Journal of Constructional Steel Research 80 (2013) 308–316

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Journal of Constructional Steel Research

Bending experiments on reinforced circular thin plates under uniform pressure

Kami Imani a, Hossein Showkati a, Tohid Ghanbari Ghazijahani b,⁎
a
Department of Civil Engineering, Urmia University, Urmia, Iran
b
Department of Civil Engineering, Mahabad Branch, Islamic Azad University, Mahabad, Iran

a r t i c l e i n f o a b s t r a c t

Article history: Circular thin plates are extensively found in numerous types of engineering applications. Nonetheless, there have
Received 17 May 2011 been few experimental studies investigating the real behavior of reinforced circular plates under uniform loading.
Accepted 10 August 2012 Present work empirically studies buckling/failure behavior of uniformly loaded, circumferentially reinforced
Available online 7 November 2012
circular plates with clamped brims. To this end, a number of locally thickened/stiffened circular steel plates
were tested under uniform pressure. Obtained findings were processed to examine the structural behavior of
Keywords:
Circular stiffened/thickened plates
such structures. In addition, results were verified by FE analysis of corresponding tested models. Acceptable agree-
Uniform pressure ment was ultimately detected between both experimental and numerical results which were basically aimed at
Experiments generalizing the behavior of circular plates in full scale within the range of the current work.
Buckling and failure © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Yield lines

1. Introduction axisymmetric elasto-plastic large deflection response of ring stiff-

Because of distinct advantages of thin plates, these structures are
extensively used in many fields of engineering applications. More-
over, such structures may be subjected to the bending due to im-
posed pressure or suction load during the service life of these
structures. On the other hand, owing to their practical importance
for instance, in marine vessels, hydraulic structures, space struc-
tures, airplanes, ships, reservoir tank closures, etc., many efforts have
been devoted to the stability analysis of such structures. Timoshenko
and Goodier [1] presented a three-dimensional solution for uni-
formly loaded isotropic circular plates with simply supported edge.
Analytical solutions of isotropic circular plates with either clamped
or simply supported edge subjected to uniform load which were de-
rived based on Kirchhoff hypothesis, were studied by Timoshenko
and Woinowsky [2]. Lekhnitskii [3] investigated anisotropic circular
plates with clamped and simply supported boundaries. Note that,
despite the considerable volume of the literature on the bending
of circular plates subjected to different loadings, quite few are the
experimental data investigating the strengthened plates under uni-
form pressure. For instance, Turvey and Der Avanessian [4] as well
as Lim and Turvey [5] conducted test programs on relatively thick
circular plates with clamped boundary conditions. A good correla-
tion was obtained between the tests and theory. However, a number
of studies have investigated this problem merely using the theoret-
ical approaches. Turvey and Der Avanessian [6] also investigated the
⁎ Corresponding author. Mobile Number: +98 (0) 914 145 3392.
E-mail addresses: h.showkati@urmia.ac.ir (H. Showkati), tohidghanbari@gmail.com
(T. Ghanbari Ghazijahani).
ened circular plates. It was shown that the stiffener acts as a “stress
raiser” which lowers the first yield pressure and promotes the for-
mation of a collapse mechanism. Del Coz Diaz et al. investigated
the non-linear analysis of unbolted plates and tubular “heart” joint
considering numerical FE analysis and experimental validations
[7,8]. Practical application of circular plates has been pointed out
in Refs. [9,10]. These structures can be commonly used in many
structures such as nozzle covers, end closures in pressure vessels,
pump diaphragms, turbine disks, and bulkheads in submarines
and airplanes, etc. It is noteworthy that considering all the prior
studies, the buckling behavior of the strengthened thin plates has
remained untouched. In this paper, the experimental behavior of
circular plates has been investigated to evaluate edge reinforcement
effect on the buckling/failure behavior of such small scale plates. It is
important to mention that the load carrying capacity of different
specimens was obtained using stiffeners in different radial distances
and the results were compared with circumferentially thickened
plates. Furthermore, the tested specimens were numerically inves-
tigated and the results were assessed and compared with the tests.
The aims of the present investigation are briefly as follows:
1. Experimental study on the buckling/failure behavior of reinforced
circular steel thin plates with clamped edge;
2. FE simulation of such structures under uniform pressure and com-
parison between two experimental and numerical approaches;
3. Evaluation of the influence of circumferentially stiffening and lo-
cally thickening of circular plates on the buckling behavior of
such structures;
4. Examination of the buckling mode of the present models.

