1. What is Cylinder Buckling?

Cylinder buckling refers to the instability that occurs when a cylindrical shell structure fails under compressive stress, causing it to suddenly bend or collapse. The critical buckling pressure is the maximum pressure a cylinder can withstand before buckling occurs.

2. How Does the Calculator Work?

The calculator uses the cylinder buckling formula:

Where:

• \( P_{cr} \) — Critical buckling pressure (N/m)
• \( E \) — Young's modulus of the material (Pa)
• \( t \) — Wall thickness of the cylinder (m)
• \( \nu \) — Poisson's ratio (dimensionless)
• \( r \) — Radius of the cylinder (m)

Explanation: The equation calculates the critical pressure at which a thin-walled cylindrical shell will buckle under uniform external pressure.

3. Importance of Buckling Calculation

Details: Calculating the critical buckling pressure is essential for designing pressure vessels, pipelines, aerospace structures, and other cylindrical components to ensure they can withstand operational loads without buckling.

4. Using the Calculator

Tips: Enter Young's modulus in Pascals, thickness and radius in meters, and Poisson's ratio (typically between 0.2-0.5 for most materials). All values must be positive.

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: What materials is this formula valid for?
A: The formula works for isotropic, homogeneous materials with linear elastic behavior up to the point of buckling.

Q2: What are typical values for Poisson's ratio?
A: Common values: 0.3 for steel, 0.33 for aluminum, 0.2 for concrete, and 0.5 for incompressible materials like rubber.

Q3: Does this account for imperfections?
A: No, this is the theoretical value for perfect cylinders. Real-world values may be lower due to imperfections.

Q4: What's the difference between buckling and yielding?
A: Buckling is a stability failure that occurs before material yielding in thin-walled structures.

Q5: How does length affect buckling?
A: This formula is for short cylinders. Long cylinders may fail by column buckling instead.