Buckling Design of Axially Compressed Cylindrical Shells Based on Energy Barrier Approach

Buckling design of axially compressed cylindrical shells is still a challenging subject considering the high imperfection-sensitive characteristic in this kind of structure. With the development of various design methods, the energy barrier concept dealing with buckling of imperfection-sensitive cylindrical shells exhibits a promising prospect in recent years. In this study, buckling design of imperfection-sensitive cylindrical shells under axial compression based on the energy barrier approach is systematically investigated. The methodology about buckling design based on the energy barrier approach is described in detail first taking advantage of the cylindrical shells whose buckling loads have been extensively tested. Then, validation and discussion about this buckling design method have been carried out by the numerical and experimental analyses on the cylindrical shells with different geometrical and boundary imperfections. Results in this study together with the available experimental data have verified the reliability and advantage of the buckling design method based on energy barrier approach. A design criterion based on the energy barrier approach is therefore established and compared with the other criteria. Results indicate that buckling design based on energy barrier approach can be used as an efficient way in the lightweight design of thin-shell structures.