0143-974X/$ – see front matter © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jcsr.2012.08.001
 K. Imani et al. / Journal of Constructional Steel Research 80 (2013) 308–316 309

Upper ring
Plate
Base brink

Fig. 1. Schematic illustration of the test rig (side view).

2. Experimental program
2.1. Testing apparatus
A schematic illustration and an overall view of the experimental
set-up are presented in Figs. 1 and 2. This machine was designed by
Golzan and Showkati [11,12] to conduct some empirical studies re-
garding circular plates and conical shells with different geometries
and edge conditions.
The strain values were recorded by strain gauges of YEFLA-5 (series
YF/Y), Tokyo Sokki Kenkyujo Co. Ltd. Also, KYOWA type digital LVDTs
with the accuracy of 0.001 mm were attached over the desired spots
in order to measure vertical deflections. During the experiments, a digi-
tal pressure manometer was used to gauge the amount of the pressure.
All results were saved in a computer file using a data logger as well as a
digital scanner.
In all, seven tests were performed. The specimens were labeled in a
way that ECC specimen was the plain specimen without reinforcement;
ECP specimens were thickened with annular plates in the edge zone and
ECS specimens were stiffened circumferentially. Thin steel plates were
used to manufacture the specimens, stiffeners and local thickening ele-
ments as well. The material properties and stress-strain curve (Fig. 3)

Data logger
Test rig

LVDTs
Circular plate
Strain gauges

Pressure gauge

Control valve

Fig. 2. Overall view of the test rig and instrumentation.

310 K. Imani et al. / Journal of Constructional Steel Research 80 (2013) 308–316

loading condition. Throughout the test, displacements as well as

300000 strains of some points of the plates were monitored. Finally, all out-
comes were examined to evaluate the buckling/failure behavior of
250000 the plates.
200000
Stress (kPa)

