Axial compression of tubular metallic shells having combined tube-frusta geometry

Abstract

The present paper deals with the experimental and computational study of collapse of the metallic shells having combined tube-frusta geometry subjected to axial compression between two parallel plates. Shells are having top one third lengths as tube and remaining bottom two third length as frusta. Shells were tested to identify their modes of collapse and associated energy absorption capacity. An axisymmetric Finite Element computational model of collapse process is presented and analysed, using a non-linear FE code FORGE2 [17]. Six noded triangular elements were used to descretize the domain. The material of the shells was idealized as rigid visco-plastic. Experimental and computed results of the deformed shapes and their corresponding load-compression and energy-compression curves were compared to validate the computational model. On the basis of the obtained results development of the axisymmetric mode of collapse has been presented, analysed and discussed.