journal of

pressure
uessel
technology
pressure uessel and piping cades

Design of Conical Shells Under

n„ = sin u/
External Loads1
P = hydrostatic external pressure
by M. H. Javvad2 Pa = allowable pressure
Pa = critical pressure
Q,Ql = shear force at cone-to-shell junction
The background is presented for the rules for conical shells Rl = base radius at small end of cone
and reducers under external pressure which were recently add- R2 = base radius at large end of cone
ed to Section VIII, Division 1. A simplified method for the r = radius of cylindrical shell or ring
design of conical shells under external pressure is developed S = allowable stress
from theoretical and experimental data. The design procedure Sy = yield stress
is similar to that published by ASME for cylindrical shells. t = thickness
Design criteria for the conical-to-cylindrical junction is also
established in terms of the minimum required area and mo- tc = thickness of cone
^cosa
ment of inertia at the junction. U = thickness of shell
axial deflection of cone
u = cos2a(3 + cos2a)
Nomenclature 2 2
Vi = l + cos a(6 + cos a)
A = strain obtained from ASME external pressure
charts
A{ = A^tana 3 +cos2 a
As = area of stiffening ring V angular deflection of cone
A, = total area w radial deflection of cone or cylinder
-„(-i) X axial length of cylinder
B = stress obtained from ASME external pressure Z — VFV
charts rt
a
one-half of the cone apex angle
12(1-^) 0 — cot ^ for cones
P
base diameter at small end of cone
base diameter at large end of cone for cylinders
E modulus of elasticity IT > I

f variable function t
axial loads in cylindrical shells that do not 7j9 = shearing strain
include pressure end load
I moment of inertia
Et A = 104 J -— at large end of cone
K
2(1 - n 2 ) 6X = deflection due to force x
L length of cylinder or cone ee = circumferential strain
length of cone ej = axial strain
f = p-£cot\p
2 \ A ) 6 = circumferential angle
LL = stiffener spacing in large cylinder 9X = rotation due to force x
L, = stiffener spacing in small cylinder
/ = slanted length of cone X = — for cones
longitudinal bending moment
Mx = = one-half wave angle in circumferential
axial force
N* = axial force in cone direction for cylinders
N, = number of lobes H = poisson's ratio
n = J = distance of arbitrary point on cone measured
'The material presented represents the author's opinion alone and does not from large end
necessarily represent the position of the ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Com- p = radius of curvature of cone at large end
mittee. R1+R2
2
Manager, Engineering Design, Nooter Corporation, St. Louis, Mo. Pav
63166. ~ T^T~a
Contributed by the Pressure Vessels and Piping Division for publication in
the JOURNAL OF PRESSURE VESSEL TECHNOLOGY. Manuscript received at ASME
Headquarters, October 29,1979.
Po
-'(-I)
buckling stress of ring

230/Vol. 102, May 1980 Transactions of the ASME

Copyright © 1980 by ASME
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 ax = axial stress in cylinder
= p
oy = circumferential stress in cylinder or ring
T = shearing stress in cylinder - S.'S.(T e « + e «)*'' ln * w *- (\b)

w" \ The work done by stretching of the middle surface is given by

Xe =
H" cot \//—w-
sin2 \p'
^=*rioh2+e<+2^
Xf = -w

w w ;COt + y ( l - / » ) T i ] f sin WBdt (lc)

