRCULAR CYLINDRICAL SHELLS UNDER DYNAMICALLY APPLIED AXIAL LOADS

A theoretical and experimental study was made of the buckling characteristics of perfect and imperfect circular cylindrical shells subjected to dynamic axial loading. The experimental tests were performed on a specially designed dynamic testing machine which was capable of producing controlled ramp-type loads at rates ranging from the quasi-static up to higher than 200,000 pounds/second. Ten shell specimens were tested including two near-perfect shells, seven shells with axisymmetric sinusoidal imperfections of a variety of amplitudes and wave-lengths and one shell with quasi-random axisymmetric imperfections. The shells were produced from a photo-elastic epoxy plastic using a spin-casting technique. The imperfection profiles were machined into the shell walls using a high precision hydraulic tracing apparatus. For three of the shells with sinusoidal imperfections, imperfection profiles were cut on the inner surface alone while for the remaining four shells with sinusoidal imperfections and for the shell with quasi-random imperfections, a special manufacturing procedure was adopted which produced shells with matching inner and outer profiles, thus providing effectively constant thickness walls. Experimental data included dynamic buckling loads (124 data points), high speed photographs of the buckling mode shapes and observations of the dynamic stability of shells subjected to rapidly applied sub-critical loads. A mathematical model was developed to describe the dynamic behaviour of perfect and imperfect shells. This model was based on the Donnell-Von Karman compatibility and equilibrium equations and had a wall deflection function incorporating five separate modes of deflection. Close agreement between theory and experiment was found for both dynamic buckling strength and buckling mode shapes.

• Corporate Authors:

  University of Toronto

  Institute for Aerospace Studies, 4925 Dufferin Road
  Toronto, Ontario  Canada  M5S 1A1
• Authors:
  • Tulk, J D
• Publication Date: 1972-6

Media Info

• Features: References;
• Pagination: 95 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Axial loads; Buckling; Cylinders (Geometry); Dynamic loads; Photoelasticity; Shells (Structural forms); Ship dynamic stability
• Uncontrolled Terms: Axial loading; Cylindrical shells
• Subject Areas: Marine Transportation; Materials;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00041384
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: University of Toronto
• Report/Paper Numbers: UTIAS Report 160
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Mar 2 1973 12:00AM