On post-buckling analysis and experimental correlation of cylindrical composite shells with Reissner–Mindlin–Von Kármán type facet model

In this paper post-buckling analysis of carbon fibre reinforced plastic cylindrical shells under axial compression is considered. Reissner–Mindlin–Von Kármán type shell facet model is used in the computations. The effect of geometric imperfection shape and amplitude on nonlinear analysis results is discussed. Numerical–experimental correlation is performed using the results of experimental buckling tests found in the literature. Results show that bringing the diamond shape geometric imperfection in the model significantly improves the correlation and gives good accuracy in simulating cylindrical shell post-buckling behaviour.