Buckling design of corrugated cylindrical hulls with variable wall thickness under uniform external pressure–Simulation and validation

Accurately predicting the buckling behavior of cylindrical hulls under uniform external pressure remains a significant challenge. While the perturbation probing method shows promise for determining rational design loads for such structures, it has not been thoroughly investigated. This study proposes a deterministic buckling design method based on the perturbation concept, introducing an artificial imperfection pattern via a single radial perturbation displacement. We applied this method to corrugated cylindrical hulls with variable wall thickness under uniform external pressure to validate the rationality of the hull design. Furthermore, the impact of manufacturing geometric imperfections on hull buckling behavior was revisited, demonstrating that the proposed method provides robust design buckling loads. Finally, a comparative analysis was performed between corrugated cylindrical hulls and conventional cylindrical hulls of equivalent theoretical mass, focusing on their buckling responses under various geometric imperfections. The results indicate that the corrugated cylindrical hulls achieve higher design buckling loads and exhibit lower defect sensitivity compared to their conventional counterparts. The proposed buckling design method also provides valuable insights for improving the design of other stiffened cylindrical hulls.