Buckling of imperfect cylindrical shell under lateral pressure

experimental assessment methods, in the context of NPP applications as, for instance, the IRIS LWR integrated \nSteam Generator (SG) tubes. \nDesign/methodology/approach: In this paper, thin shell, homogeneous and isotropic material, also tube \ngeometric imperfections as eccentricity/ovality/welding are assumed to investigate the effects of latter on the \nlimit pressure load in conditions for which, at present, a complete theoretical analysis was not found in literature. \nAt Pisa University a research activity is being carried out on the buckling of thin walled metal specimen, with a \ntest equipment (and the necessary data acquisition facility), suitable for carrying out test series on this issue, as \nwell as numerical models implemented on the MARC FEM code, were set up. \nFindings: The experiments were conducted on test specimens of the same material (AISI 316) tube with \nand without longitudinal welding. The comparison between numerical and experimental results, for the same \ngeometry and loading conditions, shows a good agreement between the elastic-plastic finite-element predictions \nand the experimental data. \nResearch limitations/implications: The presented research results may be considered preliminary in the \nsense that it would be important to enlarge the statistical base of the results themselves, even if they are yet \ncertainly meaningful to highlight the real problem, considering the relatively large variability of the geometrical \nimperfections also in high quality production tubes. \nOriginality/value: From the point of view of the practical implication, besides the addressed problem general \ninterest in industrial plant technology, it is worth to stress that straight and curved axis tubes are foreseen \nspecifically in innovative nuclear reactors SG design \nKeywords: Numerical techniques