ABSTRACT: The current research focuses on the preliminary assessment of correlation between the shift of modal response due to compression stresses and its influence in estimation of buckling load. Such a method-ology is known as Vibration Correlation Technique (VCT) and has a potential for estimation of limit load for axially loaded structures from a set of self-frequency measurements. For a particular study a finite element ei-genvalue analysis involving axially loaded state of the structure was compared with modal tests of axially loaded cylinders. A set of cylinders has been manufactured with the radius/thickness ratios of 300/500 and rolled from ASI 304 0.5mm thick sheet, then joined by plasma welding. Obtained preliminary vibration re-sults confirmed the trend required for identification of the buckling load. However, it has been noted that the sensitivity of obtained results are highly dependent on the technique applied for excitation of the structure. Therefore a set of recommendations for further study is proposed.