FEM analysis of buckling

Jerzy Pamin
e-mail: JPamin@L5.pk.edu.pl

With thanks to:

M. Słoński, M. Radwańska, A. Wosatko
ANSYS, Inc. http://www.ansys.com
ROBOT http://www.autodesk.com

Comp.Meth.Civ.Eng., II cycle
Lecture contents

Buckling phenomenon

Algorithm of FEM buckling analysis

FEM in buckling simulations

Nonlinear anaysis of RC shells

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Buckling phenomenon [1,2]

Assumptions of linear buckling analysis:

I one-parameter loading, varying proportionally to load parameter λ

P = λP ∗

I loading is conservative, i.e. does not change direction during

structure deformation
I structure (bar, panel, shell) is ideal, with no geometrical, material or
load imperfection which would disturb ideal pre-buckling state

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Buckling phenomenon cont’d

Buckling occurs when increasing load reaches critical value Pcr = λcr P ∗ ,
where P ∗ denotes so-called configurational load for which λ = 1.
Characteristic feature of buckling as one of loss of stability phenomena is
the significant change of deformation mode of structural system which
experiences compressive stresses as a whole or in some part.

Source: E. Ramm, Buckling of Shells, Springer-Verlag, Berlin 1982

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Examples of buckling phenomenon

Static criterion of the buckling as one of loss of stability types consists in

examination of close pre- and post-buckling states. The phenomenon is
presented for
I simply supported bar,
I deep cantilever beam,
I unidirectionally compressed panel, simply supported along
circumference,
I cyllindrical shell under normal pressure, clamped along lower edge.

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Buckling of a bar

Before buckling
The bar:
I has straight axis,
I is only compressed
(is not bent).

After buckling
The bar:
I has curved axis,
I exhibits compression and
bending.

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Buckling of deep cantilever beam

Before buckling
I The beam is bent in plane by vertical force applied at the free end

Y
Beam displacements in pre-buckling state

After buckling
I lateral buckling (warp, twist) occurs due to coupled bending and
torsional deformation

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Buckling of deep cantilever beam cont’d

X
Z

Buckling modes (forms)

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Buckling of panel compressed in one-direction

Before buckling
Ideal membrane state:
I Panel with ideal medium plane,
I Constant compressive loading along one direction in the medium
plane.

After buckling
Bending occurs:
I non-zero displacements perpendicular to medium plane,
I non-zero curvatures and bending moments.

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Buckling of compressed panel (ANSYS, [3])

First and second buckling mode

Third and fourth buckling mode

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Buckling of cylindrical shell
under external radial pressure

Before buckling
In the shell:
I axisymmetric conditions,
I in large part of the long shell pure membrane state,
I bending in vicinity of clamped edge (flexure) state.

After buckling:
Significant disturbance of axisymmetry:
I waves along circumference,

I number of half-waves is different for subsequent critical multipliers

of the applied loading.

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Buckling of cylindrical shell cont’d (ANSYS, [3])

Subsequent buckling modes

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General buckling analysis [1,2]

Energetic buckling criterion

Energetic buckling criterion consists in the analysis of an increment of
potential energy Π during transition from pre- to post-buckling state.
One considers two adjacent equilibrium states:
I pre-buckling state I for which

δΠ(I ) = 0

I post-buckling state II for which

δΠ(II ) = δΠ(I ) + δ∆Π = 0

I energetic criterion of critical state δ∆Π = 0.

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Algorithm of FEM buckling analysis

Matrix equation describing the loss of stability viz. buckling

[K0 + λKσ (s∗ )]v = 0

or

{K0 + λ[Kσ (s∗ ) + Ku1 (g∗ )]}v = 0

where:
I linear stiffness matrix of the system K0
I initial stress matrix Kσ (s∗ ) and initial displacement matrix Ku1 (g∗ )
I critical loading multiplier to be determined λcr
I respective post-buckling form represented by eigenvector v = ∆d

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Pre-buckling statics

Stage I of algorithm:
1. Compute the global stiffnesss matrix K0
2. Compute nodal forces representing initial loading configuration P∗ ,
i.e. for loading multiplier λ = 1 (one-parametr loading assumed
P = λP∗ )
3. Take boundary conditions into account
4. Solve equation set K0 · d∗ = P∗ , to obtain nodal displacements in
pre-buckling state: d∗ = K−1
0 ·P
∗

5. From displacements of the system d∗ extract element dofs de∗ and

compute in each element:
I displacement gradients ge∗ and
I generalized stresses se∗ .

