Local surface nanocrystallization for buckling-resistant thin-walled structures

An innovative and new technology on enhancing buckling resistance is established in this work by making use of local surface nanocrystallization to significantly improve the critical loads of thin-walled structures under axial compression loads. By capitalizing new design approaches of local nanocrystallization, critical loads of thin-walled structures can be dramatically increased owing to the marked enhancement of yield stresses of materials within the treated domain. No additional material adhering or structural modification is required in the entire procedure. An optimal design of local surface nanocrystallization is derived by evaluation of critical loads and ultimate buckling deformation of five typical nanocrystallization layouts. Theoretical results show that axial nanocrystallization stripes closed to edges produce the highest critical loads and stable ultimate buckling deformation. Furthermore, an experimental work is presented to validate the optimal design. The result concludes that welding skill is an important influencing factor in the fabrication of such nanocrystallized tubes.