ABSTRACT
Buckling strength of axially compressed cylindrical shells having variable length has been investigated both experimentally and numerically. Results of tests on eleven mild steel cylinders together with the FE estimates of buckling load are provided. All cylinders were 200 mm long, with radius of 80 mm and wall thickness of about 0.5 mm. Imperfections were in the form of variable axial length of sinusoidal profile. The number of waves varied between 0 and 9, with the amplitude of axial imperfection, 2A, to wall thickness varying from 0.12 to 8.21. The paper shows that variable axial length leads to a significant drop of buckling strength when loaded by axial compression.
