Hollow pipes are used widely as the structural element in the various machines and systems like nuclear reactor, heat exchanger, pipe system, aircraft. To predict the load-carrying capacity of such structures, plastic collapse analysis is needed in the view point of estimating the safety and reliability of such structures. In the plastic collapse analysis, geometry change, work hardening and dynamic effect are the key factors that must be considered. Generally, at the first stage of analysis, quasi-static analysis is performed considering only geometry change and work hardening.
In this paper, finite element limit analysis code is developed by using the concept of sequential limit analysis in which the geometry change and work hardening effect can be easily considered. The plastic collapse of cylindrical and rectangular pipes under the axial compression is simulated by using developed program and the result of simulation is confirmed by experiment. S-frame and simplified car front structures are analyzed.
