M. D.

Xue
D. F. Li
K. C. Hwang
Department of Engineering Mechanics,
Tsinghua University,
Beijing, 100084,
Peoples Republic of China

A Thin Shell Theoretical Solution

for Two Intersecting Cylindrical
Shells Due to External Branch
Pipe Moments
A theoretical solution is presented for cylindrical shells with normally intersecting
nozzles subjected to three kinds of external branch pipe moments. The improved double
trigonometric series solution is used for the particular solution of main shell subjected to
distributed forces, and the modified Morley equation instead of the Donnell shallow shell
equation is used for the homogeneous solution of the shell with cutout. The Goldenveizer
equation instead of Timoshenkos is used for the nozzle with a nonplanar end. The accurate continuity conditions at the intersection curve are adopted instead of approximate
ones. The presented results are in good agreement with those obtained by tests and by 3D
FEM and with WRC Bulletin 297 when d / D is small. The theoretical solution can be
applied to d / D 0.8, = d / DT 8, and d / D t / T 2 successfully.
DOI: 10.1115/1.2042471

Introduction

Cylindrical shells attached with branch pipes shown in Fig. 1

are of common occurrence in the pressure vessel and piping industry. The significant stress concentration due to pressure and
external moments often occurs in the vicinity of the junction. This
topic has attracted many researchers attention due to its importance. Since the 1960s Reidelbach 1, Eringen et al. 2,3, Hansberry et al. 4, and Lekerkerker 5 have obtained the theoretical
solutions of two normally intersecting shells for the diameter ratio
0 = d / D 0.3 based on the Donnels shallow shell equation 6
and on the two suppositions that the intersecting curve, , is a
circle laid on the developed surface of main shell and a plane
circle on the branch pipe, respectively. In order to evaluate the
significant local stresses in a cylindrical shell due to external moments on branch pipe, a thin shell theoretical solution by double
Fourier series was presented by Bijlaard 79 based on Timoshenkos equation 10. The mathematical model adopted by Bijlaard is a cylindrical shell without branch pipe subjected to a
distributed radial forces system in a square region and his solutions are applied by Wichman et al. to WRC Bulletin No. 107
11. Steele et al. 12 presented an approximate analytical solution of two normally intersecting cylindrical shells based on shallow shell theory with the improved mathematical description for
. The design method obtained by Steeles program FAST2 were
presented in WRC Bulletin No. 297 13 for d / D up to approximately 0.5 and includes the effects of nozzle thickness. Moffat
et al. 14,15 obtained numerical solutions on 3-D FEM and experimental results. The applicable limitations of the design
method in BS 806 based on their results are 5 D / T 70 and
d / D t / T 1. Although researchers have spent great efforts to
overcome the significant difficulties on mathematics and analysis
method, the design procedures for branch junctions are still in
need of improvement.
A thin shell theoretical solution 16,17 for a wide applicable
range and with higher accuracy was developed by the authors,
Xue, Hwang and co-workers, supported by China National Standards Committee on Pressure Vessels CNSCPV since the 1990s.
Contributed by the Pressure Vessels and Piping Division of ASME for publication
in the JOURNAL OF PRESSURE VESSEL TECHNOLOGY. Manuscript received: March 16,
2004; final manuscript received: June 5, 2005. Review conducted by: Dennis K.
Williams.

Journal of Pressure Vessel Technology

In the 1990s an analytical solution for two normally intersecting

cylinders subjected to internal pressure are presented by Xue et al.
18,19 and the analytical results are adopted by the Chinese Pressure Vessel Design Code by Analysis JB 4732-95 20. Later in
1999 21 and in 2000 22 a theoretical solution for the tee-joint
subjected to three run pipe moments is presented. As a new
progress of the research by the authors, a theoretical solution for
two intersecting cylindrical shells subjected to external branch
pipe moments is presented in this paper.