Xet — sin t-
v

K
• ,
\p
2 f sin^ f sin^
and the work due to bending is expressed as
\j/ = angle of cone with respect to large base
3(1-^) 1 (2* f'
4 W,= -r D 2
or = 2 \ Jo J\'o{Jo
xi +
*? + 2
^X°
r2t2
) = derivative of a function with respect to 6 + 2(l-p)x!,)rsin ^/ft/£. (Id)
') = derivative of a function with respect to £
The critical pressure Pc is obtained from the summation of
equations (la) through (Id), where the displacement u, v, w
Introduction are chosen to minimize the value of P. An exact solution of
these equations, however, is impractical. The Rayleigh's
Conical shell components in pressure vessels are mostly method was used in conjunction with the following ap-
used as transition sections between cylindrical shells of dif- proximate functions of u, v, w to formulate a solution
ferent diameter or as end closures. Design pressures, axial
forces, and bending moments are the major loads on such u—A cos ndcos X£
cones. Calculated tensile stress due to the various loads is u = flsinw0cos X£
maintained below the allowable tensile stress. This allowable w = Ccosrt0sinX£
stress is easily obtained from the yield and tensile properties
of the cone material. Calculated compressive stress is kept The critical pressurepc can be obtained by letting
below the allowable buckling stress which is a function of the dW „ dW dW
load distribution as well as the geometry of the cone and the (2)
mechanical properties of the material. Methods for dA dB dC
establishing the allowable buckling stress vary in complexity Equations (2) are linear and homogeneous in A, B and C
due to the assumptions that are necessary in order to correlate and have the trivial solution A=B=C=0. Also for a given
theoretical and experimental data. The object of this paper is value of p, their determinate becomes zero and the equations
to use one such method, namely the uniform external are then satisfied by a certain definite relation between A, B
hydrostatic pressure on a frustum of a simply supported cone, and C. Using equations (2) and equating the determinate to
for determining the allowable buckling stress. Other loading zero, the following expression results from the expanded
conditions due to axial forces and bending moments are also determinant.
discussed.
Et
The discontinuity forces between conical and cylindrical Pr =
shells are also investigated. Safe design of conical and l\al+n2J
cylindrical shells is accomplished, in part, by maintaining the Po (W° + Ta°)
stress level at the cone-to-cylinder junction within an
allowable value. Rules are developed in order to maintain an (ni+a2)2] (3)
12(l-^ 2 )p§
adequate stress level as well as assure adequate stiffness. This
prevents the conical-to-cylindrical junction from buckling. when ^=ir/2 this equation coincides with equation (11)-(12)
of reference [1] for cylindrical shells.
Buckling of Conical Shells Subjected to Uniform External In equation (3) n0 must be chosen in such a manner as to
Hydrostatic Pressure makeP c a minimum (keeping in mind that the term n = n0 sin
\p must be an integer).
Solution of the general case of the buckling of conical shells Defining
results in a set of equations [1] that are impractical to solve.
Successful attempts have been made in the last forty years to $= 2
simplify the buckling solution by approximating the analysis \a0 ) Poa ' \2(\-^2)p2
for specific loading conditions. Niordson [2] in 1947 applied equation (3) may be expressed as
the energy method to arrive at a lower bound solution for the
case of a conical shell under uniform hydrostatic external Pr = G (4)
pressure. Referring to Fig. 1, he showed that the work done 2
by the applied external pressure is given by
2 2
* (*-4)
f* f / v'w w\ The condition dPc/d$ = 0 is approximately satisfied when n is
an integer. Hence
3*-l
+ [ ' ( A ^ l , (u) s l,p(l -0)sin idd (5)
JO *^TT"
Substituting this equation into equation (4) yields
+ 1 (^ £ )fio("){ioP sin ifidd (la)
JO AG
Pc = (6)
while the work done by the membrane forces is expressed as *2(*-l)

Journal of Pressure Vessel Technology May 1980, Vol. 102/231

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 and Donnell's equation reduces to (v 4 /? = 0 when p is con-
stant)
Et d4w . d2w d2w
Dvsw + 2
r dx4 dx2 y
~dy2 = 0
By defining
_ PrV-
"~ D*2
and
vy . rrnrx
w = w0 sin —sin ——
X L
the equation becomes

(/w 2 +j8 2 ) 2
12Z2™4
Cn= + (8)
" •> / m2 \
2 2 2 2
Oil+02 irV +/3 ) (^-+/3 )

