Plastic buckling of circular tubes under axial compression—part I: Experiments

Abstract Elastic buckling of cylindrical shells due to axial compression results in sudden and catastrophic failure. By contrast, for thicker shells that buckle in the plastic range, failure is preceded by a cascade of events, where the first instability and failure can be separated by strains of 1–5%. The first instability is uniform axisymmetric wrinkling that is typically treated as a plastic bifurcation. The wrinkle amplitude gradually grows and, in the process, reduces the axial rigidity of the shell. This eventually leads to a limit load instability, beyond which the cylinder fails by localized collapse. For some combinations of geometric and material characteristics, this limit load can be preceded by a second bifurcation that involves a non-axisymmetric mode of deformation. Again, this buckling mode localizes resulting in failure. The problem is revisited using a combination of experiments and analysis. In Part I, we present the results of an experimental study involving stainless steel specimens with diameter-to-thickness ratios between 23 and 52. Fifteen specimens were designed and machined to achieve uniform loading conditions in the test section. They were subsequently compressed to failure under displacement control. Along the way, the evolution of wrinkles was monitored using a special surface-scanning device. Bifurcation buckling based on the J 2 deformation theory of plasticity was used to establish the onset of wrinkling. Comparison of measured and calculated results revealed that the wrinkle wavelength was significantly overpredicted. The cause of the discrepancy is shown to be anisotropy present in the tubes used. Modeling of the postbuckling response and the prediction of the limit load instability follows in Part II.

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