Non-linear buckling and postbuckling of shear deformable anisotropic laminated cylindrical shell subjected to varying external pressure loads

Non-linear buckling and postbuckling of a moderately thick anisotropic laminated cylindrical shell of finite length subjected to lateral pressure, hydrostatic pressure and external liquid pressure has been presented in the paper. The material of each layer of the shell is assumed to be linearly elastic, anisotropic and fiber-reinforced. The governing equations are based on a higher order shear deformation shell theory with von Kármán–Donnell-type of kinematic non-linearity and including the extension/twist, extension/flexural and flexural/twist couplings. The non-linear prebuckling deformations and initial geometric imperfections of the shell are both taken into account. A singular perturbation technique is employed to determine the buckling pressure and postbuckling equilibrium paths. The numerical illustrations concern the postbuckling response of perfect and imperfect, moderately thick, anisotropic laminated cylindrical shells with different values of shell parameters and stacking sequence. The results confirm that there exists a circumferential stress along with an associate shear stress when the shell is subjected to external pressure.