Model studies of the elastic buckling of a stiffened plate
The paper reports on an experimental investigation of the elastic buckling behaviour of a small-scale model of a stiffened plane. The model was made from epoxy resin to allow large buckle deflections within the elastic strain range. These tests are part of a programme aimed at proving the feasibility of using small-scale models to elucidate the behaviour of large stiffened plates such as are used in marine or civil engineering structures. It is shown for the geometry examined here that, although the component stringer and plate elements of the panel would individually exhibit stable post-buckling, together they interact to give unstable behaviour. The effects of imperfections are systematically studied and it is shown that the load-carrying capacity of such a structural configuration is sensitive to initial geometric deformations. A simple mathematical analysis is developed which indicates the parameters governing the physical problem and which could form the basis for future rational studies of the level of imperfections at which sensitivity may be considered slight.