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Probabilistic progressive buckling of trusses

A three-bay, space, cantilever truss is probabilistically evaluated to describe progressive buckling and truss collapse in view of the numerous uncertainties associated with the structural, material, and load variables that describe the truss. Initially, the truss is deterministically analyzed for member forces, and members in which the axial force exceeds the Euler buckling load are identified. These members are then discretized with several intermediate nodes, and a probabilistic buckling analysis is performed on the truss to obtain its probabilistic buckling loads and the respective mode shapes. Furthermore, sensitivities associated with the uncertainties in the primitive variables are investigated, margin of safety values for the truss are determined, and truss end node displacements are noted. These steps are repeated by sequentially removing buckled members until onset of truss collapse is reached. Results show that this procedure yields an optimum truss configuration for a given loading and for a specified reliability.

PROBABILISTIC BUCKLING ANALYSI

Design and Analysis of Buckling-Critical Large-Scale Sandwich Composite Cylindrical Test Articles

It has long been established in the literature that the buckling response of thin-shell structures can be very sensitive to the presence of small geometric and loading imperfections. The Shell Buckling Knockdown Factor Project (SBKF) was established by the NASA Engineering and Safety Center (NESC) to develop analysis-based shell buckling design recommendations for stiffened-metallic and composite launch-vehicle shell structures. Large-scale buckling tests were used to validate the modeling and analysis methods applied in developing these analysis-based recommendations. Herein, the test article design methodology for 8-ft-diameter, honeycomb-core sandwich composite cylinder validation tests is discussed and cylinder designs are presented. In this methodology, first, the sandwich composite design space was defined using several nondimensional parameters, and the desired test article design space was determined by examining the designs of launch-vehicle cylinder structures. Essentially all test article designs within certain design parameters were generated and then downselected based on simple closed-form failure calculations and the nondimensional design-space parameters. Four of these designs that spanned a significant portion of the design space of interest and had global buckling as the first predicted failure mode were selected and subjected to higher-fidelity finite element analyses (FEAs): shell-element-based analyses, axisymmetric-element-based analyses, and global-local analyses. The analysis flow discussed in this report supported the design objective. As the analysis flow progressed, designs were downselected so the fidelity of the analysis methods, and consequently their computational cost and accuracy, was increased. The selection of the FEA types created an analysis framework where particular methods complemented each other and reduced the uncertainty of the predicted test article responses. The analysis results are illustrated using several designs when the computationally expeditious closed-form analysis stage is discussed. Once this stage is complete, the higher-fidelity FEA types are illustrated using one selected detailed test article design. Both perfect and imperfect test article geometries were considered.

Buckling

Progressive Damage Failure Analysis of Post-Buckled Composite Single-Stringer Panel with Teflon Inserts

The high strength-to-weight and stiffness-to-weight ratio materials, such as laminated composites, are advantageous for modern aircraft. Laminated composites with initial flaws are susceptible to delamination under buckling loads. PDA tools help enhance the industry’s understanding of the mechanisms for damage initiation and growth in composite structures while assisting in the design, analysis, and sustainment methods of these composite structures. The global-local modeling approach for the single-stringer post-buckled panel was evaluated through this effort, using Teflon inserts to simulate the defect of damage during manufacturing. This understanding is essential for designing the post-buckled structure, reducing weight while predicting damage initiation location, and addressing a potential design review for future aircraft repairs. In this work, the initial damage was captured with Teflon inserts as the starting configuration; and any reference to the damage initiation refers to any damage beyond the “initial unbonded region.” The effort aims to develop, evaluate, and enhance methods to predict damage initiation and progression and the failure of post-buckled hat-stiffened panels using multiple Abaqus FEA Virtual Crack Closure Technique (VCCT) definitions. Validation of the PDA using the VCCT material model was performed on a large single-stringer panel subjected to compressive loading. The compressive loading of the panel caused the skin to buckle before any damage began to occur locally. In addition, comparisons are made for critical aspects of the damage morphology, such as a growth pattern that included delamination from the skin-stiffener interface to the skin and ply interfaces. When compared against the experimental data produced through the NASA Advanced Composites Project (ACP), the present model captured damage migration from one surface to another, and model validations were within 4% of the experimental data.

