Cylindrical shells under axial compression

65

(a) t

Perfect joint geometry

(b) tmin

Perfect joint geometry

(c) tmin

Perfect joint geometry

(d) tmin

ea eint t tmax tmax

etot tmax

elap

Figure 2.15 Eccentricities at joints. (a) Accidental eccentricity: no change of plate thickness. (b) Intended offset at change of plate thickness. (c) Total eccentricity at change of plate thickness. (d) Lap joint with thickness change.

imperfection. Rotter and Tengs (1989b) study of weld-depression imperfections included a change of plate thickness without eccentricity and showed that the thicker plate always restrains the thinner plate against buckling. Small increases in the buckling stress of the thinner plate result, but these are always ignored in design. For functional reasons, however, most shells require a smooth surface on one side. This leads to an eccentricity in the line of thrust at the plate thickness change (Fig. 2.15). No study is known to have explored the problem formally. Due to small differences in the geometry of one strake and another (Fig. 2.12), especially near adjacent vertical seams, small errors in alignment also occur (Fig. 2.15(a) and (c)), so the total eccentricity is likely to exceed the intended value in places. The eccentricity at a circumferential joint has several consequences: local bending leads to axisymmetric deections, local compressive circumferential membrane stresses, and local bending stresses. The local bending stresses are not very important, but the co-existent axisymmetric inward deection and circumferential compressive membrane stresses are destabilising and can be seriously deleterious. The best information on the effect of these eccentricities comes from studies of the effect of lap joints (Fig. 2.15(d)). Esslinger and Pieper (1973) appear to have undertaken the rst experimental and theoretical study of the problem, from which they concluded (Esslinger and Geier 1977) that systematic imperfections dramatically reduce the uncertainty and scatter in buckling strengths. The range of their experimental and theoretical study was, however, rather limited. Esslingers results were generalised by Rotter (1985), who deduced that the elastic buckling strength should be around cr = 0.39cl , but the rst systematic study of the elastic buckling problem was undertaken by Rotter and Teng (1989a), who showed that bifurcation occurs at an innitesimally short lap joint