Fig. 1 Conical shell under hydrostatic external pressure

Fig. 2 Comparison of Donnell's equation for the buckling of simply
supported cylindrical shell under hydrostatic pressure with other solu-
tions and test results
Combining equations (5) and (6) results in
t2a<
P C =P a^2 / ( l - / t 2 ) p 2
0 0
which is the buckling equation for conical shells subjected to
hydrostatic external pressure. The use of this equation for
design purpose is cumbersome due to the iterative process
involved. In order to simplify it, recourse is made to the
theory of cylindrical shells [3] discussed in the forthcoming.
Correlation Between the Buckling Equations of Conical and
Cylindrical Shells
In general the derivation of the buckling equations for
cylindrical shells results in three simultaneous equations.
Donnell in 1934 [4] combined the three simultaneous
equations into one eighth-order differential equation having
only the essential first-order terms. This equation is given by
r2 dx4
. / d2zw d2w d2w
J + V2p = 0
Hx ' "' dxdy ' " by2
2 y
where X is the half wave length in the circumferential direc-
tion,
L L
-
•>l
-VTV
and m is an integer.
Equation (8)-is equivalent to that derived by von Mises [1]
using three simultaneous equations. The critical value of Cp is
found by minimizing equation (8) with respect to m and j3.
The result of this minimization is shown in Fig. 2 which is
normally used for design purposes. The figure also shows
Sturm's [5] as well as Windenburg and Trilling's [6] ex-
perimental results. These results substantiate Donnell's
theoretical curves for design purposes.
In order to further simplify equation (8), an approximate
equation was developed at the U.S. Experimental Model
Basin [6] and is given by
2A2E (t/2r)<
5
(9)
(TV)
ihMi)"]
This equation is shown in Fig. 2 and it coincides with the
(7) lower curve of Donnell's equation for all values of Z larger
than 6. Because of that equation (9) is normally used as an ap-
proximation of equation (8).
Equation (9) was used originally by Bergman [7] in the con-
struction of the External Pressure Charts in the ASME Boiler
Code [8]. These charts were modified in recent years to take
into consideration the effect of the higher order terms that are
significant in the low LID regions and which are discarded by
equation (9).
A comparison between the buckling equations of conical
and cylindrical shells was made by Seide [3]. He showed that
equation (7) for the buckling of a conical shell is similar to the
buckling of cylindrical shell having a length equal to the slant
length of the cone and a radius equal to the average radius of
curvature of the cone, but with a wave number n replaced by
n/cos \p. He also showed [3, 9] that the quantity (1 -Rx/R2)
has a significant influence on the buckling of a cone. Based on
that the buckling equation of a cone can be expressed as
Pc=pKl-Rl/R2)

The stress in a closed cylinder due to hydrostatic pressure is where p is the modified buckling equation of a cylindrical
given by shell as defined in the foregoing a n d / ( l ~Rl/R2) is a func-
tion that was found to be closely approximated by the curve
Pr Pr shown in Fig. 3. The figure also shows theoretical values ob-
ox= T=0
~2t tained for various ratios of Rt /R2 from equation (7).

