Axisymmetric Creep Buckling of Circular Cylindrical Shells in Axial Compression

Abstract

Creep buckling of axially compressed circular cylindrical shells with axisymmetric initial imperfection is discussed with special emphasis on the general features of its unstable process. An elastic-creep material obeying the isotropic elastic law and the time-hardening creep law of Mises-Mises type is assumed. The analysis is performed quasi-statically on the basis of the variational principle of Reissner’s type and the finite deformation theory in Lagrangean formulation. In order to minimize the number of parameters necessary for specifying the problem, the basic equations are expressed in terms of nondimensional equations. An approximate expression for the limit time of creep buckling is also given for wide range of the parameters.