The paper presents a wide analysis of conditions under which a loss of deformation stability can be observed as well as local bulges form in axially-symmetric (rotational) shells of any length. Analytical relations o f the theory o f shells were used for the analysis. If the maximum pressure in the shell was exceeded, the deformation process was investigated too. In such a case. strains begin to develop more intensely in the central part o f a long cylindrical shell and, owing to that. one or more superimposed bulges (blisters) form. Symmetryofthe shell deformation in relation to the centreof its length can be disturbed. A set of algebraic equations was derived for determination of critical pressure and critical strains on the falling part of the relation between pressure and the shell radius. The analysis of deformation stability is of a general type, because the used form of elastic potential of the material is a function characteristic for all the rubber-like materials.The experiments proved the results obtained from the analysis of the assumed theoretical models of shells, which were cylindrical at the beginning.
Notat ionconstants o f integration dimensionless thickness o f the shell wall, before and after deformation respectively, (ho = W R o , h = H/Ro) thickness of the shell wall before and after deformation, respectively invariants o f the strain state -the first, the second and the third one, respectively dimensionless length of the shell -before and after deformation (lo = L(jRo, 1 = LIRO) the shell length before and after deformation forces for the length unit of the shell -in longitudinal and circumferential direction, respectively actual and maximum internal pressure cylindrical coordinates of Lagrange type shell radius before deformation (initial) length of the shell are before and after deformation in longitudinal direction length of the shell are before and after deformation in circumferential direction function of elastic potential cylindrical coordinates of Euler type principal unit elongation in longitudinal, circumferential and normal direction to the shell surface normal stress components (i = 1, 2, 3 ) anglc between tangent to the shell and the line perpendicular to the shell axis -before and after deformation function of longitudinal stress, dependent on A2