232/Vol. 102, May 1980 Transactions of the ASME

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 Table 1 Comparison between equation (10) and experimental data
1 2 3 4 5 6- 7 8 9 10
Test /?,(!> *2 (1) a ,U) sym U» Exp<3> p (3)(4) 8
no. deg Pc eq.(10)
9
1 8.0 13.5 60 0.110 42.3 6.36 97 92 1.05
2 8.0 13.5 60 0.110 42.3 6.36 115 92 1.25
3 8.0 13.5 30 0.094 65.1 11.00 105 141 0.74
4 8.0 13.5 45 0.106 66.0 7.78 163 162 1.01
5 8.0 13.5 45 0.106 66.0 7.78 135 162 0.83
6 8.0 13.5 45 0.095 63.4 7.78 135 124 1.09
7 18.375 28.5 45 0.375 41.3 10.125 310 3 8 4 <5> 0.81
8 18.375 28.5 45 0.375 41.3 10.125 400 384 1.04
9 18.375 28.5 45 0.50 40.4 10.125 460 501 0.92
10 18.375 28.5 45 0.50 37.2 10.125 680 501 1.36
11 18.375 28.5 45 0.625 39.0 10.125 550 605 0.91
18.375 28.5 39.0 10.125 910 605(5)
< 1.50
12 45 0.625
C'AU dimensions are in in. (25.4 mm)
<2>Stress is in ksi (6.9 MPa)
<3,Pressure in psi (6.9 KPa)
(4)
£ = 30 X 103 ksi (207 X 103MPa) (tcosaHSy)
<5' These values are controlled by the equation P :
R2
125
THEORY F0»
; X-Thce i t k i l dlutlon Fro* Eq (7)
Jr%*
X
SIMPLY SUPPORTED
120 EDGES.

i
5 ^ 1.6
Pj' fJ,
~_ 14
V> 1.2
105 J 1.0
0.8
100
() 0.1 0.2 03 04 0.5 06 0.7 O8 0.9 l.(3 06
0.4 FACTOR USED IN
EQ. (11).
Fig. 3 Theoretical variation of buckling pressure ratio with taper ratio 0.2
for simply supported cones O
The value p can be taken from equation (9)3. Hence O 0.1 02 Qj 04 0.5 06 07 08 0.9 1.0
CYLINDER COMPLETE
CONE

\2o.J
1A1E V2p,
-X
Pr =
(1-M 2 )* //2pa. -/M/*2) Fig. 4 Comparison of theory and experiment for conical shells under
external hydrostatic pressure
or
0.92E
Pr =

Wf-Y
• / ( ' - * • ' « > )

Using the terminology of Fig. 1., the above equation can be

expressed as
2'5(0.O-KD2Q/DJ
P c _ 2.6 cos a ^ V f l - * . / . , ) (10)
-JJ- L(RX+R2y-5 J \ /R
2 J

where/(l -Ri/R ) is o b t a i n e d fromFi

S- 3•

The values obtained from equation (10) are compared to some

experimental results [10,11] in Table 1. The values in columns
8 and 9 for the first six tests indicate that equation (10) is a
good approximation of the buckling strength of cones. One
drawback is that in some cases, namely tests 3 and 5, equation
(10) tends to overestimate the critical pressure.
Table 1 also shows six tests where the buckling strength is
controlled by Sy. The values obtained underestimate the
strength for three of the six tests.
3
The effect of the quantity t/2r onp is very small in most cases and is thus Fig. 5 Comparison between the second terms of equations (11) and
deleted from the equation. (12)

Journal of Pressure Vessel Technology May 1980, Vol. 102/233

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 Table 2 Comparison between pressure obtained from equation (13); ASME; and experimental data
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Test no. D2/te Le/D2 P (0 ,4(3) flW ASME< 6 > Exp.O 8 4
eq.(13) Pa Pc 7 7
1 490 0.19 26 .00073 11000 30 97 3.2 0.9
2 490 0.19 26 .00073 11000 30 115 3.8 0.9
3 332 0.32 41 .00075 11000 44 105 2.4 0.9
4 360 0;23 46 .0009 13000 48 163 3.4 1.0
5 360 0.23 46 .0009 13000 48 135 2.8 1.0
6 400 0.23 35 .00078 11500 38 135 3.6 0.9
7 215 0.15 128® .0036 17200 107 310 2.9 1.2
8 215 0.15 128(2) .0036 17200 107 400 3.7 1.2
9 161 0.15 167<2) .0058 17200 142 460 3.2 1.2
10 161 0.15 1 54 (2) .0058 17000<5) 141 680 4.8 1.1
11 129 0.15 202<2> .008 17800 184 550 3.0 1.1
12 129 0.15 202(2) .008 17800 184 910 4.9 1.1
E= 30 X 103 ksi(207 X 103 MPa)-pressure values are given in psi (6.9 KPa)
Controlled by equation (14)
Obtained from Fig. UGO-28.0 of Section VIII, Div. 1 of ASME Code [8]
See Fig. 6 — stress values are given in psi (6.9 KPa)
(6) Obtained from Fig. UCS-28.2 of Section VIII, Div. 1 of ASME Code [8]
Pa = 4/3 (B/D2 te) - pressure is given in psi (6.9 KPa)

