Influence of stress waves on the dynamic progressive and dynamic plastic buckling of cylindrical shells

A new concept is presented for the dynamic elastic-plastic axisymmetric buc kling of circular cylindrical shells under axial impact. The phenomena of d ynamic plastic buckling (when the entire length of the shell wrinkles befor e the development of large radial displacements) and dynamic progressive bu ckling (when the shell folds form sequentially) are analysed from the viewp oint of stress wave propagation resulting from an axial impact. The conditi ons for the development of dynamic plastic buckling are obtained. A numerical analysis of the buckling phenomena reveals that the material pr operties together with the geometrical characteristics of the shell determi ne the particular type of response for high velocity impacts. It is conclud ed that shells made of strain rate insensitive materials can respond either by dynamic plastic buckling or dynamic progressive buckling, depending on the inertia properties of the shell, while those shells made of strain rate sensitive materials respond always by dynamic progressive buckling. It is shown that the prediction for the peak load, which can develop in a shell f or a high velocity impact, depends on the particular yield criterion used i n the analysis. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.