Higher-order sensitivity to imperfections in bifurcation buckling analysis

alternative to the usual procedure of determining the maximum loads and corresponding coordinates as expansions in terms of an imperfection parameter is presented. The present approach is direct and does not require the development of inverse expansions. The procedure is based on the concept of least-degeneracy, which has also been used as the basis for the analysis in a wide variety of other applications. Use of the method is demonstrated by applying it to two examples : one r:ymmetric bifurcation and one asymmetric bifurcation. It is shown that the present method very efficiently reproduces known results. A brief discussion of the consistent retention of terms in the various expansions is also presented