Plastic Buckling of Cylindrical Shells Under Axial Compression

Analytical and experimental results are presented for the axisymmetric plastic buckling of axially compressed cylinders made from strain hardening materials. Buckling loads predicted by two simple bifurcation buckling formulas (simplified analysis) and by the STAGS finite difference computer program (detailed analysis) are compared with buckling loads measured in room temperature tests on Type 304 stainless steel cylinders. The comparison shows that the loads predicted by Gerard’s bifurcation buckling formula agree well with the test results and the STAGS solution. Thus, the present results provide further confirmation that Gerard’s simple formula furnishes a reasonably good approximation to the load carrying capacity of strain hardening cylinders that buckle axisymmetrically at nominal axial stresses equal to or greater than the yield stress.