A Study on Buckling Behaviour of Steel Cylindrical Shell Structures with a Cut-out and Local Wall Thickness Reduction Subject to Axial Compression

It is critical to understand the effect on buckling behaviour of cylindrical shell structure with cut-out and wall thickness reduction in safety design. This paper investigates buckling behaviour of a short steel cylindrical shell structure with a cut-out and local wall thickness reduction subject to axial compression using linear and non-linear finite element buckling analysis methods, including both geometrical and material non-linearity. Analysis results indicate that buckling capacity decreases to 10%-80% of non-cutout case. Buckling deformation occurs around cut-out and local wall reduction area, and buckling deformation shape is different to buckling mode that is observed. The cut-out and local wall thickness reduction can be considered as an initial imperfection in buckling analysis that is made clear from this study.