Buckling Analysis of an AUV Pressure Vessel with Sliding Stiffeners

The structure of an autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV), usually composed of a cylindrical shell, may be exposed to high hydrostatic pressures where buckling collapse occurs before yield stress failure. In conventional submarines, welded stiffeners increase the buckling resistance, however, in small AUVs, they reduce the inner space and cause residual stresses. This work presents an innovative concept for the structural design of an AUV, proposing the use of sliding stiffeners that are part of the structure used to accommodate the electronics inside it. Since the sliding stiffeners are not welded to the shell, there are no residual stresses due to welding, the AUV fabrication process is simplified, enabling a reduction of the manufacturing cost, and the inner space is available to accommodate the equipment needed for the AUV mission. Moreover, they provide a higher buckling resistance when compared to that of an unstiffened cylindrical shell. A comparative analysis of the critical buckling loads for different shell designs was carried out considering the following: (i) the unstiffened shell, (ii) the shell with ring stiffeners, and (iii) the shell with sliding stiffeners. Results evidenced that major advantages were obtained by using the latter alternative against buckling.