3. Experimental observations
150000
3.1. General observations and milestones
100000

50000
It is interesting to note that the deformational behavior of the
present specimens subjected to uniform loading can be divided into
0 the following phases. In the first stage of loading, the bending defor-
0 0.05 0.1 0.15 0.2 0.25 0.3 0.35 0.4 mations were in a quite static manner and could not be detected by
Strain naked eyes. Flexural deflections were gradually formed in the central
part of the specimen with further increasing the pressure. As the deflec-
Fig. 3. Stress-strain curve of the material.
tions were increased, the specimen shrank in both radial and circumfer-
ential directions which led to the compressive stresses to be developed
were obtained from standard tension coupon test conducted on the in the circumferential direction. Notice that nonlinear elastic character-
strips of the steel material used for the specimens. Geometric properties istic (is seen in the load deflection curves) appeared in the specimens in
of the models are shown in Table 1 and Fig. 4(b). the pre-buckling region. Under a certain amount of pressure, onset of
Clamped edge condition was provided for all of the specimens in a buckling occurred and subsequently the first distinct wave/waves of
way that in-plane forces during testing were free to be released. All spec- buckling could be observed. Through further increasing the pressure,
imens were meshed to the parts according to the layout of Fig. 4(a). Geo- nearly non-periodical buckling waves grew near the edge zone of the
metric imperfections were also measured through a method described specimens gradually and in a mild manner to cover the whole circum-
thoroughly in Ref. [12]. ference of the plates so that overall buckling was completed (Fig. 5).
Thus, one can observe that post-buckling potency can be found in a sta-
2.2. Testing process ble manner in all the present specimens.
It should be mentioned that, the transition from the first wave to
After a careful fabrication procedure, developed to achieve high the fully overall buckling was quite gradual as the lobes were devel-
quality specimens, in order to install the specimens over the test rig, oped one after the other or in pairs near the edge zone. In most of
the base brink of the model was placed in the groove of a rigid circular well-fabricated models with small out-of-plane initial imperfections,
rim, which was in turn situated on vertical supports. To keep the the initial buckling was accompanied by the occurrence of all the
brink properly in the groove, it was covered by a grooved rubber waves and led to therefore complete buckling. After the buckling of
and both the groove of rubber and the rim were filled with silicon the plates was fully developed, the loading was kept increasing up
sealant. Following that, by connecting the vacuum pump to the rig to the plastic regime till plastic collapse appeared by folding of the
and installing the measuring probes, test was ready to be performed. yield lines on some buckled areas, ultimately causing local plastic col-
However, it is important to consider that prior to each test and in lapse (Fig. 6).
order for system conditioning, the load was increased up to a certain Take notice that despite extreme care during specimen fabrication,
value (less than 10% of the numerically predicted pressure) and then, due to unavoidable geometric imperfections of the plates, the buckling
the plate was unloaded. This was done so as to confirm the reliability waves appeared with rather different wave lengths and amplitudes
of the whole system. which caused a kind of asymmetric buckled shape. It was observed
Loading was performed in a way in which the air inside the pres- that, with more increasing of the load, the waves were considerably
sure chamber was incrementally expelled. In all stages, all aspects of deepened before the failure stage.
the test were under control. A release valve was employed in order It should be highlighted that yield lines were developed in the
to control the speed of loading and unloading, so that the results plates. In addition, due to the geometric shrinkage of the specimens
could be closely and exhaustively detected. It should be mentioned in radial direction and out-of-plane deformational behavior of the
that loading was increased uniformly and incrementally up to the buckled waves, the edge of the specimen was released from the
first wave formation, then loading was continued to reach the failure rings holding it and accordingly collapse happened with brim local
mode and final plastic collapse. Note that the speed of loading during luxating of the plate specimens (see Fig. 7). It can be stated that for
the tests was always below 3 kPa/minutes in order to keep the static all the specimens buckling occurred circumferentially in a wavy
mode near the boundary zone, while the central region remained al-
most flat and undistorted.
Table 1 In terms of buckling mode, it was seen that for ECC specimen, buck-
Geometric specifications of the test models.
ling waves were developed almost in a non-harmonic form and the
a) Stiffened specimens number of buckling lobes in such specimen was less than that in ECP
Specimen code r (mm) t (mm) ts (mm) rs (mm) hs (mm) and ECS specimens. On the other hand, for ECP specimens which were
thickened with annular plate one can observe nearly symmetric buck-
ECS1 300.0 0.5 0.5 295.0 10.0
ECS2 300.0 0.5 0.5 290.0 10.0 ling waves before the failure rather than other specimens. It was also
ECS3 300.0 0.5 0.5 275.5 10.0 clear that there was a short interval between the initial buckling and
ECS4 300.0 0.5 0.5 260.0 10.0 the failure for ECC specimen and the failure occurred quickly after buck-
ling, whereas for reinforced specimens this interval was quite distin-
b) Plain specimen and thickened specimens
guishable. Thus, one can conclude that strengthening the circular
Specimen code r (mm) t (mm) tth (mm) rth (mm)
plates may lead to stable development of the post-buckling stage in
ECC 300.0 0.5 – – comparison to the plates without reinforcement.
ECP1 300.0 0.5 0.5 40.0 Experimental load-displacement and load-strain curves are illustrat-
ECP2 300.0 0.5 0.5 90.0
ed in Figs. 8 and 9. Since the tested specimens were under “load control”
 K. Imani et al. / Journal of Constructional Steel Research 80 (2013) 308–316 311

hs

ts

t t+t th t

r r

rth rs

Fig. 4. a) Meshing layout of the specimens, b) Geometric parameters of the specimens.

