NUMERICAL STUDY OF THE EFFECT OF SPAN ON THE BEHAVIOUR OF CONOID SHELLS.

A discrete element stiffness matrix formulation, using finite differences and variational principles, is presented for shallow conoidal shells, taking into account both membrane and bending actions. Numerical studies are carried out using this method on short, intermediate, and long circular conoids with simply supported boundary conditions. The results are compared with those of existing solutions, and the effect of span on the various strain components that contribute to the stress resultants is critically evaluated to determine the range of span in which optimum shell action is developed.