Non-linear buckling and postbuckling of elastic arches

This paper investigates the non-linear in-plane buckling and postbuckling behaviour of elastic arches using a curved finite element model for the non-linear analysis of elastic arches, which includes the effects of prebuckling deformations and second-order terms in the deformed curvatures and bending strains. It is found that the effects of prebuckling deformations on the buckling of shallow arches are significant, that the existence of a linear bifurcation buckling load is not a sufficient condition for linear bifurcation buckling to occur, and that the non linear buckling loads of shallow arches may be much lower than their linear buckling loads. The effects of the higher-order terms in the deformed curvature on the buckling and postbuckling behaviour of arches are also investigated. It is found that these effects are important, particularly for deep arches. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd.