Numerical‐experimental structural instability analysis of composite tubes considering manufacturing parameters and imperfections

Abstract A numerical‐experimental approach to predict structural instability was developed to analyze thin composite tubes produced by filament winding subjected to external pressure. The divergence between mechanical properties characterized through standardized procedures and those of the manufactured component, influenced by imperfections and manufacturing peculiarities, was considered. A ring compression test and an inverse finite element analysis routine were used for material properties calibration. The routine was based on Tsai's master‐ply concept to deliver feasible constitutive properties values. Based on the numerical and experimental correlation, the implemented approach was considered effective and with good repeatability.