The axial compressive response of thin, elastic, polygonal shells

Thin-walled cylindrical shell structures are revisited with the objective of increasing the axial load-carrying capacity. By using the postbuckling reserve of rectangular plates, polygonal shells are studied, which combines the response of a plate-like structure with a shell-like structure. These “plate-shells” are shown to be imperfection-insensitive for a range of polygonal shell designs. Furthermore, their collapse load exceeds the corresponding load for a circular cylindrical shell. These results are a significant departure from the well-known imperfection sensitivity in the axial compressive response of cylindrical shells.