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National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics, Report - Buckling of Thin walled Cylinder Under Axial Compression and Internal Pressure

An investigation was made of a thin-walled cyclinder under
axial compression and carious internal pressures to study the
efect of the internal pressure on the compressive buckling stress of
the cylinder. A theoretical analysis based on a large-deflection
theory was also made. The theoretically predicted increase of
compressive buckling stress due to internal pressure agrees
fairly well with the experimental results.

The buckling of thin-walled cylinders under axial compres-
sion and lateral pressure has been investigated by Flfigge
(reference 1) who found that the effect of the internal pres-
sure on the buckling load is negligible. Fliigge’s conclusion
is in contradiction to the results of a series of tests, made at
the Langley Aeronautical Laboratory of the NAOA, of two
curved panels under axial compression and various lateral
pressures. These test results, reported in reference 2, showed
an appreciable strengthening effect of the lateral pressure
on the buckling load of the curved panels. The apparent
discrepancy between these experimental results and the
prediction by Flfigge’s theory made it desirable to investi-
gate this problem further. Consequently, additional tests
were made of a cylinder under axial compression and various
internal pressures for which results are presented herein.
A theoretical analysis of this problem is also presented
which differs from that of Flfigge in that the present analysis
is based on large-, rat-her than small-, deflection theory.

Test specimen—The specimen used for the tests was a
cylinder, 32 inches long with a 15-inch inside radius, made
of 248—T aluminum alloy sheet of 0.0249—inch average
thickness. It was closely riveted around two heavy steel
rings, one at each end. The butt joint of the two longi-
tudinal edges was covered both inside and outside by straps,
0.032 inch thick and 1% inches wide, along the total length
of the cylinder.