Compression Buckling Analysis of Flat Panels with Z-section Stiffeners

NACA conducted extensive tests of z-stiffened panels under compressive load in the 1940s and 1950s in order to create direct-reading design charts. Because of the asymmetry of z-stiffened panels, the buckling behavior is complex and buckling analysis of the NACA data has not been conducted. In order to analyze the buckling of z-stiffened panels, a new tool for the buckling analysis of thin-walled structures is developed. This paper presents the results of the buckling analysis of the NACA data and investigates the buckling behavior of z-stiffened panels. It is found that the lateral buckling of the stiffener is critical in the short column region, while the torsional buckling of the stiffener is not critical.