The Influence of Radial Edge Constraint on the Stability of Stiffened Conical Shells in Compression

Using finite element analysis, the non-linear behaviour of thin stringer-stiffened cones under axial compression is studied. In particular, various alternatives in specifying edge conditions are presented and the sensitivity natives in specifying edge conditions are presented and the sensitivity of the response to the radial edge constraint is examined in detail. It is shown that both the initial stiffness and the limit load cart be severely reduced if radial edge displacements are not constrained and that, in this case, linear eigenvalue results can be misleading. Analogies are drawn between the cone and the more commonly encountered cylindrical shell. The implications of these results for experimental studies and for the development of design formulations are discussed.