Study on Buckling Instability of Expansion Tube using Finite Element Method

Since the kinetic energy is dissipated through plastic deformation energy generated in expanding process of the tube by a die. In order to successfully absorb the kinetic energy there should be no buckling in the expansion tube during expanding process. The buckling instability of the expansion tubes is affected by the initial boundary conditions, tube thickness and length. In this study, the effects of the tube thickness except length and initial boundary condition on the buckling instability are studied using a finite element method. In addition, Analysis procedure for nonlinear post-buckling analysis of expansion tube is established. There are three kinds of finite element analysis procedures for buckling analysis of expansion tube, quasi-static analysis, linear buckling analysis and nonlinear post-buckling analysis. The effect of the geometry imperfections defined as linear superimposition of buckling modes is considered in the nonlinear post-buckling analysis. The results of finite element analysis indicate that the buckling load increase with increase of thickness of tube and geometry imperfection. Finial buckling shapes are changed with respect to the geometry imperfection.