Abstract
The shell structures considered in this note are unstiffened spherical caps attached to unstiffened cylindrical shells by means of circumferential stiffening rings. The loading is uniform internal pressure and the object of the analysis is to determine if elastic bifurcation buckling can occur and, if so, where the buckles will be located. The BOSOR 5 shell buckling program was used in the analysis and several stiffener geometries were investigated.
The present results show that elastic buckling can occur in the cylindrical portion of some cylinder—bulkhead combinations. If the structure is subjected to repeated loading, then the formation and disappearance of the elastic buckles could contribute to the initiation of fatigue cracks. Designers should, therefore, be aware of this possible elastic buckling mode. As some of the geometries investigated in the present note are not unlike some commercial aircraft configurations, the present results may be relevant to them also (even though those structures are stiffened).
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