Buckling Analysis of Pipelines with Reduced Cross Section

This paper proposes a theoretical solution of elastic critical buckling load of infinitely long pipelines with non-uniform thickness under external pressure. The non-uniform cross section of pipelines can be considered as corroded or stiffened pipelines so that this paper can be a fundamental research of pipelines that are essential technology for offshore industries. The theoretical solution of pipelines with non-uniform thickness is derived with an assumption that a cylindrical shell under external pressure can be considered as a simple ring. The eigenfunctions are derived to obtain the critical buckling load. The reduced thickness and the reduced range are considered as variables in parametric analysis. The finite element analysis is performed to verify the theoretical solutions and the results of the analytic method and the finite element method are in good agreement.