Nonlinear elastic buckling and postbuckling of axially compressed functionally graded cylindrical shells

Based on the nonlinear large deflection theory of cylindrical shells as well as the Donnell assumptions, this paper presents nonlinear buckling and postbuckling analyses for axially compressed functionally graded cylindrical shells by using the Ritz energy method and the nonlinear strain–displacement relations of large deformation. The material properties of the shells vary smoothly through the shell thickness according to a power law distribution of the volume fraction of constituent materials. Meanwhile, by taking into account the temperature-dependent material properties, various effects of external thermal environment are also investigated. Numerical results show various effects of the inhomogeneous parameter, dimensional parameters and external thermal environments on nonlinear buckling and postbuckling behaviors. There is a mode-jumping observed after buckling. The present theoretical results are verified by those in the literature.