Post-Buckling of Functionally Graded Cylindrical Shells

In this study, the post-buckling analysis of functionally graded cylindrical shells was carried out using the non-linear finite element method. The longitudinal shell edges were hinged under a central transverse concentrated load. The shells were composed of ceramic (Al₂O₃) and metal (Ni) phases and the mechanical properties at the region between the metal and ceramic layers vary continuously through the shell thickness according to a power-law distribution of the volume fractions of the constituents. The arc-length method was implemented. The effects of material composition and layer number as well as various shell thicknesses on the post-buckling response of the functionally graded cylindrical shells were investigated. The functionally graded shells exhibit both snap-through and snap-back post buckling behaviours. The layer number through the shell thickness has a minor effect on the post-buckling behaviour whereas the compositional gradient exponent varies from 0.1 to 10.0 the snap-through behaviour becomes more obvious whilst both the snap-through and snap-back behaviours appear for a thinner shell.