approach, we need to bear in mind that the unstable part of the

equilibrium path could not be traced. Consequently, the uniform
pressure–displacement responses of the specimens do not show
the unstable parts of the equilibrium path.
On the other hand, all the curves show nonlinear elastic behavior
before occurrence of the initial buckling. After the initial buckling, the
load was increased up to occurrence of overall buckling and collapse.
Indeed, the plates were able to carry higher pressure after the com-
mencement of the buckling. In other words, since the post-buckling
response in all the specimens was in a stable manner, the present
structures experienced considerable capacity in the post-buckling
stage. Notice that by comparing ECC specimens with ECP or ECS spec-
imens, the strengthening effect of the reinforcing on the vertical dis-
placement can be obviously seen from Fig. 8.

3.2. Efficiency of reinforcing and deformations

Table 2 shows the buckling pressure of the tested specimens and the
Fig. 5. Wavy mode of the specimen before failure. ratio of the buckling load of the reinforced specimens over the buckling
312 K. Imani et al. / Journal of Constructional Steel Research 80 (2013) 308–316
a b
Fig. 6. Final deformed pattern of (some visible buckled waves): (a) ECS1 and (b) ECS3.
load of the plane specimen (ECC). Table 2 also gives a ratio for weight in-
crease caused by reinforcement for each specimen. These results compar-
atively demonstrate the improvement of the buckling load of different
reinforced specimens and subsequently, the efficiency of edge-zone rein-
forcement of the plates for different cases. For instance, for the specimen
ECP1 and ECP2 the buckling load increases 2.37 and 3.44 times by in-
creasing 24.9% and 51% of the material consumption. Above all, for the
ECS specimens, increasing the material of the specimens ECS1 to ECS4,
only by about 6.6%, 6.4%, 6.1% and 5.8% leads to the buckling capacity to
be increased 1.33, 1.72, 2.15 and 1.46 times. On the other hand, results
of Table 2 show the most optimum location for the circumferentially stiff-
ener which belongs to ECS3 with the highest load capacity. One may re-
call that radial location of the stiffener in this specimen was in 91% of
the radius measured from the center of the plate.
Overall, since the edge area in clamped circular plates under uni-
form loading is a structural weakness, it is necessary for such zone
to be well-strengthened. The reinforcement may be in the form of
an annular ring plate or stiffener depending on the constructional
limitations for different structures. Considering the buckling load of
the present circular plates versus the material weight increase of rein-
forcement (steel consumption), it should be pointed out that if a ring
stiffener is provided in the edge zone of the circular plate, the buckling
load increases far more than the cases thickened by annular plates. In-
deed, the best current advice is to select an optimum place for the
ring stiffener to have a well-strengthened circular plate. Table 3 shows
the ultimate load of the ECS specimens, wave number of buckling for
the stiffener and maximum deflection of the center of the specimens.
It is observed that for ECS3 specimen with highest ultimate load, the
final deflection in the center is minimum. This clearly shows the influ-
ence of the stiffening on the center-point deflection of the present
plate specimens.
It is noteworthy that out-of-plane deformations of ring stiffeners
were detected in the ECS specimens. It is remembered that since the
ring stiffeners provide an effective radial restraint against plate buck-
ling, the edge area can not be deformed rather than the central zone.
As a consequence, rotation of the central area of the plate's wall around
the stiffened area in combination with the circumferential compressive
Fig. 7. Plastic collapse zone of the specimens.
stresses developed by the shrinkage of the stiffened area, cause the ring
stiffener to be tilted, as it is manufactured from thin-walled elements.
Fig. 10 presents a typical tilting behavior of the ring stiffener attached
to the specimens. One may observe that for each case the buckled
wave number of the ring (tilting) is consistent with the circumferential
buckling mode of the plate body nearby.
3.3. Failure mode
As regards deformational mode of the circular plates under uni-
form pressure, the results of this paper are schematically compared
with that pointed out in “Yield Line Theory” for plain circular plates.
Jawad investigated the theoretical phase of unstiffened circular
plates [13]. In fact, it was obtained from this reference that the
yield-lines mode of the circular plates under normal pressure is theo-
retically radial. However, Jawad discussed that this outcome is just
theory of these structures and it is strongly possible to obtain differ-
ent failure modes and subsequently critical loads from the experi-
ments (as detected in the current tests); thus, the experimental
evidences will be dominant and reliable in all cases. In the “Yield
Line Theory” [13], the yield-lines are extended radially over the
whole plate. One may note in passing that this mode is in fact, similar
to the experimental buckling mode of shallow conical shells (sole-fish
buckling mode) discussed in Refs. [11,12], in which the yield-lines
meet each other at the central point of the plate. Whereas in the pres-
ent series of the tests, the yield zones were formed circumferentially
in a sine-waved shape which the deformed zone encompassed almost
1/3 of the radial zone (measured from the edge of the plates) with
generally U shaped and seldom V shaped yield lines. In our sense,
this discrepancy may have been caused by the experimental parame-
ters which, in essence, can be different from the theory such as the
specified boundary conditions.
It is worthwhile to mention that plastic deformations lead to the ini-
tial flat shape of the specimens to change into a curvy deformed shape
(Fig. 11). Consequently, the ultimate post-buckled shape of the circular
plates tends to appear as a dome-shaped deformational mode which is
mostly clear in ECP specimens. Furthermore, in addition to the distinct
 K. Imani et al. / Journal of Constructional Steel Research 80 (2013) 308–316 313

