Buckling behaviour of elliptical cylindrical shells and tubes under compression

This paper presents several issues that characterize the buckling behaviour of elliptical cylindrical shells and tubes under compression. First, a formulation of Generalised Beam Theory (GBT) developed to analyse the elastic buckling behaviour of non-circular hollow section (NCHS) members is presented. Since the radius varies along the cross-section mid-line, the main concepts involved in the determination of the deformation modes are adapted to account for the specific aspects related to elliptical cross-section geometry. After that, two independent sets of fully orthogonal deformation modes are determined: (i) local-shell modes satisfying the null membrane shear strain but exhibiting transverse extension and (ii) shell-type modes satisfying both assumptions of null membrane shear strain and null transverse extension. In order to illustrate the application, capabilities and versatility of the formulation, the local and global buckling behaviour of elliptical hollow section (EHS) members subjected to compression is analysed. In particular, in-depth studies concerning the influence of member length on the variation of the critical load and corresponding buckling mode shape are presented. Moreover, the GBT results are compared with estimates obtained by means of shell finite element analyses and are thoroughly discussed. The results show that short to intermediate length cylinders buckle mostly in local-shell modes, exhibiting only transverse extension, while intermediate length to long cylinders buckle mostly in shell-type modes (distortional and global modes), which are characterized by transverse bending and primary warping displacements. It is also shown that the present formulation is very efficient from the computational point of view since only three deformation modes (one local-shell, one distortional and one global) are required to evaluate the buckling behaviour of EHS cylinders for a wide range of lengths.     

Enhanced generalised beam theory buckling formulation to handle transverse load application effects

This work deals with the development, finite element implementation and application of a generalised beam theory (GBT) formulation intended to analyse the localised, local, distortional and global buckling behaviour of thin-walled steel beams and frames subjected to transverse loads applied at various member cross-section points (away from its shear centre). In order to take into account the effects stemming from the transverse load position, the GBT buckling formulation must incorporate geometrical stiffness terms stemming from either (i) the internal work of the pre-buckling transversal normal stresses (“exact” formulation) or (ii) the external work of the applied transverse loads (approximate/simplified formulation). After presenting the main concepts and procedures involved in the development of the above “exact” and simplified formulations, the paper addresses the corresponding numerical implementations. Then, in order to illustrate their application and capabilities, as well as the limitations of the simplified formulation, various numerical result sets are presented and discussed. The accuracy of the GBT-based results is assessed through the comparison with “exact” values, yielded by rigorous shell finite element analyses carried out in the code Ansys.     

Length dependence of critical measures in single-walled carbon nanotubes

This paper presents an investigation on the buckling behaviour of single-walled carbon nanotubes under various loading conditions (compression, bending and torsion) and unveils several aspects concerning the dependence of critical measures (axial strain, bending curvature and twisting angle) on the nanotube length. The buckling results are obtained by means of an atomistic-scale generalized beam theory (GBT) that incorporates local deformation of the nanotube cross-section by means of independent and orthogonal deformation modes. Moreover, some estimates are also obtained by means of non-linear shell finite element analyses using Abaqus code. After classifying the buckling modes of thin-walled tubes (global, local and distortional), the paper addresses the importance of the two-wave distortional mode (flattening or ovalization mode) in their structural behaviour. Then, the well known expression to determine the critical strain of compressed nanotubes, which is based on Donnell theory for shallow shells, is shown to be inadequate for moderately long tubes due to warping displacements appearing in the distortional buckling modes. After that, an in-depth study on the buckling behaviour of nanotubes under compression, bending and torsion is presented. The variation of the critical kinematic measures (axial strain, bending curvature and twisting angle) with the tube length is thoroughly investigated. Concerning this dependence, some uncertainties that exist in the specific literature are meticulously explained, a few useful expressions to determine critical measures of nanotubes are proposed and the results are compared with available data collected from several published works (most of them, obtained from molecular dynamics simulations).     