Fundamentals of the Present Theoretical Analysis

The applicable range of the theoretical solutions presented by

Xue et al. is expanded up to 0 = d / D 0.8 and 8 and the order
of accuracy is raised to OT / D. In comparison with the other
analytical solutions by previous researchers, the theoretical solution is improved in the following four aspects: 1 the modified
Morleys equation, which can be used up to = d / DT 1 with
the accuracy order OT / R, is adopted instead of Donnells shallow shell equation, which is applicable to 1 with the accuracy
order OT / R; 2 five coordinate systems in three different
spaces, i.e., cylindrical surfaces of main shell and branch pipe as
two-dimensional spaces, respectively, and three-dimensional
space, and the accurate geometric description of the intersecting
curve in the five coordinate systems are used instead of previous
approximate expressions, which cause significant error when
d / D 0.3; 3 the accurate continuity conditions for forces, moments, displacements, and rotations at the intersection curve of the
two cylinders are adopted instead of approximate continuity conditions; 4 the great mathematical difficulties caused by the accurate but very complicated formulations are overcome.
Because the intersection curve, , of two cylinders with large
diameter ratio is a complicated space curve, the five coordinate
systems shown in Fig. 1 are used in this paper. That is, the Cartesian and cylindrical coordinates, x , y , z and , , z, are taken
as the global systems in 3D space. Besides, the Cartesian and
polar coordinate systems, , and , , on the developed surface of the mean shell and the Cartesian coordinates, , on the
developed surface of the branch pipe are taken as Gaussian coordinates, which are curvilinear coordinates in both the 2D curved
surfaces being subspaces of 3D space, respectively. A cantilever
cylindrical shell attached with branch pipe subjected to three
kinds of moments, M xb, M yb, and M zb, shown in Fig. 1 is a basic

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for Case 4:
for Cases 2,3:

T = 0,
u = 0,

u = 0,
S* = 0,

un = 0,
Q* = 0,

M = 0

= 0

1a
1b

Suppose that a tee-junction is separated at into two parts: a

main shell with cutout, on which is applied a distributed boundary
force system in equilibrium with the three kinds of moments, and
a semi-infinite long circle pipe with a nonplanar curved end subjected to three kinds of moments. All the general solutions for the
two parts are decomposed into two problems: 1 a particular solution, which is in equilibrium with the branch pipe moment but
does not satisfy the boundary conditions at ; 2 general solution
of the homogeneous equation of cylindrical shell. Each of the
sums of the two problems with some integral constants becomes
the general solution of each part and the unknown constants could
be determined by the continuity conditions at .

Fig. 1 Calculated model and five coordinate systems

mathematical model a for designers. Each of the basic models,

category a, for three load cases can be decomposed into two
categories: the category b, i.e., the main shell on two end supports under branch pipe moment, and the category c, i.e., the
main shell subjected to a pair of moments on two ends. As an
example, the decomposition of the category a for load case M xb
into categories b and c is shown in Figs. 2a2c. Our attention is focused on the solutions of category b for three loading
cases, because the solutions of category c have been given in
21,22. Then the solutions of the basic model for the three loading cases are given by superposing category b on category c.
In order to obtain the solutions of category b the three types of
symmetry or antisymmetry with respect to = 0 or = 0, = 0
and = / 2 or = 0, = / 2 are considered when the solutions
are expanded in Fourier series and shown in Table 1, where the
case numbers are the same as Lekerkerkers 5. The case 1 is the
symmetric case with respect to both = 0 and = / 2, such as the
internal pressure case.
In terms of the symmetry for case 4 or antisymmetry for case
2 and 3 about = 0, the boundary conditions at the two supported
ends of the main shell, = ll = L / R 1, are

3 The General Solution for Cylindrical Shell With

Cut-Out
3.1 A Particular Solution in Equilibrium With Branch
Pipe Moment. A thin shell theoretical solution for a main shell on
end supports under a force system qz for bending cases M xb and
M yb or qy for torsion cases M zb linearly distributed over a
square region defined by c / R, c / R c = R0 / 2 in the
developed surface is taken as a particular solution. The vertical
force system, qz, instead of radial force system, qn, used by Bijlaard 79, is statically equivalent to M xb for case 4 or M yb for
case 3 and the horizontal force system, qy, is statically equivalent
to M zb for case 2. In Bijlaard 9 a simply supported cylindrical
shell is subjected to distributed linearly radial force system, qn,
whose resultants include not only moment, M xb or M yb, but also
force, Fyb. Therefore, in order to raise accuracy of the solutions in
the present paper the shell is subjected to vertical force system, qz,
instead of radial force system, qn, because the latter may cause a
significant error when the diameter ratio d / D is not small. As an
example, the mathematical model of the particular solution for the
load case M xb is given in Fig. 3. The particular solutions satisfy
the Timoshenko equations 23 in coordinates , for the shell
subjected to three kinds of distributed loads and boundary conditions 1a and 1b, respectively.
In view of the deformation field symmetric or antisymmetric

