Nonlinear thermo-elastic buckling characteristics of cross-ply laminated joined conical–cylindrical shells

Here, the nonlinear thermo-elastic buckling/post-buckling characteristics of laminated circular conical–cylindrical/conical–cylindrical–conical joined shells subjected to uniform temperature rise are studied employing semi-analytical finite element approach. The nonlinear governing equations, considering geometric nonlinearity based on von Karman’s assumption for moderately large deformation, are solved using Newton–Raphson iteration procedure coupled with displacement control method to trace the pre-buckling/post-buckling equilibrium path. The presence of asymmetric perturbation in the form of small magnitude load spatially proportional to the linear buckling mode shape is assumed to initiate the bifurcation of the shell deformation. The study is carried out to highlight the influences of semi-cone angle, material properties and number of circumferential waves on the nonlinear thermo-elastic response of the different joined shell systems.