EXPERIMENTAL

STRESS ANALYSIS LAB

Experiment No : 7

Buckling of Tubes and Shells

Submitted by,

Experiment A
1. Buckling of shell and Imperfection measurement
Objective:
1. To conduct the buckling of shell experiment on thin shells and measure
imperfections on this shells.

2. Simulate the above experiment using Abaqus/ANSYS numerical analysis

package by considering the imperfections.
3. Compare the buckling load results obtained from the numerical simulation
and the experiments.

Apparatus:
1. Imperfection measurement setup:
a. Laser LVDT.
b. Rotary table.
c. Rotary controller.
d. Vernier height gauge.
e. Thin cylindrical shell.
2. Daq, DC power source.
3. Compression testing machine contains
load cell and control unit.
Fig.1

Test procedure:
1. Take the cylindrical shell of dimension 54 80 0.11 mm (Diameter , height,
and thickness respectively), the corresponding material properties are
E=69GPa, Yield strength=241 MPa, Poisson ration=0.33.
2. Fix the laser LVDT to the Vernier gauge as shown in figure.1. And connect the
LVDT wire to the data acquisition and DC power source.
3. Connect the Daq to the computer.
4. Apply the 5 Volt power using DC power source and point the laser ray on to
the shell radially.
5. We need to measure the imperfections data points according to the mesh we
generated in the Abaqus.
6. Give RPM (rotations per minute), degree of rotation as an input to the rotary
controller and save the imperfection data using the LabVIEW program.
7. Use this imperfection data as an input to the Abaqus package and find the
buckling loads, load-deflection graphs.
8. Level the experimental setup using the level checker.
9. Use the same shell and conduct the buckling experiment using compression
testing machine.

Observation:
a) By Experiment: (Deflection Control Method)

Load Vs Deflection
80
70
60
50

Load(Kg)

40
30
20
10
0

0.5

1.5

2.5

Deflection (mm)

Fig 1 : Deflection Vs Load curve for Cylindrical Shell

b) By Numerical Symulation (ANSYS)

Software Used: ANSYS APDL(V15)
Element Type Used: Shell 181 is a four-node element with six
degrees of freedom at each node: translations in the x, y, and z
directions, and rotations about the x, y, and z-axes. SHELL 181 is wellsuited for linear, large rotation, and/or large strain nonlinear
applications. Change in shell thickness is accounted for in nonlinear
analyses. In the element domain, both full and reduced integration
schemes are supported. SHELL 181 accounts for follower (load
stiffness) effects of distributed pressures.
Material Propoerty Used :
Table 1 : List of Material Properties

S.N
o
1
2
3

Material Propoerty
Modulus of Elasticity (GPa)
Poissons Ratio
Density(kg/m3)

Mesh Quality Check:

Value
69
0.33
2800

Table 2 : List of Mesh Quality Check

S.N
o
1
2
3
4
1

FEA
ELEMENTS

Property
Number
Number
Number
Number

of
of
of
of

Value

nodes
elements
warning element
failed elements

990
945
32
0

Model:
MAR 6 2016
19:15:29

Z
Y

Fig 1 : FEM Model of Cylindrical Shell

Analysis:
An eigen bucking analyis is carried out on the cylindrical model with
imperfection and the critical buckling load is calculated. The FEA model
is generated with the imperfection data measured using the above
setup.

Results:
1
DISPLACEMENT
STEP=1
SUB =1
FACT=10660
DMX =.600E-04

MAR 7 2016
16:09:44

Z
X

Fig 2 : Deformed Shape due to Buckling

1
DISPLACEMENT
STEP=1
SUB =1
FACT=10660
DMX =.600E-04

MAR 7 2016
16:09:57

Z
Y

Fig 3 : Deformed and unreformed Shape due to

Buckling

Results: (Comparision)
Buckling load estimatotion :
Critical

Buckling

1 2 69 1 09

S.No
1
2
3

load

( 0.0544 0.0537 8 4)
64
0.082

Estimation Type
By Theory
By Numerical Simulation
By Experiment

Problem
Faced
improvemnt:

during

n 2 EI
2
L

=7.18x 105 N

Buckling load (Kg)

7.18x 104
1066
70

Experiment

suggestion

for

1. The rotary table doesnot rotate as per the command fed from
controller. It is having an error of 0.8. For example; if a command is
fed for movement for 10 deg, the specimen rotate by 8 deg. So
calibration needs to be carried out.
2. In order to measure imperfections, the laser has to be placed in
perpendiculer to the cylindrical shell. Now laser is manually
positioned for measurement which mat lead to error. A fixture needs
to be designed so that the laser will be always perpoendicular to
cylindrical shell.
3. Imperfeciions are measured by manully tuning the controller for
rotation and readings are noted. This can be automated so that the
controller can take readings and give in a file.