Buckling and post-buckling behaviour of shallow – nearly flat cylindrical panels under axial compression

The paper is devoted to buckling problem of axially compressed shallow cylindrical panels. Governing differential equations of the nonlinear theory of shallow cylindrical shells are analytically solved. Critical stresses and equilibrium paths of the panels with small curvatures are analytically studied. The formula of the critical stresses for almost flat, cylindrical panels is derived. The “shallowness” of the panel is given by the parameter α and formulae are derived for a range of this parameter. The range of values of sectorial angle for these panels is also defined.