AbstractThermal postbuckling analysis is presented for 3D braided composite cylindrical shell of finite length subjected to a uniform temperature rise. Based on a micro-macro-mechanical model, a 3D braided composite may be as a cell system and the geometry of each cell is deeply dependent on its position in the cross-section of the cylindrical shell. The material properties of epoxy are expressed as a linear function of temperature. The governing equations are based on Reddy's higher order shear deformation shell theory with a von Kármán-Donnell-type of kinematic nonlinearity and including thermal effects. A singular perturbation technique is employed to determine the buckling temperatures and postbuckling behaviors of 3D braided composite cylindrical shells. The numerical illustrations concern the postbuckling behavior of perfect and imperfect, braided composite cylindrical shells with different values of geometric parameter and of fiber volume fraction. The results show that the shell has lower buckling temperatures and postbuckling equilibrium paths when the temperature-dependent properties are taken into account. The results reveal that the fiber volume fraction, braiding angle and the shell geometric parameter have a significant effect on the thermal buckling and postbuckling behavior of braided composite cylindrical shells.