Recommended Design Criteria for Conical Shell Buckling tion must be used and is given by
The quantity f{\ - Ri/R2) given in equation (10) is plotted
in Fig. 4 together with some experimental data [3,9]. The data
indicate that the quantity/(l —Rx/R2) should be modified in
order to make it consistent with experimental data. Guidance
•-(Dm
'5,

for an appropriate modification factor was taken from the or

fact that the ASME Criteria [8] results in a value of 1.0 in Fig.
4. This implies a 20 percent scatter of data in the design of
cylindrical shells. Based on that a 20 percent scatter can also
be allowed for conical shells and the solid curve was modified
as shown by the straight line in Fig. 4. At the Cylindrical side
of the curve a value of 1.0 was maintained. This value drops
to 0.8 at the conical end of the curve. Equation (10) can thus
be modified as follows:
(t COS a\:
2.6 2 I5 (0.8 + O.2A/0 )
\ D, / for Section VIII, Division 1, of the Code. It is also of interest
E (11)
LID2
The second term in the foregoing equation can be replaced
with a simplified quantity that gives a more conservative Pc
value. This quantity is shown in Fig. 5. The equation then
becomes
2.5
"O^)
(S,)(/,) (14)
P„ =
1.5 A
Equations (13) and (14) are the two equations needed to
design conical shells.
It is of interest to note that equation (13) is similar to equa-
tion (10) for cylindrical shells. Thus the external pressure
charts in the ASME Power and Pressure Vessel Code [8] can
be used for the design of conical shells with the appropriate
values of D2, te and Le substituted for D, t and L. Such pro-
cedure was implemented in the ASME Winter 1978 Addenda
to note that the above derivations require the cone-to-shell
junction to be treated as a line of support in all cases.
Table 2 shows a comparison between the results obtained
from equation (13); those obtained from ASME [8]; and those
obtained experimentally. The ratio of Pa given by equation
(13) to that given by ASME is shown in Column (10) and in-
dicates that the two methods give essentially the same result.
Column (9) shows that the factor of safety obtained by using
(12)
the ASME method is adequate from a design point of view.

E LID, Axial Loads

1+
( *"A) The effect of axial loads on the buckling strength of a
frustum of a cone [9] can best be illustrated as shown inFig. 7.
Defining The abscissa A gives the ratio of applied external pressure to
t. = t cos a critical external pressure. The ordinate B gives the ratio of the
applied axial force to the critical axial compression in the
and absence of pressure. Hence when A = 1.0 the figure indicates
that the cone or cylinder cannot support any axial loads. For
A = 0.5 the figure indicates that B is 0.6 for the cone and 0.53
and using a factor of safety of 3.0, the equation reduces to for the cylinder. In other words the cone can support a higher
ratio of axial load than the cylinder. For an applied axial ten-
sile force, the permissible external pressure can be increased
p 0.87 ( ' • / / > , ) " above the critical external pressure as shown in the figure. The
(13) cylinder being the stronger of the two.
= L
* >ID, The foregoing discussion indicates that conical shells under
axial compression can conservatively be designed as
which is the design equation for the buckling of conical shells equivalent cylindrical shells with R = r/cos a and length equal
to/.
under uniform external hydrostatic pressure.
The value of Pa obtained from equation (13) must not Bending Moment
result in a stress that exceeds Sy. Hence a second design equa- Experimental and theoretical work on the buckling of a

