80

J.M. Rotter

stress to linear eigenvalue stress. If a biaxial yield condition is adopted instead, and this failure mode predicted using the elasticplastic strength interaction of Eq. (16), the strength is much less precisely predicted and is identied as sensitive to the geometric tolerances, which is not the case. A description of the corresponding effects in lap-jointed pressurised cylinders may be found in Teng (1994). Finally, caution should be exercised in identifying the load cases that should be covered by this information. The shape of the complete elastic and plastic relationship in Fig. 2.23(b) means that different extreme characteristic values of internal pressure should be taken for each part of the design. The lowest co-existent design internal pressure should be used to assess the elastic buckling strength shown in Figs 2.19(a) and 2.23(b), but the highest coexistent design internal pressure should be used when checking against elephants foot plastic collapse (Fig. 2.23(a) and (b)).

Conclusions
This chapter has presented a review of current knowledge and design recommendations applicable to the elastic and plastic buckling of axially compressed cylindrical shells in a civil engineering context. It has shown that these shells have many complexities of behaviour and that the translation of these features into design rules is still far from complete. Many different design methods are in current use and the safety of a given structure as assessed by different rules may vary markedly. Recent changes introduced into the European standard ENV 1993-1-6 (1999) represent a signicant move towards integrating current theoretical knowledge into the design process and advancing the use of modern computational procedures. The relationship between tolerances in construction and codied design strengths has also been made much more prominent. A considerable body of research work is still needed to relate hand calculation design rules to computer predictions that account for geometric imperfections and to appropriate tolerance measures to control and monitor construction. The tolerance measurement systems themselves are also in need of further development. However, the most serious missing element in current research is an understanding of the effects of unsymmetrical axial stress distributions in the cylinder. For very unsymmetrical stresses, additional research is needed to nd appropriate criteria of failure.

Notation
E fy L
gx , gw

Youngs modulus characteristic yield stress lengths of measuring rods used in tolerance measurement length of cylinder between boundaries or rings