Buckling analysis and experiment of open cylindrical thin shells under axial load

The axial load-bearing capacity and stability of open cylindrical thin shells is a key point in the mechanism design of storable tubular extendable member (STEM). Based on eigenvalue buckling analysis, the relationship between the buckling loads and the design parameters of open cylindrical thin QBe2 shells with two ends clamped was studied. And a buckling load model was built by the power functions fitting method. To validate the eigenvalue buckling analysis method and the buckling load model, axial compression experiments of open cylindrical thin shells made from QBe2 were conducted. The experimental results indicate that: the eigenvalue buckling analysis method can be used to analyze the axial load-bearing capacity and stability of open cylindrical thin shells of isotropic material with two ends clamped; the maximum error of the buckling load model is 21% in calculating the buckling loads of axially loaded open cylindrical thin shells of isotropic material with two ends clamped.