Experimental Studies on Stability of Longitudinally Compressed Cylindrical Shells at Accumulating Random Cuts-Cracks

The results of systematic experimental studies on the influence of various number of straight-through cuts randomly located and oriented on the lateral surface of a cylindrical shell, which simulate the process of crack accumulation in the material, on the buckling load during longitudinal compression have been described. Methods for evaluating the pre-critical behavior, stability loss, wave formation, and the relationship between the buckling load and the number of random through cuts-cracks have been analyzed. The findings could be valuable for predicting the service life of shell structures under the accumulation of damage of various nature.