ABSTRACT
An imperfection sensitive design criterion for aluminium alloy cylinders subjected to axial load, external pressure and torsion is presented in this paper. Buckling curves have been fitted against a comprehensive non linear F.E.M. analysis of cylinder imperfection sensitivity, considering a wide imperfection pattern and accounting for actual inelastic properties of material. Curves shown in this paper are intended to represent a codification proposal for the new Part 1–5 “Supplementary rules for shell structures” of Eurocode 9, which is presently under development within the activity of CEN/TC250-SC9 Committee (chairman F.M. Mazzolani), devoted to the preparation of Eurocode 9 “Design of Aluminium Structures”. As this part of EC9 is the very first codification issue at European level dealing with aluminium shell structures, it is hoped that proposed curves could represent a helpful starting point for the general framing of buckling problems.