234/Vol. 102, May 1980 Transactions of the ASME

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 50.000
—*
40.000

35,000

Sv - 60 m'_ 30.000

25.000
S Y = 501'Si

20.000
J 18,000
,# "T
E = 32 X 10« psi-
1 1 1
: - 30 x io« psi •
V
/
V Sy * Above 38 ksi to 40 kii. ne . 16.000
14.000
CO
OC
c
w
1 1 1 1 1
E = 28 X I0« psi f— 12.000 |—
1
I I I ' fif t_;
E " 26 X 10s ps — 4—M 10.000 ^ -
1 1 \u Li_
DSI- 9.000
8.000
-r
/ 7.000

1 1 _J 6.000
2 3 4 5 6 7 89 2 3
mi.\
4 5 6 7 89 2 3 4 5 6 789 2 3 4 5 6 789
5.000
.0001 .001

FACTOR A
Fig. 6 Chart for determining shell thickness of cylindrical and
spherical vessels under external pressure when constructed of carbon
steels or low alloy steels [8]

3 P Q

in H. 11
N X

ri« > • > •

1 1 06 s \
v) to
S W
s 1 04 \
^
1 02 Y
<o <
\
3 E 00
5
a
1 -02 \ \ -cvu DER
t
•<
V)

a ST Fig. 8 Discontinuity forces at cone-to-cylinder junction

CONE-
1 -04 ^
% |-Q6 compatibility equation requires that 8m+5Q + 8P in cylinder
i -Q8 V \
\
= hM + &Q + 8P in cone and 8,„ +dQ + 0p in cylinder =
8M + 8Q + dp in cone.
e \ - A Substituting the various values of S and 8 from Table 3 in
10
() 02 0.4 0.6 0.8 10 1.2 14 16 18"" the foregoing three equations results in the following expres-
A P P L I E D EXTERNAL PRESSURE sions4.
C R I T I C A L EXTERNAL PRESSURE

Q=At
Fig. 7 Interaction curve for cones under combined axial load and ex-
Qi=A

•ah
ternal uniform hydrostatic pressure
X M =A
cone under bending moment [9] have shown that the behavior
is similar to that of a cone under an equivalent axial load. The where
magnitude of the equivalent axial load can be established
from the quantity M/wr2. Ay = Nx tan a
Conical-to-Cylindrical Junction
The buckling equations derived in the foregoing are based cos2 a(3 + cos 2 a)
Vl =
on the assumption that the conical-to-cylindrical junction is 1 + cos 2 a(6 + cos2 a)
rigid enough to transfer all of the discontinuity forces shown and
in Fig. 8. The quantity Nx was taken to include the axial com-
ponent of the external hydrostatic pressure as well as any ad- V2 =
Vi
ditional axial forces imposed on the cone and cylinder. The 3+cos 2 a
formulation of the equations at the large and small ends of the
cone is different and can thus be handled separately.
The values of deflection and rotation due to pressure were neglected. The
(A) Area Requirement - Large End. The equilibrium thickness of the cone was taken to equal the thickness of the cylinder divided by
equation at the junction requires that Q+Qi =NX tan a. The cos a.

Journal of Pressure Vessel Technology May 1980, Vol. 102/235

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 " M J~ :: F:'PCF- ' V L E C T I R N AND ETRFSS-fnQCE "eFLATlONSHIP 1H C ^ N " *
OLINDF c £ AT T I ^COMTINU IT" EI^E. M ? ]

|-i*jf CYLIW
r
P 1WC
Hi- 1
Mx
llilUL t -*-

V H

w
Mx
P

•m
i

H cos 2 a
2D<U3
-Mcos2<X
2Dtt 2 *(Hr)
H
2DW3
M
2D<02 4H)
-Hcos 3 a Mcos 2 a -3Pr l i n a H _M_ 0
2D<02 DO) 2Etcoia 2D*) 2 Dtt)