Fig. 2 Mxb load case is decomposed into two categories b and c: a the basic model; b
simply supported main shell under branch pipe moment Mxb; and c main shell subjected to
torsion moment Mxb / 2.
Table 1 Three types of symmetry and trigonometric functions n = 2n 1 / 2l ; = + L / R

358 / Vol. 127, NOVEMBER 2005

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Table 2

ej , N in three cases j = 1 , 2 , 3 , 4

q =

qn =

qy cos

for case 2

4a

qz sin for cases 3,4

qy sin for case 2
qz cos for cases 3,4

4b

For the three cases

qz = qN, for N = 3,4 or qy = q2, for case 2
q N , =

qN 0/2, 0/2
0

0/2,or 0/2

N = 2,3,4
6

where
Fig. 3 The analyzed models of the particular solution in the
load case Mxb. a The distributed force system qz equivalent to
Mxb; b the distributed force qn used by Bijlaard; c the area
on the developed surface of the main shell where is applied the
distributed forces.

q 2 =

3 M zb
0r 3

q 3 =
with respect to the plane = 0 and = 0 , , shown in Table 1 for
the three different cases, respectively, the Timoshenko equations
with boundary conditions 1a and 1b at = L / R can be solved
by expanding the displacements and external loads in double Fourier series as follows:
2a

q = 0,

q =

2 2
3
mnGN mGN n

2b

m=0 n=1

qn =

3 1
3
mnGN mGN n

2c

q4 = 2 M xb/4 sin

UmnGN1mGN4n,

3a

m=0 n=1

u =

2
3
mnGN mGN n

3b

m=0 n=1

un =

WmnGN1mGN3n

3c

m=0 n=1

where
n =

2n 1R
;
2L

n = 1,2, . . . ;

= x + L / R; Gi
N i = 2 , 3 , 4 are shown in Table 1. In
2a2c q and qn are the tangential and radial components
and qy, respectively, where

Journal of Pressure Vessel Technology

Eqs.
of qz

3 M yb
0r 3

7b

2 2 cos 2

rR2

7c

By using Eqs. 47 the coefficients in Fourier series 2b and

2c are obtained. Substituting Eqs. 2a2c and 3a3c into
Timoshenko equations, the coefficients of the displacements in
Eqs. 3a3c are solved.
The particular solution for resultant forces and moments in the
main shell are obtained from displacements by means of geometric and elastic relations 21. The general displacements and
forces at the closed curve, , can be expressed by substituting the
values of , into Eqs. 3a3c and related expressions of
forces and moments.

m=0 n=1

u =

7a

= 0 cos ,

8a

= sin10 sin

8b

Therefore, they are in equilibrium with M xb, M yb, or M zb, and

satisfy all the basic equations and the boundary conditions at the
two ends of cylindrical shell, Eqs. 1a and 1b, respectively, and
so could be regarded as a particular solution of the boundary
forces and displacements at the cutout of the main shell.
3.2 The Homogenous Solution for the Main Shell. The general solution of homogeneous equations for a cylindrical shell
subjected to any boundary conditions but no external load acting
on the surface are obtained by solving the modified Morley equation by Zhang et al. 24 which is applicable up to r / RT 1. The
radial displacement, un, and the Airy stress function, , satisfy

2 +

+ 2i
2

2 +

2i
=0
2

Here, 42 = 121 21/2R / T and = un + i42 / ETR. The

solution of Eq. 9 is
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Fig. 4 Distribution of k along the line = 0 deg on the outer surface of Model
ORNL-1 subjected to Myb

= 21 i21/2 ,

k=e4,N n=e1,N

CnFknGN1m

10

where m = 2k + e2 , N and the unknown complex constants Cn

consist of two parts
Cn = Cn1 + iCn2

11

GN m are triangular functions dependent on Case number N

shown in Table 1 and
Fkn = 1k1 2 m0Jmn i
1

+ e3,NJmn iHn2

where

12

mn =
2

0, m n
1, m = n

Jn and Hn are the first kind of Bessel function and the second
kind of Hankel function, respectively. The values of ej , Nj
= 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 are shown in Table 2.
The components of forces, moments, displacements, and rotations in the main shell are all expressed through the partial derivatives of with respect to and , see Xue et al. 16,18,21. The
boundary general displacements and forces with unknowns Cn1
and Cn2 at are obtained by substituting the value of , into
Eq. 10,

Fig. 5 Maximum principal stress ratios around the junction of ORNL-1 subjected to Myb

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Fig. 6 Distribution of k along the line = 90 deg on the outer surface of Model
ORNL-1 subjected to Mxb

= 20 cos2 + sin10 sin 21/2

13a

= sin1sin10 sin /

13b

The general solution obtained by superposing the particular solution on the homogeneous solution, satisfies all the basic equations of cylindrical shell and any prescribed boundary conditions
and the resultant forces in the main shell corresponding to the
general solution are in equilibrium with the branch pipe moment.

