Three different assumptions are made for the behaviour of the junction between the cylindrical shell and the end closure. Comparisons of analytical and experimental results show that the inclusion of a ‘rigid’ annular ring beam at the junction of the cylider and the closure best represents the shell behaviour for a ratio of cylinder mean radius to thickness of 3–7, and enables a prediction of an optimum vessel configuration to be made. Experimental verification of this optimum design confirms the predictions. (The special use of the term ‘rigid’ is taken in this context to refer to a ring beam for which deformations of the cross-section are ignored but rigid body motion is permitted.)
