Inertia effects in axisymmetrically deformed cylindrical shells under axial impact

The axisymmetric buckling of elastic–plastic cylindrical shells subjected to axial impact are studied using a finite element analysis. This study reveals that shells, subjected to axial impact, are both velocity and mass sensitive, so that larger energies can be absorbed by a shell for high-velocity impacts when decreasing the striking mass. It is shown that the inertia characteristics of the shell, together with the material properties, determine particular patterns of the axial stress wave propagation, thus, causing either dynamic plastic or dynamic progressive buckling to develop during the initial phase of the shell response. Domains of the load parameters, where the different buckling phenomena develop, are obtained for two particular shells. Strain rate effects are also considered when discussing the energy absorbing properties of the shells.