The boundary displacement and force vectors, F and u, at can

be decomposed in global coordinates , , z as follows: i , it , in
being triad at , see Xue et al. 22
F = T i + S i t Q i n = F i + F i + F zi z

14a

u = u i + u i + u ni n = u i + u i + u zi z

14b

All the boundary forces and displacements are periodic functions

Fig. 7 Maximum principal stress ratios around the junction of ORNL-1 subjected to Mxb

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Fig. 8 Distribution of k along the line = 60 deg on the outer surface of Model
ORNL-1 subjected to Mzb

of with parameter 0, so that it can be expanded in Fourier series

of and truncated at k = Km = 2K + e2 , N and n = 2K + e2 , N.
The Fourier coefficients, which involve complicated and oscillatory integrands, are calculated by Filon numerical integration algorithm referred to in 25.

4 The Solution for a Semi-Infinite Long Circle Pipe

With a Non-Planar End Subjected to Three Kinds of
Moments
The membrane solution is adopted as a particular one for the
branch pipe in the three loading cases, which is given in 26.

The homogeneous solution for the nozzle is obtained by solving

the Goldenveizer equation 27 in terms of the displacement function
8 + 4t4
+

4
6
6
6
4
2
+
8

+
8
+
2
+
4
4
4 2
2 4
6
2 2

4
=0
4

15

where

Fig. 9 Maximum principal stress ratios around the junction of ORNL-1 subjected to Mzb

362 / Vol. 127, NOVEMBER 2005

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Fig. 10 Distribution of stress ratios along the line = 0 deg of the model d / D
= 0.8 subjected to Myb. a On the outer surface; b on the inner surface.

2 =

2
2
+
,
2 2

t = 31 2r2/t21/4

16

In the three cases, can be expanded in Fourier series as follows:

k=e4,N l=1

1
klgklGN m,

m = 2k + e2,N 17

Due to the infinite boundary conditions when , the four

items of gkll = 1 , 2 , . . . , 8 will vanish. There remain only the
other four items. The expressions of gkl are shown in 21,22.
The homogeneous solutions of displacements, resultant forces are
expressed in terms of i+j / i j see 21.
At the intersecting curve , where
Journal of Pressure Vessel Technology

= 1 20 sin2 1/2 1/0 = 0,

18

the general boundary displacement and force vectors, ut, Ft

t
t
rotation , and moment M can be obtained easily.
ut = utit + uttitt + untint = uti + uti + uztiz

19

Ft = Ftit + Fttitt + Fntint = Fti + Fti + Fztiz

20

They are expanded in Fourier series of with unknowns Dkll

= 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 and truncated at k = K.
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Fig. 11 Distribution of stress ratios along the line = 90 deg of the model
d / D = 0.8 subjected to Mxb. a On the outer surface; b on the inner surface.

The Continuity Conditions at the Intersecting Curve

The unknowns in the general solutions for both main shell and
nozzle are determined by the continuity conditions at their intersecting curve, , as follows:
F = Ft,
u = ut,

F = Ft,
u = ut,

Fz = Fzt,
uz = uzt,

M = M t

= t

21
22

The continuity conditions 21 and 22 for each harmonic Fourier

coefficient should be satisfied, so that the unknowns Cni in Eqs.
10 and 11 and Dkl in Eq. 17 can be solved. For case 3, the
condition of uniqueness of displacements should be considered.
The numbers of unknowns and equations for each case are discussed in a separate paper 26.
364 / Vol. 127, NOVEMBER 2005

