A group theoretic approach to the global bifurcation analysis of an axially compressed cylindrical shell (Q1913277)

We focus on recent results of the group theoretic approach to a numerical, global postbuckling analysis of a perfect, axially compressed cylindrical shell with ``built-in'' end conditions. The ``built-in'' end conditions obviate the existence of a ``trivial'' membrane solution branch. In a numerical arc-length continuation scheme, the close proximity of the bifurcation points on the primary path manifests itself in severe ill-conditioning of the tangent stiffness matrix. Group theory helps one systematically find an ``optimal'' set of basis vectors, or symmetry modes, which reflect the symmetry of a given solution path.