PDA

Buckling of circular cylindrical shells under dynamically applied axial loads

A theoretical and experimental study was made of the buckling characteristics of perfect and imperfect circular cylindrical shells subjected to dynamic axial loading. Experimental data included dynamic buckling loads (124 data points), high speed photographs of buckling mode shapes and observations of the dynamic stability of shells subjected to rapidly applied sub-critical loads. A mathematical model was developed to describe the dynamic behavior of perfect and imperfect shells. This model was based on the Donnell-Von Karman compatibility and equilibrium equations and had a wall deflection function incorporating five separate modes of deflection. Close agreement between theory and experiment was found for both dynamic buckling strength and buckling mode shapes.

Tulk, J. D.

Vibration and local edge buckling of thermally stressed, wedge airfoil cantilever wings.

The local edge buckling phenomena that can occur along the heated thin edge of a wedge shape airfoil is calculated. Qualitative comparison (qualitative only because the experimental temperature distribution was not measured) is made to the experimentally observed phenomena. The consequences of the assumption of identical vibration and buckling modes is shown by a comparison of results with and without the assumption of mode identity. Computer plots of the elastic surface as local buckling develops with increasing temperature are shown. The calculated, fully developed local edge buckling is compared to a photograph of a fully developed buckling as observed in the laboratory.

Bailey, C. D.

An engineering procedure for calculating compressive strength of isogrid cylindrical shells with buckled skin

An engineering procedure is presented for calculating the compressive buckling strength of isogrid cylinders using shell of revolution techniques and accounting for loading beyond the material proportional limit and/or local buckling of the skin prior to general buckling. A general nondimensional chart is presented which can be used in conjunction with formulas based on simple deformation plasticity theory to calculate postbuckling stiffnesses of the skin. The stiffening grid system is treated as an equivalent isotropic grid layer. Stiffnesses are determined for this grid layer, when loaded beyond the proportional limit, by the same plasticity theory used for the skin and a nonlinear stress-strain curve constructed from simple isogrid-handbook formulas and standard-reference-manual stress-strain curves for the material involved. Comparison of prebuckling strains and buckling results obtained by this procedure with data from a large isogrid-cylinder test is excellent with the calculated buckling load no more than 4 percent greater than the test value.

Heard, W. L., Jr.

Exploiting symmetries for efficient post-buckling analysis of composite plates

Two aspects of the post-buckling analysis of composite plates are considered in this paper. The first pertains to identifying the different types of symmetry exhibited by the pre- and post-buckling responses of rectangular and skewed composite plates. A procedure is presented for exploiting these symmetries in finite-element and finite-difference analyses. The procedure can be used with existing programs having multipoint constraint capability. The second aspect pertains to the post-buckling response of biaxially loaded composite plates. Numerical results from finite-element analysis are presented which show the range of parameters for which shear deformation and/or anisotropy are important in buckling and post-buckling analysis.

Noor, A. K.

Vibration and buckling studies of pretensioned structures

Results of analyses and tests of a simple pretensional structure are presented. Linear finite element analysis correlated well with experimental small amplitude vibration data. The buckling and vibration behavior of a pretensional stayed column was studied in detail. The bifurcation buckling load was also predicted accurately. Postbuckling behavior of the column was unusual and results in a post buckling restoring force of only 1/64 the bifurcation buckling load. Interaction between lateral accelerations and compressive load creates isolated stay slackening at loads above 50 percent of the buckling load. Further research will be required to fully understand their impact on the use of pretensioned structures as large space structures.

Belvin, W. K.

Analytical and experimental vibration and buckling characteristics of a pretensioned stayed column

Modal vibration tests to determine lateral modes of vibration of a stayed column and static axial compression tests to determine the column's buckling and postbuckling behavior have been performed. Effects of stay tension levels and vibration-load interaction are presented. Two finite element models are used to analyze the column, a three-dimensional frame using NASTRAN and an equivalent two-dimensional frame using an exact dynamic stiffness matrix. Both analyses correlated well with the linear vibration and buckling experimental data. Results indicate premature buckling of the column due to vibration-load interaction and nonlinear oscillations due to stay slackening. Postbuckling behavior of the column is unusual because of stay slackening and results in a postbuckling restoring force of less than the bifurcation buckling load. Guidelines for design of pretensioned structures are presented which consider buckling, postbuckling and vibration behavior.

