Effect of multiple localized geometric imperfections on stability of thin axisymmetric cylindrical shells under axial compression

Stability of imperfect elastic cylindrical shells which are subjected to uniform axial compression is analyzed by using the finite element method. Multiple interacting localized axisymmetric initial geometric imperfections, having either triangular or wavelet shapes, were considered. The effect of a single localized geometric imperfection was analyzed in order to assess the most adverse configuration in terms of shell aspect ratios. Then two or three geometric imperfections of a given shape and which were uniformly distributed along the shell length were introduced to quantify their global effect on the shell buckling strength. It was shown that with two or three interacting geometric imperfections further reduction of the buckling load is obtained. In the ranges of parameters that were investigated, the imperfection wavelength was found to be the major factor influencing shell stability; it is followed by the imperfection amplitude, then by the interval distance separating the localized imperfections. In a wide range of parameters this last factor was recognized to have almost no effect on buckling stresses.