Plastic general instability of ring-stiffened conical shells under external pressure

All cylindrical pressure vessels require end closures and these are usually domed or conical in shape. The resistance to buckling under external pressure may be drastically improved by introducing ring-stiffening. This research investigated the buckling performance of cones (for use as end closures) with various sizes of ring-stiffeners using experimental and theoretical approaches. The accuracy and the ease with which to predict the buckling pressures of different ring-stiffened cones were examined. The paper contributes broadly to improving the structural efficiency of submarine structures or any pressure vessel systems subjected to external pressure.