Probabilistic Approach for better Buckling Knock-down Factors of CFRP Cylindrical Shells - Tests and Analyses

Abstract

The industry in the fields of civil and mechanical engineering, and in particular of aerospace demands for significantly reduced development and operating costs. Reduction of structural weight at safe design is one avenue to achieve this objective. The running ESA (European Space Agency) study Probabilistic Aspects of Buckling Knock Down Factors – Tests and Analyses contributes to this goal by striving for an improved buckling knock-down factor (the ratio of buckling loads of imperfect and perfect structures) for unstiffened CFRP (carbon fiber reinforce plastics) cylindrical shells, and by validation of the linear and non-linear buckling simulations based on test results. DLR is acting as study contractor. The paper presents an overview about the DLR buckling tests, the measurement setup and the buckling simulations which are done so far, and gives an outlook to the results which are expected until the end of the running project.