University of Manchester Physicists Uncover Secret Mathematical "Snaking" Behind the Sequential Buckling of Pressurized Cylinders

Manchester researchers find that liquid-filled cans crush in a predictable "snaking" pattern, offering a new safety model for rockets and industrial storage.

By: AXL Media

Published: Apr 1, 2026, 12:07 PM EDT

Source: Information for this report was sourced from University College London

The Hidden Physics of the Hydraulic Press

While viral videos of objects being squashed by hydraulic presses are often dismissed as mere entertainment, researchers at The University of Manchester have found profound physical significance in the collapse of a common soda can. Their study reveals a stark contrast between how empty and liquid-filled cylinders respond to extreme pressure. Unlike an empty can, which collapses into a chaotic, instantaneous heap, a full can produces an orderly sequence of symmetrical circular rings. This phenomenon suggests that the presence of a fluid medium fundamentally alters how metal shells distribute force, turning a destructive event into a mathematically predictable pattern formation.

Liquid Incompressibility and Force Distribution

The primary driver behind this organized collapse is the fact that liquids are almost entirely incompressible. When a hydraulic press applies downward force to a sealed, full can, the internal fluid pushes back against the aluminum walls. This internal pressure prevents the metal from inward "crushing" and instead forces it to buckle outward in a series of ridges. Lead researcher Shresht Jain noted that the can forms one buckle after another in a steady, rhythmic fashion until the entire cylinder is wrapped in evenly spaced corrugations. This behavior shifts the structural failure from a random event to a controlled sequence governed by nonlinear dynamics.

Discovering the Trace of Homoclinic Snaking

The Manchester team discovered that the step-by-step formation of these rings matches a rare mathematical process called homoclinic snaking. In theoretical mathematics, "snaking" describes a phenomenon where ripples or bumps appear one by one in a precise, localized order rather than all at once. While mathematicians have long suspected that this process might underpin the buckling of cylindrical shells, finding a clear, physical example in a real-world object like a soda can is exceptionally rare. This discovery bridges the gap between abstract pattern formation theory and tangible mechanical engineering, proving that the metal's transition from softening to stiffening follows a rigid mathematical "snake" profile.