Effect of Local Geometric Imperfections on Axial Buckling of Welded Steel Tanks

Axial buckling critical load of large welded steel tanks is very sensitive to initial circumferential weld geometric imperfections on the tank walls. It is worth noting that some local geometric imperfections are also existed in the following service time. It is meaningful to explore effect of local geometric imperfections on axial buckling of welded steel tanks with circumferential weld imperfections already. FEM was used to learn effect of amplitude and distribution of local geometric imperfections on welded steel tanks with circumferential geometric imperfections. Results showed that the existence of local geometric imperfections give an additional damage to axial buckling critical load and changed axial buckling deformation characteristics of welded steel tanks, while this adverse effect did not vary much with the increasing of amplitude and distribution of local geometric imperfections.