Introduction  The early buckling theory of cylindrical shells under axial compression has a great deviation from the experimental results, there are many factors that lead to differences, the initial geometrical defect is the main factor that produces the difference.

  Method  In this paper, a special axial compression buckling test platform was used to scan the three-dimensional actual topography of the shell by using a laser displacement sensor, and the axial compression buckling test was carried out by the hydraulic device.

  Results  The results show that the critical load of axial buckling of cylindrical shells is reduced by opening holes, and the buckling load of the cylindrical shell is improved by inserting a circular tube in the opening hole. Based on the measured data of shell topography, a finite element model is established, and the nonlinear buckling finite element analysis of cylindrical shells, cylindrical shells with openings and reinforcement is carried out by Abaqus.

  Conclusion  The law of simulation is consistent with the experiment, the axial load of the shell is increased firstly and then decreased, the critical load of the axial compressive buckling of the cylindrical shell with opening is the least, the critical load of the cylindrical shell with the reinforcement is the second larger, the buckling critical load of the cylindrical shell without openings is the largest. The critical load simulation values of different shells are compared with the experimental values, in which the minimum relative error is only 13.8%. This method can be used to predict the critical buckling load of the shell, and it is of reference value to the buckling design of the shell.