Created in COMSOL Multiphysics 6.

Postbuckling Analysis of a Hinged Cylindrical

Shell

This model is licensed under the COMSOL Software License Agreement 6.2.
All trademarks are the property of their respective owners. See www.comsol.com/trademarks.
Introduction
Buckling is a phenomenon that can cause sudden failure of a structure.

A linear buckling analysis predicts the critical buckling load. Such an analysis, however,
does not give any information about what happens at loads higher than the critical load.
Tracing the solution after the critical load is called a postbuckling analysis.

A linear buckling analysis also often overpredicts the load-carrying capacity of the
structure.

In order to accurately determine the critical buckling load or predict the postbuckling
behavior, you can use the nonlinear solver and ramp up the applied load to compute the
structure deformation. The buckling load can then be based on when a certain, not
acceptable, deformation is reached.

Once the critical buckling load has been reached, it can happen that the structure
undergoes a sudden large deformation into a new stable configuration. This is known as a
snap-through phenomenon. A snap-through process cannot be simulated using prescribed
load in a standard nonlinear static solver because the problem becomes numerically
singular. Physically speaking, it is a highly transient problem as the structure “jumps” from
one state to another. For simple cases with a single point load, it is often possible to replace
the point load with a prescribed displacement and then measure the reaction force instead.

For more general problems, the postbuckling solution must however be tracked using
more sophisticated methods, as shown in this example.

2 | POSTBUCKLING ANALYSIS OF A HINGED CYLINDRICAL SHELL

Figure 1 shows the variation of load versus the displacement for such a difficult case. It
illustrates the possible computational problem by using either a load control (path A) or a
displacement control (path B).
Load

Figure 1: Load versus displacement in snap-through buckling.

The shell structure in this example has a behavior similar to this.

Model Definition
The model studied here is a benchmark for a hinged cylindrical panel subjected to a point
load at its center; see Ref. 1.

• The radius of the cylinder is R  2.54 m and all edges have a length of 2L  0.508 m.
The angular span of the panel is thus 0.2 radians. The panel thickness is th  6.35 mm.
• The straight edges are hinged.
• In the study, the variation of the panel center vertical displacement with respect to the
change of the applied load is of interest.

3 | POSTBUCKLING ANALYSIS OF A HINGED CYLINDRICAL SHELL

Due to the double symmetry, only one quarter of the geometry is modeled as shown in
Figure 2. The blue lines show the symmetry edge conditions, while the red line shows the
location of the hinged edge condition.

R
L

theta

Figure 2: Problem description.

In general, you should be careful when using symmetry in buckling problems, because
nonsymmetric solutions may exist.

4 | POSTBUCKLING ANALYSIS OF A HINGED CYLINDRICAL SHELL

Results
In Figure 3 you can see the applied load as a function of the panel center displacement.
The figure shows clearly a nonunique solution for a given applied load (between -400 N
to 600 N) or a given displacement (between 14.4 mm and 17 mm).

Figure 3: Applied load versus panel center displacement.

As shown in Table 1, the results agree well with the target data from Ref. 1.
TABLE 1: COMPARISON BETWEEN TARGET AND COMPUTED DATA.

Applied Load (N) Displacement Displacement Difference (%)

target (mm) computed (mm)
155.1 1.846 1.871 1.35
574.2 11.904 12.054 1.24
485.1 15.501 15.561 0.38
24.9 17.008 17.029 0.12
-300.3 14.520 14.538 0.12
-381.3 16.961 16.8 0.94
-1.8 24.824 24.808 0.06
1469.4 33.388 33.339 0.14

5 | POSTBUCKLING ANALYSIS OF A HINGED CYLINDRICAL SHELL

Notes About the COMSOL Implementation
The main feature of this model is that a limit point instability occurs at the buckling load.
Neither a load control, nor a point displacement control, would be able to track the jump
between the stable solution paths (see Figure 1). To solve this type of problem you can use
different approaches:

• Find a proper parameter that increases monotonically. Then, use a Global Equation node
where the load is made a function of this monotonically increasing parameter. This is
the approach used in this example.. In this case, a good such parameter is the average
of the displacement in the direction of the applied force. You use a nonlocal average
coupling to measure the displacement and then add a global equation to compute the
appropriate point load for each prescribed parameter value. There is no general way to
determine which controlling parameter to use, so it is necessary to use some physical
insight.
• Use an arc length method. The Application Library example Postbuckling Analysis
Using an Incremental Arc Length Method demonstrates this approach. It is useful if
you cannot find a suitable monotonically increasing control parameter.

Reference
1. K.Y. Sze, X.H. Liua, and S.H. Lob, “Popular Benchmark Problems for Geometric
Nonlinear Analysis of Shells,” Finite Element in Analysis and Design, vol. 40, issue 11,
pp. 1551–1569, 2004.

Application Library path: Structural_Mechanics_Module/

Verification_Examples/postbuckling_shell

Modeling Instructions
From the File menu, choose New.

NEW
In the New window, click Model Wizard.