Hcos'a E Mcos 2 a E Pr H E ME
CTTrr
2D«3 ' 2D«i) r t 2DW3 r 2Dca2r ^

|/>r.r , : VJ*L -Pr 6M

0 §McosJ« 0
CTOfSc r 2t t2 *

(!) "UTV.*°D r>EcLFCTI"N 1* : f M T l V F , "t^CKWHF STATION I «= (OSITIVF,

A
20
'S
V
16 *, LL
, / \
-•''' ^
1= 0 . 0 2 7 B

1"° \\-^ -;*

>' \ x=9.34 y«n«
•
•x
k-
• ^
"So* s
' * j S „ ^ •=—
«
0.4 L
^ > -^^C Y=2. >7(y-2vJtanOl^
0.2
^^ r**"**^ \ -Y=00l.« "' .
10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80
Fig. 9 Theoretical and approximate values of X and V
L,

The total circumferential stress5 in the large cylindrical shell

due to the foregoing forces can be expressed as
-Pr 1MX . 2Q
° y = - / t A

which can be rearranged to read

V |
+
i '2
in
-Pr / r-1/2 \
oy= — + {2.51-^7rNx)(V1-2V2)tm a. Fig. 10 Conical-to-cylindrical junction
-Nx 6MX
By letting Y=2.57 (K, -2V2) tan a the foregoing equation
reduces to
-Pr rl/2 or
<7V= + Y^rNr,
°x= - p [l+ (9.34 K2Jy)(tan «)].
The value of Y is plotted in Fig. 9. It is seen from the figure
that by taking a value of Y = 0.01 a, a close approximation is By letting X = 9.34 V2 tan a,, the equation reduces to
obtained as long as a < 60 deg. Based on that the foregoing
equation can be written as -Nr
ul t
-Pr / r \
(0.01a) y-jjf )NX for a<60deg (15) The value of X is shown in Fig. 9 together with its ap-
+
proximate value of 0.027 a. Hence,
Similarly the total longitudinal stress in the large cylindrical
shell is given by
5
ox= — [1 + 0.0270^-^1 for a<60° (16)
The circumferential bending stress due to Mx was disregarded.

236/Vol. 102, May 1980 Transactions of the ASME

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 A comparison of equations (15) and (16) indicates that the
maximum compressive stress is given by equation (16). A con-
servative maximum value of this stress can be assumed as
—Pr/t. Hence, equation (16) becomes
Pr
0.027 a j — ^ l
iv7
If the foregoing quantity is not satisfied, additional area will
have to be added at the junction. Tests have shown [10] that a
stiffening ring at the junction is an efficient method of adding
area and it reduces both the longitudinal and circumferential
stress. The needed additional area is a function of the quantity
0.027 a.
i?-(^-)
or Nx < 0 which indicates that at the small end of the cone the
axial force Nx must be resisted by a ring with an area
Nrr tan a
A,= ' (20)
(C) Moment of Inertia Requirement. A conservative
approach used by ASME [8] in the design of cylindrical shells
under external pressure assumes that intermediate stiffening
rings support all of the load that is applied on the shell. Using
the same criteria, the load on the cone shown in Fig. 10 due to
external pressure can be proportioned at the large and small
end stiffening rings as follows:
Pressure load at large end stiffening ring

_ 2irP(R2+Ri)(R2-Rl)
COS a.
0.027 aJ — 3 sin a
^ t
Pressure load at small end stiffening ring
Hence, the additional area is given by
iri > (/? 2 +/? 1 )(A 2 -/? 1 )
3 sin a cos a.
/ 0 . 0 2 7 c ^ - ( ^ - l >
A, = (NX tan « ) ( - ) ( Total load at large end due to axial compression, pressure on
0.027 a cone, and pressure on cylinder is

