The computation of nonlinear instability for multilayer composite cylindrical shells

In this paper, energy method and finite difference method are used to Compute the instability behavior ofmultilayeredfiber reinforced composite cylindrical shells under axial compression, hydrostatic pressure and torsion. The influences of initial imperfections, geometrical nonlinearities of shells and physical nonlinearities of the materials to the buckling and postbuckling behavior of the shells are considered. The effect of transverse shear is also discussed. The computational results of this paper are well agreed with the experimental data.