ELASTIC BUCKLING OF CONE-CYLINDER INTERSECTION UNDER LOCALIZED CIRCUMFERENTIAL COMPRESSION

Conical shells are often joined to cylindrical shells as end closures, reducers or roofs. Under a variety of loading conditions, the interse ction between the large end of a cone and a cylinder is subject to a l arge circumferential compressive force which can lead to its failure b y buckling. The problem may be idealized as a cone-cylinder intersecti on under a radial inward ring load. This paper first investigates the elastic buckling strength of thin cone-cylinder intersections under a radial inward ring load and develops simple and accurate equations for the prediction of buckling mode and strength. The ability of ring-loa ded intersections to conservatively represent intersections under a va riety of other loading conditions for their buckling behaviour is then explored. The ring load idealization is shown to be generally conserv ative, but may become rather conservative for some loading conditions such as uniform internal pressure. The strength of cone-cylinder inter sections under uniform internal pressure is examined in detail in the final part of the paper and approximate strength equations are also de veloped, as this loading condition is important for pressure vessel an d piping applications.