Elastic buckling of cone-cylinder intersection under localized circumferential compression

Abstract

Conical shells are often joined to cylindrical shells as end closures, reducers or roofs. Under a variety of loading conditions, the intersection between the large end of a cone and a cylinder is subject to a large circumferential compressive force which can lead to its failure by buckling. The problem may be idealized as a cone-cylinder intersection 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-loaded intersections to conservatively represent intersections under a variety of other loading conditions for their buckling behaviour is then explored. The ring load idealization is shown to be generally conservative, but may become rather conservative for some loading conditions such as uniform internal pressure. The strength of cone-cylinder intersections under uniform internal pressure is examined in detail in the final part of the paper and approximate strength equations are also developed, as this loading condition is important for pressure vessel and piping applications.