a 14.0
b
35.0
12.0
30.0

10.0 25.0

Load (kPa)
Load (kPa)

8.0 20.0
Center
Center
6.0 15.0
(A+2) 13
A13
4.0 10.0 C13
(B+2) 13
(D+2)13
2.0 D13 5.0

0.0 0.0
0.0 5.0 10.0 15.0 20.0 0.0 5.0 10.0 15.0 20.0
Displacement (mm) Displacement (mm)

c 40.0
d
16.0
35.0 14.0
30.0 12.0
Load (kPa)

25.0 10.0

Load (kPa)
Center
20.0 Center 8.0
(A+2) 1
15.0 (A+2) 13 6.0
C1
C13
10.0 4.0 (D+2) 1
E13
5.0 2.0

0.0 0.0
0.0 5.0 10.0 15.0 20.0 25.0 0.0 2.0 4.0 6.0 8.0 10.0 12.0 14.0 16.0 18.0
Displacement (mm) Displacement (mm)

e 35.0 f
25.00
30.0
20.00
25.0
Load (kPa)

Load (kPa)

20.0 15.00

15.0 Center
Center
10.00
(A+1) 1 (A+1) 1
10.0
(B+3) 1 (B+2) 1
5.00
5.0 D1 (C+4) 1

0.0 0.00
0.0 2.0 4.0 6.0 8.0 10.0 12.0 14.0 16.0 18.0 20.0 0.0 2.0 4.0 6.0 8.0 10.0 12.0 14.0 16.0 18.0
Displacement (mm) Displacement (mm)

Fig. 8. Load-displacement curves obtained from the tests: a) ECC, b) ECP1, c) ECP2, d) ECS1, e) ECS3, f) ECS4. Note: e.g. (C + 3)1 means the measured spot was placed in radial dis-
tance of “C” + 3 cm (measured from the center) and circumferential line of “1”.

