Computer Analysis of Buckling of Imperfect Shells

A digital computer program for the geometrically nonlinear static and dynamic response of arbitrarily loaded shells of revolution known as SATANS has been modified to account for arbitrary, naturally occurring initial geometric imperfections of any shape, location, or extent. Two specific axially loaded thin circular cylinders are analyzed using actual measured initial imperfections. Detailed numerical studies are conducted to determine the buckling loads of the perfect and imperfect cylinders. Several sets of boundary conditions are considered. An analysis procedure for imperfect shells is proposed. The numerically predicted buckling loads of the two cylinders are within 4% of the experimental buckling loads.