Local buckling in infinitely, long cylindrical shells subjected uniform external pressure

• Published in: Thin-walled structures 2012-04, Vol.53, p.211-216
• Main Author: Xue, Jianghong
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Buckling; Exact sciences and technology; Fundamental areas of phenomenology (including applications); Local buckling; Long cylindrical shell; Nonlinear analysis; Physics; Solid mechanics; Structural and continuum mechanics
• ISSN: 0263-8231; 1879-3223
• DOI: 10.1016/j.tws.2012.01.008

This paper presents a unique approach to analyze the buckling of an infinitely long cylindrical shell subjected to the external pressure. Buckling is considered to occur locally in the shell, spreading over a certain length along the longitudinal axis of the shell. A plausible function of the flexural displacement is created according to Timonshenko's ring solution of the transverse collapse mode. The governing equations based on Donnell–МУШТАРИ's shell theory are solved using Ritz method and the equilibrium conditions are educed. Numerical computations are performed for cases when shell thickness/radius ratios are 0.1, 0.05 and 0.03. In general, the pressure decreases sharply with a very slight increase of the normalized radial deflection just at the beginning of the initiation, then falls quite slowly till the two opposite points on the inner surface of the shell contact each other. It is found that the buckling pressure of the shell converges to the critical value given by Donnell–МУШТАРИ's shell theory and the span of the buckling mode in the longitudinal axis of the shell is independent of material properties. Solutions given in this paper can be used to address the problem of steady-state buckle propagation in the shells. ► We proposed a local buckling mechanism in long cylindrical shells subjected to external pressure. ► The collapse mode of the shell is constructed based on Timonshenko's ring solution. ► Using Donnell–МУШТАРИ's shell theory, we established and solved the governing equations. ► The span of the buckling mode was found to be proportional to (radius)3/2/(thickness)1/2. ► Solutions can be used to analyze the length of transition zone in a buckle propagating pipeline.