In-plane stability of arches

Classical buckling theory is mostly used to investigate the in-plane stability of arches, which assumes that the pre-buckling behaviour is linear and that the effects of pre-buckling deformations on buckling can be ignored. However, the behaviour of shallow arches becomes non-linear and the deformations are substantial prior to buckling, so that their effects on the buckling of shallow arches need to be considered. Classical buckling theory which does not consider these effects cannot correctly predict the in-plane buckling load of shallow arches. This paper investigates the in-plane buckling of circular arches with an arbitrary cross-section and subjected to a radial load uniformly distributed around the arch axis. An energy method is used to establish both non-linear equilibrium equations and buckling equilibrium equations for shallow arches. Analytical solutions for the in-plane buckling loads of shallow arches subjected to this loading regime are obtained. Approximations to the symmetric buckling of shallow arches and formulae for the in-plane anti-symmetric bifurcation buckling load of non-shallow arches are proposed, and criteria that define shallow and non-shallow arches are also stated. Comparisons with finite element results demonstrate that the solutions and indeed approximations are accurate, and that classical buckling theory can correctly predict the in-plane anti-symmetric bifurcation buckling load of non-shallow arches, but overestimates the in-plane anti-symmetric bifurcation buckling load of shallow arches significantly.     

板壳结构弹塑性稳定性的有限元分析

构造了20参数圆柱壳拟协调单元,同时采用分层模型的弹塑性稳定性分析.根据塑性屈曲的Stowell形变理论,用基于切线刚度矩阵的增量法和修正的Newton-Raphson方法,计算屈曲前的弹塑性内力分布,并用逆幂迭代法求解弹塑性屈曲荷载.     

The effect of transverse shear deformation on the buckling of two-layer composite columns with interlayer slip

This paper presents an efficient mathematical model for studying the buckling behavior of geometrically perfect elastic two-layer composite columns with interlayer slip between the layers. The present analytical model is based on the linearized stability theory and is capable of predicting exact critical buckling loads. Based on the parametric analysis, the critical buckling loads are compared to those in the literature. It is shown that the discrepancy between the different methods can be up to approximately 22%. In addition, a combined and an individual effect of pre-buckling shortening and transverse shear deformation on the critical buckling loads is studied in detail. A comprehensive parametric analysis reveals that generally the effect of pre-buckling shortening can be neglected, while, on the other hand, the effect of transverse shear deformation can be significant. This effect can be up to 20% for timber composite columns, 40% for composite columns very flexible in shear (pyrolytic graphite), while for metal composite columns it is insignificant.     

Column buckling under general loads with allowances for pre-buckling shortening and shear deformation

Summary The paper investigates the elastic buckling behaviour of columns under a combined trapezoidal distributed axial load and an end concentrated load. The buckling analysis takes into account the effects of pre-buckling shortening and shear deformation. For shear deformation, Engesser's assumption of the shear force acting perpendicularly to the centreline of the deflected column is adopted. Based on the derived incremental total potential energy functional, the finite element method is employed for solution. The effects of pre-buckling shortening and shear deformation are investigated and approximate formulas are proposed to incorporate them into the assessment of buckling loads for columns.

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Knickung von Stäben mit Vorstauchung und Schubverformung bei allgemeiner Belastung

Übersicht In diesem Beitrag wird die elastische Stabknickung unter axialer, trapezförmiger Streckenlast und Einzellast am Ende untersucht. Der Einfluß einer Stabverkürzung vor dem Knicken und von Schubverformung wird berücksichtigt. Hinsichtlich der Schubverformung wird Engessers Annahme verwendet, d. h., die Querkraft wirkt senkrecht zur Achse des verformten Balkens. Ausgehend vom Funktional der inkrementellen, totalen potentiellen Energie wird zur Lösung die Finite-Element-Methode benutzt. Die Effekte von Vorstauchung und Schubverformung werden untersucht. Es werden Näherungsformeln für die Abschätzung der Knicklasten vorgeschlagen.