Belvin, W. K.

Buckling loads of stiffened panels subjected to combined longitudinal compression and shear: Results obtained with PASCO, EAL, and STAGS computer programs

Buckling analyses used in PASCO are summarized with emphasis placed on the shear buckling analyses. The PASCO buckling analyses include the basic VIPASA analysis, which is essentially exact for longitudinal and transverse loads, and a smeared stiffener solution, which treats a stiffened panel as an orthotropic plate. Buckling results are then presented for seven stiffened panels loaded by combinations of longitudinal compression and shear. The buckling results were obtained with the PASCO, EAL, and STAGS computer programs. The EAL and STAGS solutions were obtained with a fine finite element mesh and are very accurate. These finite element solutions together with the PASCO results for pure longitudinal compression provide benchmark calculations to evaluate other analysis procedures.

Stroud, W. J.

Buckling of a sublaminate in a quasi-isotropic composite laminate

The buckling of an elliptic delamination embedded near the surface of a thick quasi-isotropic laminate was predicted. The thickness of the delaminated ply group (the sublaminate) was assumed to be small compared to the total laminate thickness. Finite-element and Rayleigh-Ritz methods were used for the analyses. The Rayleigh-Ritz method was found to be simple, inexpensive, and accurate, except for highly anisotropic delaminated regions. Effects of delamination shape and orientation, material anisotropy, and layup on buckling strains were examined. Results show that: (1) the stress state around the delaminated region is biaxial, which may lead to buckling when the laminate is loaded in tension; (2) buckling strains for multi-directional fiber sublaminates generally are bounded by those for the 0 deg and 90 deg unidirectional sublaminates; and (3) the direction of elongation of the sublaminate that has the lowest buckling strain correlates with the delamination growth direction.

Shivakumar, K. N.

An Improved Analysis of the Thermal Buckling of Silicon Sheet

Buckling problems on the production of wide and thin silicon sheet are discussed. Buckling occurs in all of the processes which are investigated for their potential in mass producing wide silicon sheet for use in making solar cells. It is a fact that the processes which produce good ribbon 2 cm in width do not yield the same quality product at 10 cm in width. Buckling develops precisely because the sheets are wide and very very thin. The buckling of very thin cantilever plates due to temperature variations in the axial direction is considered. The temperature variation in the width direction was determined. Axial temperature variations which cause very thin plates to buckle in a torsional mode are demonstrated. It is assumed that the particular variation of the stress function in the width direction and thereafter the analysis is exact.

Dillon, O. W., Jr.

Buckling of a sublaminate in a quasi-isotropic composite laminate

The buckling of an elliptic delamination embedded near the surface of a thick quasi-isotropic laminate was predicted. The thickness of the delaminated ply group (the sublaminate) was assumed to be small compared to the total laminate thickness. Finite-element and Rayleigh-Ritz methods were used for the analyses. The Rayleigh-Ritz method was found to be simple, inexpensive, and accurate, except for highly anisotropic delaminated regions. Effects of delamination shape and orientation, material anisotropy, and layup on buckling strains were examined. Results show that: (1) the stress state around the delaminated region is biaxial, which may lead to buckling when the laminate is loaded in tension; (2) buckling strains for multi-directional fiber sublaminates generally are bounded by those for the 0 deg and 90 deg unidirectional sublaminates; and (3) the direction of elongation of the sublaminate that has the lowest buckling strain correlates with the delamination growth direction.

Shivakumar, K. N.

