Energy dissipation in braced cylindrical shells

This paper presents an experimental and numerical investigation of the energy dissipation characteristics of mild steel cylindrical shells subjected to large deformations under line loadings acting parallel and perpendicular to the shells' longitudinal axes. The effects of diametrical bracing, cylinder length and external loading orientation on the deformation patterns and energy dissipation capacities are described. The results are applied to the design of a new impact attenuation system used in highway safety applications.