Author(s)

M. Pircher & R. Bridge

Abstract

The design of cylindrical thin-walled structures such as silos or tanks is often governed by their load-carrying capacity under axial compression. The strength of such cylinders is strongly dependent on local imperfections caused by various manufacturing processes. It has been recognised that axisymmetric imperfections particularly result in severe reduction of the strength of cylindrical structures. Imperfections caused by circumferential welds fall into this category and therefore deserve special attention. Finite element models were used to analyse circumferentially imperfect cylindrical shell structures and evaluate the influence of a number of parameters on the buckling and p

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