On elastic–plastic buckling of cones

The paper considers the buckling of short, and relatively thick, mild steel conical shells subjected to the combined action of external pressure and axial compression. Past results on axially compressed cones and on cones subjected to hydrostatic external pressure are compared with fresh test results on equivalent, axially compressed cylinder and with the equivalent cylinder subjected to external hydrostatic pressure.The paper contains both numerical and experimental results. Details about experiments, numerical modelling and computed estimates of the load carrying capacity of analyzed shells are given. Results of this study suggest that the concept of equivalent cylinders is not applicable to short master-cones.Combined stability plots have also been derived for the master-cone and equivalent cylinders. They provide not only the failure envelopes but also the yield envelopes and spread of plastic zones.The paper also brings into the light a useful design tool proposed by Esslinger and van Impe [8], and applicable to elastic–plastic buckling of cones subjected to external hydrostatic pressure.