F=—r—itan a + / , tan a+ — ± -

P(R2+Ri)(R2-Ri)cos a
3R-, sin a
Nr r tan a
A.= or
F=P(M) +fx tan a (21)
where
The quantity vr/t in the foregoing equation can be related to , , R2 tan a LL Rl-R}
the axial stress as M= 2 — + — +
2 3i?2 tan a
Pr
5= Total load at small end due to axial compression, pressure on
H cone, and pressure on cylinder is
or „ PRi PLS R}-R?
P+f2 tan a
JL- — 2 2 6J?2tan a
^ T~v
- #p
or
Defining A= 104 VP/S, the expression for area becomes F=P(N)+f2 tan a (22)
Nxr tan a (17) where
A,= '
b-ThsrhrJ- „ Ri Ls
N= - i tan a+ -± + —^
RZ+R?
—.
(fl) Area Requirement - Small End. The discontinuity 2 2 6R2 tan a
forces at the small end are shown in Fig. 8. Their magnitude is
obtained from the equilibrium and compatibility equations. Equations (21) and (22) establish the maximum applied
Going through the derivation again, the circumferential stress force at the cone-to-cylinder junction. The critical buckling
can be written as stress of a circular ring is given by [1]
3EI
2Q
ur "c A,r2
which reduces to where Aj is the total effective area given by
-Pr A, = —^- H—|p- +AS for large end of cone.
-Y- -Nr. (18)
t ~ ti/2
Ls*s , ^c*c
Similarly the longitudinal stress can be expressed as A,= +A, for small end of cone.
2 2

-^M!) (19)
Using <JC = Eeg the foregoing equation reduces to

(23)
A comparison between equations (18) and (19) shows that the
maximum compressive stress is obtained from equation (18).
Again limiting the allowable stress to —Pr/t, the maximum which is the required moment of inertia of a cone-to-shell
stress criteria becomes stiffening ring.
For design the value of ee in the foregoing equation is
-Pr rl/2 Pr obtained from a stress-strain relationship. This is achieved by
t tvl x
t considering the stress in the ring as

Journal of Pressure Vessel Technology May 1980, Vol. 102/237

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Applying a factor of safety of 2 in the foregoing equation and
using the External Pressure Charts in ASME (which have a
factor safety of 2), a design criteria can be established as
follows:
1 Calculated from equations (21) or (22).
2 Establish
2Fr
°=^
3 Enter the External Pressure Charts with a (factor E) and
calculate the strain ee (factor A).
4 Use equation (23) to establish the minimum required
moment of inertia. The ASME allows a 30 percent increase in
value if the composite ring-shell moment of inertia is con-
sidered. In this case the equation becomes
15.6
The foregoing rules were the basis for the recent additions
to ASME [8] in the Winter 1979 addenda.
Summary
A simplified and conservative method for the design of
conical shells under external pressure is given by equations
(13) and (14). Axial loads on conical shells have the same
effect as axial loads on equivalent cylindrical shells and the
design can proceed accordingly. Bending moments due to
wind and earthquake loads can be treated and analyzed as
equivalent axial forces. Such analysis will yield conservative
results.
Conical-to-cylindrical shell junctions must have adequate
area to transfer the discontinuity forces and adequate moment
of inertia to prevent buckling. The area requirements are
given by equations (17) and (20). Moment of inertia
requirements are given by equations (21)-(24).
238/Vol. 102, May 1980
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Acknowledgment
The author wishes to thank the Nooter Corporation for all
assistance given during the course of writing this paper and
especially to Mr. Steve Stone for preparing the equations and
figures. Acknowledgment is also given to members of the
ASME Subgroups on External Pressure and Design VIII for
their review and comments on the derivation of the various
equations.
References
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McGraw-Hill, 2nd Edition, 1961.
2 Niordson, F. I. N., "Buckling of Conical Shells Subjected to Uniform
External Lateral Pressure," Transactions of the Royal Institute of Technology,
Stockholm, Sweden, No. 10,1947, pp. 1-21.
3 Seide, P., "On the Buckling of Trunicated Conical Shells Under Uniform
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7 Bergman, E. 0<, "The New-Type Code Chart for the Design of Vessels
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8 ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code, Section VIII, Div. 1, 1977.
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1965.
Transactions of the ASME