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Buckling analysis

Stage II of algorithm:
1. Generate:
- initial stress (geometrical) matrices for each element Keσ (s∗e ) and
the whole structure Kσ (s∗ )
- optionally initial displacement matrix Ku1 (g∗ )
2. Formulate non-standard (generalized) eigenproblem representing
linearized buckling problem: [K0 + λ(Kσ + Ku1 )]v = 0
or initial buckling problem: [K0 + λKσ ]v = 0
3. Solve the eigenproblem to determine the pairs (λ1 , v1 ), . . ., (λN , vN )
where:
I N – number of dofs
I λi – eigenvalue - critical loading multiplier
I vi = ∆di – eigenvector - post-buckling deformation mode

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Buckling of ideal panel/plate [4] – input data
I dimensions: Lx = Ly = 1.16 m, h = 0.012 m
I material data: E = 2.05 · 108 kN/m2 , ν = 0.3
I configurational loading along perimeter which represents in-plane
∗
bending: |px,max,min | = 1.0 kN/m
I two options of boundary conditions along circumference:
a) simply supported (hinged, right)
b) fully supported (clamped, left)

FEM discretization, loading and options of boundary conditionss

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Panel buckling

Assumptions:
I ideally flat medium plane,
I loading acts exactly in the medium plane,
I the one-parameter loading is governed by λ factor.
Buckling analysis of ideal panel under pure in-plane bending

Loading which causes pure in-plane bending prior to buckling

Computations:
I numerical (FEM packages ANKA and ROBOT) – approximate
solution
I analytical – exact solution

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Panel buckling for in-plane bending
Computation of critical load:
Loading and deformation in pre-buckling state

Analytical solution for:

ib,analit 25.6·π 2 ·D m
I simply supported panel pcr = L2x
= 6077 kN/m
ib,analit 39.0·π 2 ·D m
I clamped panel pcr = L2x
= 9259 kN/m
Numerical solution (ANKA, mesh 8 × 8 ES) for:
ib,MES
I simply supported panel pcr = 6028 kN/m
ib,MES
I clamped panel pcr = 11304 kN/m
Numerical solution (ROBOT, mesh 12 × 12 ES) for:
be,MES
I simply supported panel pcr = 6241 kN/m
be,MES
I clamped panel pcr = 11666 kN/m

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In-plane bending in pre-buckling state

Distribution of membrane force nx

for the simply supported (left) and clamped (right) panel

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In-plane bending, buckling modes

First two buckling modes for simply supported panel (ROBOT)

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In-plane bending, buckling modes

First two buckling modes for clamped panel (ROBOT)

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Buckling of I-beam – input data
I dimensions: Lx = Ly = 1.16 m, hs = 0.012 m, hp = 0.018 m
I material data: E = 2.05 · 108 kN/m2 , ν = 0.3
I configurational loading along beam sections:
∗
|px,min,max | = 1.0 kN/m
I two options of buckling analysis (ROBOT):
option 1: local buckling of the web
option 2: buckling of beam segment (web+flanges)

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Option 1: web buckling

Local web buckling:

I for isolated web panel, in reality connected to flanges and ribs,
different boundary conditions can be imposed along the connection
lines
I in limiting cases one can assume:
a) hinged support along whole circumference
b) clamped support along whole circumference
I hence the actual situation is inbetween
I former computations can be used to consider the web buckling

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Option 2: I-beam buckling

Buckling analysis for the beam:

I discrete model in ROBOT for I-beam composed of web (12 × 12
elements) and two flanges (4 × 12), loaded by bending in the plane
of the web
I numerical results (ROBOT):
be,MES
I pcr = 9068 kN/m
I comparison of critical forces computed with FEM (ROBOT):
I for isolated web:
- simply supported (ss)
- clamped (cl)
I whole beam segment (be)

p ss,MES < p be,MES < p cl,MES

6241 kN/m < 9068 kN/m < 11666 kN/m

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Bending of I-beam in pre-buckling state

Membrane force distribution nx in pre-buckling state

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Buckling modes for I-beam

Two buckling modes for I-beam segment subjected to bending (ROBOT)

