ABSTRACT
In this chapter, the historical development of buckling of imperfection-sensitive structures and materials is reviewed through the perspective of theoretical engineers. The experimental buckling loads of long thin-walled cylinders were found to fall markedly below the stability limit computed by the classical linearized theory of bifurcation. The concept of imperfection sensitivity was quite pertinent in the theoretical description of these buckling loads, motivating experimental, analytical and computational studies of imperfection-sensitive structures. This chapter deals with several topics, including initial post-buckling behaviors, search for prototype initial imperfections, probabilistic scatter of critical loads, generalized asymptotic method, and hilltop branching.
