Circular cylindrical shells are frequently used as structural components because of their high strength and their ability to absorb energy during complete structural collapse[ Total collapse analyses have mainly been based on experimental work and approaches inspired by this[ However\ in the last few years\ powerful numerical tools have been available and numerical collapse analyses have become more attractive[ This paper presents results from an axisymmetric numerical collapse analysis[ The analysis is based on a _nite rotation shell theory accounting for contact between the shell walls[ The strains are assumed to remain small and the shell material is described by an elasticΓviscoplastic model[ The sensitivity of the collapse behaviour is demonstrated with respect to parameters such as initial imperfections\ thickness of the shell\ material parameters and rate of deformation[ Comparisons between the results numerically obtained and approaches found in the literature are presented[ Good agreement was found for the folding length of the developed collapse pattern whereas small di}erences between the mean crushing loads was observed[ Furthermore\ it was noted that the developed collapse pattern was strongly dependent on the strain hardening of the material[ Γ 0887 Elsevier Science Ltd[ All rights reserved[ Notation List of the most important symbols[ The number in brackets refers to the equation where the variable was de_ned or _rst introduced[ " = # time derivative " Β¦ # increment " Β¦ # " ΒΎ #Dt "># undeformed state "Section 2# " # =a covariant di}erentiation "09# " * # variables to the time tΒ¦Dt "A[0# L ijkl elastic moduli "5#