Buckling of elastic cylindrical shells under combined uniform bending and uniform torsion
File(s)ASCE_JEM_Paper_Accepted.pdf (6.99 MB)
Accepted version
Author(s)
Cabrera-González, Juan Antonio
Sadowski, Adam
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
Tall cylindrical shell structures such as tubular steel wind turbine support towers are frequently subject to combined bending and torsional loading, and as hub heights increase these structures become increasingly driven by the ultimate limit state of buckling. However, the complete theoretical linear and nonlinear buckling interaction between these two reference loading conditions has never been fully quantified. This paper presents a detailed computational parametric investigation into this interaction behaviour using computational buckling analyses undertaken within the capacity curve framework of the evolved Eurocode EN 1993-1-6 (2025) on metal shells, focusing specifically on the documentation of the elastic capacity parameters. A novel approach of helical meshing helps to minimise computational cost while maximising finite element solution quality, particularly for longer torsion-dominated shells. It is documented that relatively small levels of torsion have a near-negligible influence on cylindrical shells dominated by bending loads, a particularly fortuitous finding from the point of view of design, but that the entire elastic interaction relationship is highly nonlinear and length-dependent owing to the eventual development of the ovalisation under bending. The catalogue of behaviours described here will be extended to a complete elastic-plastic characterisation in due course.
Date Issued
2025-12-01
Date Acceptance
2025-06-13
Citation
Journal of Engineering Mechanics, 2025, 151 (12)
ISSN
0733-9399
Publisher
American Society of Civil Engineers
Journal / Book Title
Journal of Engineering Mechanics
Volume
151
Issue
12
Copyright Statement
© 2025 American Society of Civil Engineers. This is the author’s accepted manuscript made available under a CC-BY licence in accordance with Imperial’s Research Publications Open Access policy (www.imperial.ac.uk/oa-policy)
License URL
Publication Status
Published
Article Number
04025073
Date Publish Online
2025-09-25