buckling waves, some small wrinkles are obviously seen in the defor-
mational zone of the specimens. All these circumferential waves cause
the failure mode to approach a kind of skirt mode of deformation
(Fig. 12).
4. FE modeling
In order to simulate the tested specimens, the well-known FE soft-
ware “ANSYS” was used to verify the experimental results. Non-linear
“Arc-Length-Type” method which is predominantly used in non-linear
structural analyses was taken into account in the present study. In this
set of numerical models, material and geometrical nonlinearities were
both considered. The material properties (as seen in stress-strain curve
of Fig. 3) were obtained from the tension coupon test of the standard
steel strips. This curve was linearized, and then used as the stress–
strain relationship for the material modeling of the FE analyses.
Yield and failure stresses, Young modulus and Poisson's ratio for
the current models were defined as 215 MPa, 310 MPa, 210 GPa
and 0.3 respectively. All models were subjected to uniform pressure.
Measured geometrical imperfections resulted from the fabrication
process of the test specimens were implemented into the numerical
models as each node of the FE model was simulated quite similar to
the equivalent zone of the test specimen considering depression/
projection values of imperfection. Clamped boundary conditions
were modeled for the circular brim of the numerical models. The el-
ement type used in the current FE modeling was “Shell 181.” Time
314 K. Imani et al. / Journal of Constructional Steel Research 80 (2013) 308–316

a 14.0
Table 3
Test results of ECS specimens.

12.0 Specimen label Ultimate load (kPa) Stiffener buckling Max. deflection at the
wave number center (mm)
10.0 ECS1 15.2 12 31.92
ECS2 28.1 13 34.4
Load (kPa)

8.0 ECS3 29.4 9 23.0

ECS4 21.2 7 50.0
6.0
(A+4)1 radial

(C+1)1 circumferential 4.0

curves of the specimens are linear and proportional to the loading.
(C+3)1 radial
2.0 Through further increasing the load, the curves approach buckling
and failure with a mild slope. It is worth mentioning that the numer-
0.0
ical curves follow the corresponding experimental ones with rather
-0.0002 -0.0001 0.0000 0.0001 0.0002 0.0003
overestimation, other than ECC specimen which underestimates at
Strain
the first stages of loading. This can be probably caused by the friction
b 35.0 of the supporting rings of the tested model. Table 4 shows the results
of numerical and experimental buckling load of the present plates by
30.0 comparison in which the numerical predictions rather overestimate
the experimental values. It should be noted that although a great ef-
25.0 fort was made to have accurate models, one can not claim that all fea-
tures of the experiments were simulated and the numerical models
Load (kPa)

20.0
were fully perfect. For example, some non-detected geometric imper-
15.0 fections which can be developed in fabrication and installation pro-
Center cess, residual stresses, boundary nonlinearity (friction, sliding, etc.)
10.0 C1 (radial) and some other test and human related shortcomings were not possi-
(E+0.5)1 (radial) ble to model in the present numerical simulations. Thus, the discrep-
5.0 ancies between the two studies can be due to all these parameters.
(F+0.5)1 (radial)
However, acceptable consistence was obtained comparing the tests
0.0
-0.0005 0.0000 0.0005 0.0010 0.0015 0.0020
with the FE results.
Strain