     

On the relationship of the shear deformable Generalized Beam Theory with classical and non-classical theories

The possibility to establish clear relationships between the results of the Generalized Beam Theory (GBT) and those of the classical beam theories is a crucial issue for a correct theoretical positioning of the GBT within the other existing beam theories as well as for the application of the GBT in the current engineering practice. With this in mind, the recovery of classical and non-classical beam theories within the framework of the GBT is presented in this paper. To this purpose, a new formulation of the GBT with shear deformation is conceived. Particularly, the formulation recently proposed by the authors is here modified by introducing new definitions of the kinematic parameters and of the generalized deformations, and extended to the dynamic case. Firstly, it is shown that a suitable choice of the flexural deformation modes allows recovering the Vlasov beam theory, both with and without shear deformation. Also, the analytical solution of the non-uniform torsion problem with shear deformation is given. Then, the recovery of the Capurso beam theory using the nonlinear warping deformation modes is illustrated.     

辛方法和弹性圆柱壳在内外压和轴向冲击下的动态屈曲

针对有内压或外压的弹性圆柱壳在轴向冲击载荷耦合作用下的动态屈曲问题,构造哈密顿体系,在辛空间中将临界载荷和动态屈曲模态归结为辛本征值和本征解问题,从而形成一种辛方法。该方法直接得到非轴对称的屈曲模态。数值结果给出了圆柱壳问题的临界载荷和屈曲模态以及一些规律。     

考虑前屈曲耦合变形时功能梯度简支梁的稳定性分析

在某些边界条件下,功能梯度材料（FGM）梁会由于拉弯耦合产生前屈曲耦合变形,而该变形对FGM梁的稳定性有影响。本文假设FGM梁的材料性质只沿厚度方向进行变化,基于经典非线性梁理论和物理中面概念,推导出FGM梁的平衡方程以及包含前屈曲耦合变形影响的屈曲控制方程,并用打靶法进行数值求解。讨论了前屈曲耦合变形、梯度指数以及材料性质的温度依赖等因素对FGM梁非线性变形和稳定性的影响。     

夹层梁总体屈曲及皱曲的有限元计算

皱曲是夹层结构的一种短波屈曲模式,通常发生于夹心较厚或夹心刚度较低的情况。由于模型规模的限制,在常规有限元建模时通常将夹层板模拟为二维板单元,这种方法忽略了面板和夹心在厚度方向上的相互作用,无法计算出皱曲模式。针对上述问题,本文首先介绍了一个计算夹层结构总体屈曲和皱曲的统一理论,并将此理论的计算结果作为理论解。为了同时...     

Volume and surface stability of uniformly compressed transversely isotropic linearly elastic materials

The stability loss of a transversely isotropic linearly elastic medium is studied. The medium is uniformly compressed in both horizontal directions, and the initial stress in the vertical direction is equal to zero. The standard analysis based on the Hadamard condition is used. The bifurcation equation divides into two parts, and therefore, two kinds of buckling modes are possible. The critical initial compression is found, but the buckling modes remain indefinite (as the wave length so the relation between the wave numbers is arbitrary). The stability loss of a compressed half-space with a free surface is studied. Only one kind of buckling mode localized near the free surface is possible, and as for an entire space, the buckling mode and the wave length are indefinite. In these problems, linear as well as non-linear approaches are used. In the linear approach, the pre-buckling deformations are ignored. It is shown that for some values of parameters, the linear approach leads to qualitatively incorrect results. The stability loss of an uniformly compressed plate lying on a soft elastic half-space is studied. By using the non-linear post-critical analysis, it is shown that the buckling mode is a chessboard-like one.     