Buckling behavior of compression-loaded symmetrically-laminated angle-ply plates with holes

An approximate analysis for buckling of a rectangular specially-orthotropic plate with a central circular hole is applied to symmetrically-laminated angle-ply plates. Results obtained from finite element analyses and experiments indicate that the approximate analysis predicts accurately the buckling loads of (+/-theta sub m)s plates with integer values of m not below 6 and with hole diameters up to 50 percent of the plate width. Moreover, the results indicate that the approximate analysis can be used to predict the buckling trends of plates with hole diameters up to 70 percent of the plate width. Results of a parametric study indicate the influence of hole size, plate aspect ratio, loading conditions, boundary conditions, and orthotropy on the buckling load. Results are also presented that indicate the relationship of the bending stiffness and the prebuckling load distribution to the buckling load of a plate with a hole.

Nemeth, M. P.

Effects of transverse shear deformation on buckling of laminated cylinders as a function of thickness and ply orientation

Buckling loads of thick-walled, orthotropic, simply-supported right circular cylinders are predicted using a new higher-order transverse shear deformation theory. The higher-order theory shows that, by more accurately accounting for transverse shear deformation effects, the predicted buckling load may be reduced by as much as 80 percent compared to predictions based on conventional transverse shear deformation theory. A parametric study of the effect of ply orientation on the buckling load of axially compressed cylinders indicates that laminates containing 0 deg plies are the most sensitive to transverse shear deformation effects. Interaction curves for buckling of cylinders with axial compressive and external pressure loadings indicate that buckling loads due to external pressure loadings are much less sensitive to transverse shear deformation effects than those due to axial compressive loadings.

Jegley, Dawn C.

A comparison of experimental and calculated thin-shell leading-edge buckling due to thermal stresses

High-temperature thin-shell leading-edge buckling test data are analyzed using NASA structural analysis (NASTRAN) as a finite element tool for predicting thermal buckling characteristics. Buckling points are predicted for several combinations of edge boundary conditions. The problem of relating the appropriate plate area to the edge stress distribution and the stress gradient is addressed in terms of analysis assumptions. Local plasticity was found to occur on the specimen analyzed, and this tended to simplify the basic problem since it effectively equalized the stress gradient from loaded edge to loaded edge. The initial loading was found to be difficult to select for the buckling analysis because of the transient nature of thermal stress. Multiple initial model loadings are likely required for complicated thermal stress time histories before a pertinent finite element buckling analysis can be achieved. The basic mode shapes determined from experimentation were correctly identified from computation.

Jenkins, Jerald M.

Active control of buckling of flexible beams

The feasibility of using the rapidly growing technology of the shape memory alloys actuators in actively controlling the buckling of large flexible structures is investigated. The need for such buckling control systems is becoming inevitable as the design trends of large space structures have resulted in the use of structural members that are long, slender, and very flexible. In addition, as these truss members are subjected mainly to longitudinal loading they become susceptible to structural instabilities due to buckling. Proper control of such instabilities is essential to the effective performance of the structures as stable platforms for communication and observation. Mathematical models are presented that simulate the dynamic characteristics of the shape memory actuator, the compressive structural members, and the associated active control system. A closed-loop computer-controlled system is designed, based on the developed mathematical models, and implemented to control the buckling of simple beams. The performance of the computer-controlled system is evaluated experimentally and compared with the theoretical predictions to validate the developed models. The obtained results emphasize the importance of buckling control and suggest the potential of the shape memory actuators as attractive means for controlling structural deformation in a simple and reliable way.

Baz, A.

Buckling and postbuckling behavior of compression-loaded isotropic plates with cutouts

An experimental study of the buckling and postbuckling behavior of square and rectangular compression loaded aluminum plates with centrally located circular, square, and elliptical cutouts is presented. Experimental results indicate that the plates exhibit overall trends of increasing buckling strain and decreasing initial postbuckling stiffness with increasing cutout width. Corresponding plates with circular and square cutouts of the same width buckle at approximately the same strain level, and exhibit approximately the same initial postbuckling stiffness. Results show that the reduction in initial postbuckling stiffness due to a cutout generally decreases as the plate aspect ratio increases. Other results presented indicate that square plates with elliptical cutouts having a large cutout-width-to-plate-width ratio generally lose prebuckling and initial postbuckling stiffness as the cutout height increases. However, the plates buckle at essentially the same strain level. Results also indicate that postbuckling stiffness is more sensitive to changes in elliptical cutout height than are prebuckling stiffness and buckling strain.

Nemeth, Michael P.