Fig. 9. Strain values for the specimens, a) ECC, b) ECP1. 6. Conclusion

An experimental approach for investigation of the steel circular

plates with clamped edge was taken into account in this paper. The
increment was defined as Automatic-Time-Stepping, number of specimens were thickened/stiffened, and all were against the uni-
sub-steps was 200, force tolerance convergence value was 0.001 and form pressure which imposed bending on the test specimens. Buck-
displacement tolerance convergence value was 0.001. Circumferential ling and failure behavior of such structures along with the modes of
thickening of the ECP specimens was modeled using thickened sections deformations were examined. In addition, numerical simulations
according to the tested plates. Ring-stiffeners were also attached by were performed using the FE software ANSYS to verify the tests.
sewing method to the desired radial distance of the ECS plates. Consid- The experimental and numerical models showed consistent behav-
ering all these possible features of modeling, it was expected to have ior as it is described:
nearly perfect simulations. At the first stage of loading, the bending deformations were in a
quite static manner. By increasing the pressure, flexural deflections
5. Numerical and experimental results were gradually formed in the central part of the specimens. As the
deflections increased, the specimens shrank in both radial and cir-
Fig. 13 shows the failure pattern of the numerical model of ECS2 in cumferential directions which caused compression stresses to be de-
which the buckling waves were developed circumferentially near the veloped in the circumferential direction. Under a certain amount of
boundary region. Experimental load-deflection curves for the central pressure, onset of buckling occurred and subsequently, the first dis-
point of ECC and ECP specimens along with corresponding FE values tinct waves of buckling were observed. With pressure increasing,
are shown in Fig. 14. In the first stages of loading, load-deflection nearly non-periodical buckling waves grew near the edge zone and
in a mild manner to cover the whole circumference of the plates so
that overall buckling was completed. Thus, one can observe that
post-buckling potency can be found in a stable manner for all the
Table 2
Experimental results.
present specimens.
Some other salient points out of this paper are as follows:
Specimen Experimental Weight increase Experimental buckling
code buckling load (kPa) by reinforcement (%) load/buckling load of
1. Strengthening of the circular plates with clamped brim in the
ECC (kPa)
boundary region appreciably increases the bending capacity of
ECC 9.3 – 1
thin plates.
ECS1 12.4 6.6% 1.33
ECS2 16 6.4% 1.72 2. The most optimum location for the stiffener (ECS specimens) was
ECS3 20 6.1% 2.15 found in 91% of the radial distance measured from the center of the
ECS4 13.6 5.8% 1.46 present plate. In this case, the stiffener had maximum contribution
ECP1 22 24.9% 2.37 of reducing the deflection as well as highest increase of the critical
ECP2 30.5 51% 3.44
load.
 K. Imani et al. / Journal of Constructional Steel Research 80 (2013) 308–316 315

Fig. 10. Tilting of the stiffener.

Fig. 11. Final deformed mode of the specimens: a) ECC, b) ECP1.

3. The post-buckling potency was detected in all the present speci-
mens and the post-buckling response of such structures was in a
stable manner.
4. There was a brief interval between initial buckling and failure for ECC
specimen and the failure occurred quickly after buckling, whereas for
reinforced specimens this interval was quite distinguishable. There-
fore, strengthening can make the post-buckling response more stable.
5. Sine-wave shaped overall deformations were detected circumferentially
near the boundary zone of the plates.
6. Yield-lines in the brim zone of the circular plates were developed
in generally U shaped and seldom V shaped mode. Plastic collapse
appeared by folding of the yield-lines at some buckled areas, and
ultimately by brim local luxating of the plate specimens.
7. For the practical cases without manufacturing limitations of using
the stiffeners, if a ring stiffener is provided in the edge zone of the

Fig. 12. Finial deformed shape of the specimen ECP2. Fig. 13. Failure pattern of the specimen ECS2.
316 K. Imani et al. / Journal of Constructional Steel Research 80 (2013) 308–316

50.00 Table 4
45.00 Experimental and numerical results.

Specimen code Experimental buckling Numerical buckling Difference (%)

40.00
load (kPa) load (kPa)
35.00 ECC 9.3 10.5 13%
ECS1 12.4 14.8 19.4%
Load (kPa)

30.00
ECC ECS2 16 20.5 28.1%
25.00 ECP2 ECS3 20 24 20%
ECP1 ECS4 13.6 16.8 23.5%
20.00 ECP1 22 26 18.2%
ECC (FE)
ECP2 (FE) ECP2 30.5 32 4.9%
15.00
ECP1 (FE)
10.00
References
5.00
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to put across our gratitude to professional technician Mr. Jafar on elastic foundations. London, UK: Taylor & Francis Group; 2006.
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Azimzadeh for his enthusiasm during the experimental program. conical and truncated conical shells under uniform external pressure. M.Sc. Eng
We also appreciate Swanson Analysis Inc. for the use of ANSYS Uni- thesis, Faculty of Civil Engineering, Urmia University, Urmia, Iran; 2006.
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indebted to B.S. Golzan from Sherbrooke University of Canada for
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doing his best regarding this work. & Hall; 1994.