ABSTRACT
Axisymmetric shell junctions are subject to a large circumferential force due to slope mismatches between the adjacent shell segments. A ring is often provided at these junctions to help resist this circumferential force. Such ring-stiffened shell junctions may fail by buckling if this circumferential force is compressive. This buckling behaviour is likely to be dominated by the ring, with the adjacent shell segments playing the role of restraining the buckling deformation of the ring. This behaviour is distinctly different from that of shell junctions without a ring extensively treated in Chapter 13.