Nonlinear shell-type to beam-type fea simplifications for composite frp poles

This paper presents a semi-analytical finite element analysis of pole-type structures with circular hollow cross-section. Based on the principle of stationary potential energy and Novozhilov’s derivation of nonlinear strains, the formulations for the geometric nonlinear analysis of general shells are derived. The nonlinear shell-type analysis is then manipulated and simplified gradually into a beam-type analysis with special emphasis given on the relationships of shell-type to beam-type and nonlinear to linear analyses. Based on the theory of general shells and the finite element method, the approach presented herein is employed to analyze the ovalization of the cross-section, large displacements, the P-Δ effect as well as the overall buckling of pole-type structures. Illustrative examples are presented to demonstrate the applicability and the efficiency of the present technique to the large deformation of fiber-reinforced polymer composite poles accompanied with comparisons employing commercial finite element codes.     

钢管混凝土圆弧桁架拱平面内徐变稳定分析

核心混凝土的徐变会增加钢管混凝土拱肋的屈曲前变形,降低结构的稳定承载力,因此只有计入屈曲前变形的影响,才能准确得到钢管混凝土拱的徐变稳定承载力。基于圆弧形浅拱的非线性屈曲理论,采用虚功原理,建立了考虑徐变和剪切变形双重效应的管混凝土圆弧桁架拱的平面内非线性平衡方程,求得两铰和无铰桁架拱发生反对称分岔屈曲和对称跳跃屈曲的徐变稳定临界荷载。探讨了钢管混凝土桁架拱核心混凝土徐变随修正长细比、圆心角和加载龄期对该类结构弹性稳定承载力的影响,为钢管混凝土桁架拱长期设计提供理论依据。     

Wrinkling of tubes in bending from finite strain three-dimensional continuum theory

The problem of a tube under pure bending is first solved as a generalised plane strain problem. This then provides the prebifurcation solution, which is uniform along the length of the tube. The onset of wrinkling is then predicted by introducing buckling modes involving a sinusoidal variation of the displacements along the length of the tube. Both the prebuckling analysis and the bifurcation check require only a two-dimensional finite element discretisation of the cross-section with special elements. The formulation does not rely on any of the approximations of a shell theory, or small strains. The same elements can be used for pure bending and local buckling a prismatic beam of arbitrary cross-section. Here the flow theory of plasticity with isotropic hardening is used for the prebuckling solution, but the bifurcation check is based on the incremental moduli of a finite strain deformation theory of plasticity.For tubes under pure bending, the results for limit point collapse (due to ovalisation) and bifurcation buckling (wrinkling) are compared to existing analysis and test results, to see whether removing the approximations of a shell theory and small strains (used in the existing analyses) leads to a better prediction of the experimental results. The small strain analysis results depend on whether the true or nominal stress–strain curve is used. By comparing small and finite strain analysis results it is found that the small strain approximation is good if one uses (a) the nominal stress–strain curve in compression to predict bifurcation buckling (wrinkling), and (b) the true stress–strain curve to calculate the limit point collapse curvature.In regard to the shell theory approximations, it is found that the three-dimensional continuum theory predicts slightly shorter critical wrinkling wavelengths, especially for lower diameter-to-wall-thickness (D/t) ratios. However this difference is not sufficient to account for the significantly lower wavelengths observed in the tests.     

简支梁大挠度弹性后屈曲载荷与变形的优化算法

针对简支梁结构大挠度后屈曲载荷与变形的计算问题,本文提出了一种直接求解其后屈曲载荷和变形的优化算法。在简支梁处于大挠度屈曲平衡状态下,将梁结构划分为有限子段,以待求后屈曲载荷为设计变量,根据起点的边界条件和每个子段满足的弯矩变形公式,累积计算出其他各个节点的坐标,以得到的终点坐标满足的边界条件构建目标函数模型。在此基础上,通过MATLAB编制优化程序分析了两个典型算例,并将理论结果与相关软件的计算结果进行对比,从而证明了本文算法的正确性。本文算法求解过程简单、快速,具有一定的实用性,为变截面结构大挠度弹性屈曲稳定性问题的研究提供了参考。     

Studies of nonlinear deformation and stability of noncircular cylindrical shells in transverse bending

