Structural Similitude for Nonlinear Buckling of Discrete Orthogonally Stiffened Cylindrical Shells Subjected to External Pressure by Energy Approach

Abstract

The body of the new typical dry gasholder is a large stiffened cylindrical shell. Under the constraints of experimental and economic conditions, buckling characteristics of the body of gasholder are generally studied by scaled model experiments. Taking discrete orthogonally [Formula: see text]-shaped stiffened cylindrical shells as the research object, generalized similitude requirements and scaling laws of the structure under external pressure are presented based on discrete stiffened theory and energy method. For partial scaled models with dimple/eigen-mode imperfection and material properties, partial similitude for nonlinear buckling of discrete stiffened cylindrical shells under external pressure is mainly investigated. The results show that using scaling laws for nonlinear buckling of stiffened cylindrical shells under external pressure, scaled models can accurately predict nonlinear buckling characteristic of prototypes. As the deviation of Poisson’s ratio between materials of the model and the prototype increases, the deviation of nonlinear buckling characteristic between the predicted prototype and its prototype increases gradually. At the same time, scaled generalized similitude requirements and scaling laws can provide useful reference for the model design and experimental verification of nonlinear buckling of discrete orthogonally stiffened cylindrical shells with initial geometrical imperfection under external pressure.