MODEL WIZARD
1 In the Model Wizard window, click 3D.

6 | POSTBUCKLING ANALYSIS OF A HINGED CYLINDRICAL SHELL

2 In the Select Physics tree, select Structural Mechanics>Shell (shell).
3 Click Add.
4 Click Study.
5 In the Select Study tree, select General Studies>Stationary.
6 Click Done.

GLOBAL DEFINITIONS

Parameters 1
1 In the Model Builder window, under Global Definitions click Parameters 1.
2 In the Settings window for Parameters, locate the Parameters section.
3 In the table, enter the following settings:

Name Expression Value Description

R 2540[mm] 2.54 m Panel radius
L 254[mm] 0.254 m Panel length
thic 6.35[mm] 0.00635 m Panel thickness
theta 0.1[rad] 0.1 rad Panel section angle
E0 3.103[GPa] 3.103E9 Pa Young's modulus
nu0 0.3 0.3 Poisson's ratio
disp 0 0 Displacement parameter

GEOMETRY 1

Work Plane 1 (wp1)

1 In the Geometry toolbar, click Work Plane.
2 In the Settings window for Work Plane, locate the Plane Definition section.
3 From the Plane list, choose xz-plane.
4 Click Go to Plane Geometry.

Work Plane 1 (wp1)>Line Segment 1 (ls1)

1 In the Work Plane toolbar, click More Primitives and choose Line Segment.
2 In the Settings window for Line Segment, locate the Starting Point section.
3 From the Specify list, choose Coordinates.
4 Locate the Endpoint section. From the Specify list, choose Coordinates.
5 Locate the Starting Point section. In the yw text field, type R.

7 | POSTBUCKLING ANALYSIS OF A HINGED CYLINDRICAL SHELL

6 Locate the Endpoint section. In the xw text field, type L and yw to R.
7 Click Build Selected.

Revolve 1 (rev1)
1 In the Model Builder window, right-click Geometry 1 and choose Revolve.
2 In the Settings window for Revolve, locate the Revolution Angles section.
3 Click the Angles button.
4 In the End angle text field, type theta.
5 Locate the Revolution Axis section. Find the Direction of revolution axis subsection. In
the xw text field, type 1.
6 In the yw text field, type 0.
7 Click Build Selected.

DEFINITIONS
Click the Zoom Extents button in the Graphics toolbar.

Average 1 (aveop1)
1 In the Definitions toolbar, click Nonlocal Couplings and choose Average.
2 In the Settings window for Average, locate the Source Selection section.
3 From the Geometric entity level list, choose Boundary.
4 Select Boundary 1 only.

Integration 1 (intop1)
1 In the Definitions toolbar, click Nonlocal Couplings and choose Integration.
2 In the Settings window for Integration, locate the Source Selection section.
3 From the Geometric entity level list, choose Point.
4 Select Point 4 only.

Variables 1
1 In the Definitions toolbar, click Local Variables.
2 In the Settings window for Variables, locate the Variables section.
3 In the table, enter the following settings:

Name Expression Unit

w_center -intop1(w) m

8 | POSTBUCKLING ANALYSIS OF A HINGED CYLINDRICAL SHELL

SHELL (SHELL)

Thickness and Offset 1

1 In the Model Builder window, under Component 1 (comp1)>Shell (shell) click
Thickness and Offset 1.
2 In the Settings window for Thickness and Offset, locate the Thickness and Offset section.
3 In the d0 text field, type thic.

Symmetry 1
1 In the Physics toolbar, click Edges and choose Symmetry.
2 Select Edge 3 only.

Symmetry 2
1 In the Physics toolbar, click Edges and choose Symmetry.
2 Select Edge 4 only.
3 In the Settings window for Symmetry, locate the Coordinate System Selection section.
4 From the Coordinate system list, choose Global coordinate system.
5 Locate the Symmetry section. From the Symmetry plane normal list, choose First axis.

Pinned 1
1 In the Physics toolbar, click Edges and choose Pinned.
2 Select Edge 2 only.

Point Load 1
1 In the Physics toolbar, click Points and choose Point Load.
2 Select Point 4 only.
Apply 1/4th of the total load because of the double symmetry used in this model.
3 In the Settings window for Point Load, locate the Force section.
4 Specify the FP vector as

0 x
0 y
-P/4 z

5 Click the Show More Options button in the Model Builder toolbar.
6 In the Show More Options dialog box, in the tree, select the check box for the node
Physics>Equation-Based Contributions.
7 Click OK.

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Global Equations 1
1 In the Physics toolbar, click Global and choose Global Equations.
2 In the Settings window for Global Equations, locate the Global Equations section.
3 In the table, enter the following settings:

Name f(u,ut,utt,t) (1) Initial value Initial value Description

(u_0) (1) (u_t0) (1/s)
P aveop1(-w)-disp 0 0 Force at shell
center

4 Locate the Units section. Click Select Dependent Variable Quantity.

5 In the Physical Quantity dialog box, type force in the text field.
6 Click Filter.
7 In the tree, select General>Force (N).
8 Click OK.
9 In the Settings window for Global Equations, locate the Units section.
10 Click Select Source Term Quantity.
11 In the Physical Quantity dialog box, type displacement in the text field.
12 Click Filter.
13 In the tree, select General>Displacement (m).
14 Click OK.