The variational finite element method in displacements is used to solve the problem of geometrically nonlinear deformation and stability of cylindrical shells with a noncircular contour of the cross-section. Quadrangle finite elements of shells of natural curvature are used. In the approximations of element displacements, the displacements of elements as solids are explicitly separated. The variational Lagrange principle is used to obtain a nonlinear system of algebraic equations for the unknown nodal finite elements. The system is solved by the method of successive loadings and by the Newton-Kantorovich linearization method. The linear system is solved by the Crout method. The critical loads are determined in the process of solving the nonlinear problem by using the Sylvester stability criterion. An algorithm and a computer program are developed to study the problem numerically. The nonlinear deformation and stability of shells with oval and elliptic cross-sections are investigated in a broad range of variation of the elongation and ellipticity parameters. The shell critical loads and buckling modes are determined. The influence of the deformation nonlinearity, elongation, and ellipticity of the shell on the critical loads is examined.     

Dynamic buckling of cylindrical shells subject to an axial impact in a symplectic system

This paper discusses the dynamic pre-buckling of finite cylindrical shells in the propagation and reflection of axial stress waves. By introducing the Hamiltonian system into dynamic buckling of structures, the problem can be described mathematically in a symplectic space. The solutions of Hamiltonian dual equations shown in canonical variables are obtained. The problem is reduced to the determination of eigenvalues and eigensolutions, with the former indicating critical buckling loads and the latter buckling modes. Numerical example presented shows phenomena of axisymmetric and non-axisymmetric dynamic buckling subject to impacts of axial load.     

A higher order model for thin-walled structures with deformable cross-sections

A higher order model for the analysis of linear, prismatic thin-walled structures that considers the cross-section warping together with the cross-section in-plane flexural deformation is presented in this paper. The use of a one-dimentional model for the analysis of thin-walled structures, which have an inherent complex three-dimensional (3D) behaviour, can only be successful and competitive when compared with shell finite element models if it fulfills a twofold objective: (i) an enrichment of the model in order to as accurately as possible reproduce its 3D elasticity equations and (ii) the definition of a consistent criterion for uncoupling the beam equations, allowing to identify structural deformation modes.The displacement field is approximated through a linear combination of products between a set of linear independent functions defined over the cross-section and the associated weights only dependent on the beam axis; this approximation is not constrained by any ab initio kinematic assumptions. Towards an efficient application of the approximation procedure, the cross-section is discretized into thin-walled elements, being the displacement field approximated for each element independently of the displacement direction. The approximation is thus hp refined enhancing the “capture” of the 3D structural mechanics of thin-walled structures. The beam model governing equations are obtained through the integration over the cross-section of the corresponding elasticity equations weighted by the cross-section global approximation functions.A criterion for uncoupling the beam governing equations is established, allowing to (i) retrieve the classic equations of the thin-walled beam theory both for open and closed sections and (ii) derive a set of uncoupled deformation modes representing higher order effects. The criterion is based on the solution of the polynomial eigenvalue problem associated with the beam differential equations, allowing to quantify the Saint-Venant principle for thin-walled structures. In fact, the solution of the non linear eigenvalue problem yields a twelve fold null eigenvalue (representing polynomial solutions) that are verified to represent beam classic solutions and sets of pairs and quadruplets of non-null eigenvalues corresponding to higher order modes of deformation.     

Buckling of short beams with warping effect included

A beam theory for the stability analysis of short beam that includes shear deformation and warping of the cross-section is developed. The warping of the cross-section is taken to be an independent kinematics quantity and corresponding force resultants are defined. For the beam subjected to the external loading only at the ends of the beam, equilibrium equations have been obtained by the principle of virtual work. The variations of lateral displacement, rotational angle of the cross-section and the multiplier of the warping shape along the beam axis are solved in closed form and expressed in terms of deformation quantities at the ends of the beam. Based on this beam theory, the lateral stiffness of the beam sustained an axial compression force and a lateral shear force at one end is explicitly derived, from which the equation of the buckling load is established and the buckling load can be solved. When the effect of cross-section warping is neglected, the derived lateral stiffness and buckling load converge to the solutions of the Haringx theory.