Buckling analysis of hydrostatically loaded conical shells by the collocation method

A collocation method is proposed as an alternative to the conventional methods of solving buckling problems. The method is applied to hitherto unsolved buckling problems. Those are elastically supported conical shells of given geometry subjected to hydrostatic pressure. Five possible elastic supports are assumed and the variations of the critical load due to change of the supports' stiffnesses are determined. The suitability of the collocation method for buckling problems analysis is displayed in its ability to satisfy complicated boundary conditions and range differential equations with continuous derivatives.