Elasto-capillary circumferential buckling of soft tubes under axial loading: existence and competition with localised beading and periodic axial modes

Abstract We provide an extension to previous analysis of the localised beading instability soft slender tubes under surface tension and axial stretching. The primary questions pondered here are as follows: what loading conditions, if any, can bifurcation into circumferential buckling modes occur, do such solutions dominate localisation periodic modes? Three distinct boundary conditions considered: in case 1 tube’s curved surfaces traction-free tension, whilst cases 2 3 inner outer (respectively) fixed prevent radial displacement tension. A linear is conducted determine numerically existence mode solutions. In we focus on tensile stress regime given preference compressed towards Euler over axisymmetric wrinkling. show that several paths highly sensitive modes; contrast, absent, suggesting dominant by default. 2, associated with negative values thus physically implausible. Circumferential shown exist for compressive loads, demonstrate multiple scenarios their dominance within specific parameter regimes.