Open Access

ARTICLE

Analytical and Numerical Study of the Buckling of Steel Cylindrical Shells Reinforced with Internal and External FRP Layers under Axial Compression

Maria Tănase^1,*, Gennadiy Lvov²

1 Mechanical Engineering Department, Petroleum-Gas University of Ploiesti, Ploiesti, 100680, Romania
2 Department of Mathematical Modeling and Intelligent Computing in Engineering, National Technical University-Kharkov Polytechnic Institute, Kharkov, 61002, Ukraine

* Corresponding Author: Maria Tănase. Email:

(This article belongs to the Special Issue: Advances in Numerical Modeling of Composite Structures and Repairs)

Computer Modeling in Engineering & Sciences 2025, 144(1), 717-737. https://doi.org/10.32604/cmes.2025.067891

Received 15 May 2025; Accepted 10 July 2025; Issue published 31 July 2025

Abstract

Steel cylindrical shells are widely used in engineering structures due to their high strength-to-weight ratio, but they are vulnerable to buckling under axial loads. To address this limitation, fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) composites have emerged as promising materials for structural reinforcement. This study investigates the buckling behavior of steel cylindrical shells reinforced with inner and outer layers of polymer composite materials under axial compression. Using analytical and numerical modeling methods, the critical buckling loads for different reinforcement options were evaluated. Two-sided glass fiber reinforced plastic (GFRP) or carbon fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP) coatings, as well as combined GFRP+CFRP coatings with layers of different composites, were considered. In the calculations, the coatings were treated as homogeneous orthotropic materials with equivalent averaged elastic characteristics. The numerical analysis revealed that CFRP reinforcement achieved the highest increase in buckling load, with improvements ranging from 9.84% to 47.29%, depending on the composite thickness and steel shell thickness. GFRP reinforcement, while beneficial, demonstrated a lower effectiveness, with buckling load increases between 5.89% and 19.30%. The hybrid GFRP+CFRP reinforcement provided an optimal balance, improving buckling resistance by 6.94% to 43.95%. Statistical analysis further identified composite type and thickness as the most significant factors affecting buckling performance. The findings suggest that CFRP is the preferred reinforcement material, especially when applied to thin-walled cylindrical shells, while hybrid reinforcements can be effectively utilized for structures requiring a balance between stiffness and ductility. These insights provide a foundation for optimizing FRP reinforcement strategies to enhance the structural integrity of steel shells in engineering applications.

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