MODELING AND SIMULATION OF BUCKLING AND POSTBUCKLING OF PLANT STEMS UNDER COMBINED LOADING CONDITIONS

Numerical simulations for local buckling and postbuckling behavior of plant stems are presented under two combined loading cases: (1) axial compression (caused by axial grains) combined with wind pressure; and (2) bending moment (caused by eccentric axial grains) combined with wind pressure. Based on its microstructure, a hollow plant stem is modeled as a stringer stiffened multiwalled shell. The material properties of the stem are assumed to be orthotropic. The nonlinear governing equations for buckling and postbuckling of plant stems are solved through arc-length method along with Newton–Raphson technique. The numerical calculations are carried out using the finite element package ABAQUS. The results show that the postbuckling equilibrium path is unstable for plant stems subjected to axial compression or bending combined with relatively low values of wind pressure. Large reduction in buckling load and in postbuckling strength can be found even if the applied wind pressure is relatively small, which results in the easy occurrence of stem lodging.

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