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Geometrically and physically nonlinear analysis [5]
Scheme of computation strategy
K T (Q) ⋅ ∆Q − ∆λ ⋅ P ∗ = R (Q, λ ) at the levels of:
t ∆Q + t N +1 ∆λ = ∆τ
T

I structure
I finite element
S I layer
∆Q, Q Ke, R=P-E
I point

Effects considered:
A-1 A I stress evolution in cross-section
I elastic-cracking concrete
E ke, fe
I elastic-plastic reinforcement
∆q, q I large displacements and their
gradients
Aims:
B
I computation of displacement
L
evolution
I determination of damage
∆εε, ε ∆σ
σ, σ,
σ De-p
P mechanism
I estimation of load-carrying
capacity

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RC shell model

I Degenerated 8-noded shell element

(Mindlin-Reissner theory)
I Layered RC shell model (5 concrete layers, 4
steel layers representing two reinforcement
grids)
I Continuum elastic-cracking model for concrete
layer (concrete softening, reduction of shear
stiffness)
I Elastic-plastic model for steel layer

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Numerical analysis of cooling tower shell [5]

Comp.Meth.Civ.Eng., II cycle
Numerical analysis of cooling tower shell

Cooling tower loads:

I self-weight g
I wind w
I internal suction s
I temperature
variations
I subsidence

Diagrams λ − wK obtained using two FEM

packages using force or displacement control for
loading g + λ(w + s)

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Numerical analysis of RC shell
Results for shell with technological opening

Deformation Membrane forces along longitude lines

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Numerical analysis of RC shell

Directions of principal stresses in external layer Smeared cracks visualization

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Damaged cooling tower shell [6]

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Analized cases for load combination g + λ(w + s)

I designed shell
I built shell with zones of weak concrete (fcm =11 MPa)
I shell with two circumferential openings (25m and 14m in length)
I repaired and strengthened shell (5cm reinforced shotcrete in height
zone 18-40m)
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Linear buckling of cooling tower shell (DIANA)
Loading Designed Constructed Damaged Repaired
λg 25.52 22.22 18.59 19.11
λ(w + s) 13.15 14.72 6.24 20.71
λ(g + w + s) 11.29 11.39 5.49 20.84
Critical load multipliers λ1

Buckling mode for damaged shell

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Nonlinear analysis results

The construction error did not have a significant influence on the

short-term load carrying capacity of the cooling tower, but it affected its
durability due to local concrete overload and reinforcement corrosion.

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Cracking zone prediction (DIANA)

Cracking zones in inner and outer concrete layer for λ = 3.2 (DIANA)

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Model of shell with holes (DIANA)

For smeared cracking computations diverged for λ ≈ 1.0 - it is necessary

to perform mesh refinement and use a more stable material model.

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References

[1] M. Radwańska. Ustroje powierzchniowe, podstawy teoretyczne oraz rozwiązania

analityczne i numeryczne. Wydawnictwo PK, Kraków, 2009.
[2] Z. Waszczyszyn, C. Cichoń, M. Radwańska. Stability of Structures by Finite
Elements Methods. Elsevier, 1994.
[3] M. Bera. Analiza utraty stateczności wybranych tarcz i powłok sprężystych metodą
elementów skończonych. Praca dyplomowa, Politechnika Krakowska, Kraków, 2006.
[4] M. Radwańska, E. Pabisek. Zastosowanie systemu metody elementów skończonych
ANKA do analizy statyki i wyboczenia ustrojów powierzchniowych. Pomoc dydaktyczna PK,
Kraków 1996.
[5] Z. Waszczyszyn, E. Pabisek, J. Pamin, M. Radwańska. Nonlinear analysis of a RC
cooling tower with geometrical imperfections and a technological cut-out. Engineering
Structures, 2, 480-489, 2000.
[6] A. Moroński. Analiza zarysowania i utraty stateczności uszkodzonej powłoki żelbetowej
chłodni kominowej. Praca dyplomowa, Politechnika Krakowska, Kraków, 1996.
[7] A. Moroński, J. Pamin, M. Płachecki, Z. Waszczyszyn. Fracture and loss of
stability of a partly-damaged cooling tower shell. Proc. 2nd Int. DIANA Conf. on Finite
Elements in Engineering and Science, Eds M.A.N. Hendriks et al, 107-110, Kluwer Academic
Publishers, Dordrecht, 1997.

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