MATERIALS

Material 1 (mat1)
1 In the Model Builder window, under Component 1 (comp1) right-click Materials and
choose Blank Material.
2 In the Settings window for Material, locate the Material Contents section.
3 In the table, enter the following settings:

Property Variable Value Unit Property group

Young’s modulus E E0 Pa Young’s modulus and
Poisson’s ratio
Poisson’s ratio nu nu0 1 Young’s modulus and
Poisson’s ratio
Density rho 0 kg/m³ Basic

10 | POSTBUCKLING ANALYSIS OF A HINGED CYLINDRICAL SHELL

MESH 1

Mapped 1
1 In the Mesh toolbar, click More Generators and choose Mapped.
2 Select Boundary 1 only.

Distribution 1
1 Right-click Mapped 1 and choose Distribution.
2 Select Edges 1 and 2 only.
3 In the Settings window for Distribution, locate the Distribution section.
4 In the Number of elements text field, type 10.
5 Click Build Selected.

STUDY 1

Step 1: Stationary
Set up an auxiliary continuation sweep for the disp parameter.

1 In the Model Builder window, under Study 1 click Step 1: Stationary.

2 In the Settings window for Stationary, click to expand the Study Extensions section.
3 Select the Auxiliary sweep check box.
4 Click Add.
5 In the table, enter the following settings:

Parameter name Parameter value list

disp (Displacement parameter) range(0,2e-4,1)

6 Locate the Study Settings section. Select the Include geometric nonlinearity check box.
Sometimes it is not straightforward to guess the maximum value of the parameter used.
You can then instead set a stop condition for the parametric solver based on something
that is known.
7 In the Model Builder window, click Study 1.
8 In the Settings window for Study, type Postbuckling Study in the Label text field.

Solution 1 (sol1)
1 In the Study toolbar, click Show Default Solver.
2 In the Model Builder window, expand the Solution 1 (sol1) node.

11 | POSTBUCKLING ANALYSIS OF A HINGED CYLINDRICAL SHELL

3 In the Model Builder window, expand the Postbuckling Study>Solver Configurations>
Solution 1 (sol1)>Stationary Solver 1 node.
4 Right-click Postbuckling Study>Solver Configurations>Solution 1 (sol1)>
Stationary Solver 1>Parametric 1 and choose Stop Condition.
5 In the Settings window for Stop Condition, locate the Stop Expressions section.
6 Click Add.
7 In the table, enter the following settings:

Stop expression Stop if Active Description

comp1.w_center>0.035 True (>=1)  Stop expression 1

Specify that the solution is to be stored just before the stop condition is reached.
8 Locate the Output at Stop section. From the Add solution list, choose Step before stop.
9 Clear the Add warning check box.
10 In the Model Builder window, under Postbuckling Study>Solver Configurations>
Solution 1 (sol1) click Stationary Solver 1.
11 In the Settings window for Stationary Solver, click to expand the Output section.
12 Clear the Reaction forces check box.
13 Click Compute.

RESULTS

Evaluation Group: Force vs. Displacement

1 In the Results toolbar, click Evaluation Group.
2 In the Settings window for Evaluation Group, type Evaluation Group: Force vs.
Displacement in the Label text field.

Point Evaluation 1
1 Right-click Evaluation Group: Force vs. Displacement and choose Point Evaluation.
2 Select Point 4 only.
3 In the Settings window for Point Evaluation, locate the Expressions section.
4 In the table, enter the following settings:

Expression Unit Description

w_center m Vertical displacement at shell center
P N Force at shell center

12 | POSTBUCKLING ANALYSIS OF A HINGED CYLINDRICAL SHELL

Evaluation Group: Force vs. Displacement
1 In the Model Builder window, click Evaluation Group: Force vs. Displacement.
2 In the Settings window for Evaluation Group, click to expand the Format section.
3 From the Include parameters list, choose Off.
4 In the Evaluation Group: Force vs. Displacement toolbar, click Evaluate.

Force vs. Displacement

1 In the Home toolbar, click Add Plot Group and choose 1D Plot Group.
2 In the Settings window for 1D Plot Group, type Force vs. Displacement in the Label
text field.
3 Locate the Plot Settings section.
4 Select the x-axis label check box. In the associated text field, type Vertical
displacement at shell center (m).

5 Select the y-axis label check box. In the associated text field, type Force at shell
center (N).

Table Graph 1
1 Right-click Force vs. Displacement and choose Table Graph.
2 In the Settings window for Table Graph, locate the Data section.
3 From the Source list, choose Evaluation group.
4 In the Force vs. Displacement toolbar, click Plot.

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14 | POSTBUCKLING ANALYSIS OF A HINGED CYLINDRICAL SHELL