Verification of the Present Theoretical Solution

6.1 Comparison with the Test and the Numerical Results

for Model ORNL-1 (d / D = t / T = 0.5, D / T = 100). The present theoretical solution is verified by the test results 28 for the ORNL-1
model, which is a good-quality steel model. The strain gauges on
the branch pipe are arranged in several lines running along the
nozzle axially and on the main shell, in several lines, which are
perpendicular to the junction curve on the developed surface of
the shell. In each loading case the longitudinal and transverse
stresses, which are normal stresses parallel and perpendicular, respectively, to the gauge lines, are given in 28. In Figs. 411 the
above mentioned stresses are divided by normal membrane stress
0 0 = M yb / r2t for case 3, 0 = M xb / r2t for case 4, and 0
= M zb / 2r2t for Case 2, respectively and defined as dimensionless longitudinal stress, k, and transverse stress, kt.
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Fig. 12 The comparison of dimensionless resultant forces and moments in

the main shell with WRCB 297 due to Myb. a d / t = 30, t / T = 1, due to Myb; b
d / t = 100, t / T = 1, due to Myb.

The results obtained by the present solution and by 3D FEM

the calculated FEM model by software ANSYS has 206,353
nodes and four layers of 20-nodal elements through the thickness
in close vicinity to the junction are shown in Figs. 49 as well.
The comparison shows that the present theoretical results are in
very good agreement with those by test and by FEM for both
loading cases of in-plane M yb and out-of-plane M xb bending
moments, see Figs. 47. Figures 8 and 9 show that the present
results are somewhat different from the test results, as are numerical results given in 28, but in good agreement with those by 3D
FEM.
6.2 Comparison between Theoretical and Numerical Results for a Model With Large Diameter Ratio d / D = t / T = 0.8,
D / T = 100. A 3D finite element model with parameters d / D = 0.8,
t / T = 2, and D / T = 100 = d / DT = 8 is calculated by software
Journal of Pressure Vessel Technology

to verify the applicable range for the presented theoretical

solution. The model has 41,450 20-nodal elements and 622,722
freedom degrees. The results given by the two methods for loading cases of either in-plane or out-of-plane bending moment are in
good agreement as shown in Figs. 11 and 12.

ANSYS

6.3 Comparison of Resultant Forces and Bending Moments With WRC Bulletin 297. The methods shown in WRC
Bulletin 297 12 based on analytical solution given by Steele
et al. 11 are currently used in pressure vessel industry within the
limits of d / D 0.5 and = d / DT 5. Figures 12 and 13 show
that the results obtained by the presented method are in agreement
with those given by WRC Bulletin 297 when d / D is small.
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Fig. 13 The comparison of dimensionless resultant forces and moments in

the main shell with WRCB 297 due to Mxb. a d / t = 30, t / T = 1, due to Mxb; b
d / t = 100, t / T = 1, due to Mxb.

7 The Maximum Stress Concentration Factors in the

Main Shells for the Three Branch Moment Loading
Cases
The maximum stress concentration factors Kyb, Kxb, and Kzb in
the main shell are dependent on the three parameters: 0
= d / D , = d / DT or D / T and t / T. Here, Kyb, Kxb, and Kzb are
the maximum stress intensities divided by the normal stress 0 or
0, which is defined as

0 =

M yb R t
r 2t T r

for in-plane bending moment and

366 / Vol. 127, NOVEMBER 2005

0 =

M xb R t
r 2t T r

for out-of-plane bending moment, respectively, and normal shear

stress 0 is defined as 0 = M zb / 2r2t for torsion moment. As an
example, three sets of curves, Kyb, Kxb, and Kzb versus and t / T
when 0 = 0.7 and up to 8, are given in Figs. 14a14c, respectively. The maximum stress intensities are obtained for the
loading case, M yb, at = 0 deg, for M xb case, at = 90 deg, and for
M zb, at 60 deg, respectively. The curves, Kyb, Kxb, and Kzb
versus and t / T when 0 = 0.8 are shown in 26.

Conclusion

A thin shell theoretical solution of two normally intersecting

cylindrical shells subjected to three kinds of branch pipe moments
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when d / D is small. The present theoretical method can be applicable up to d / D 0.8, = d / DT 8, and d / D t / T 2 successfully.

Nomenclature
Cn complex constants in the homogenous solution
for the main shell
d , D diameters of the branch pipe and main shell,
respectively
Dkl real constants in the homogenous solution for
the branch pipe
E , Youngs modulus and Poisson ratio,
respectively
F boundary force vector at the intersecting curve
1
2
GN , GN trigonometric functions shown in Table 1
i unit vector
k , kt , kmax dimensionless longitudinal, transverse, and
maximum principal stresses, respectively
Kxb , Kyb , Kzb dimensionless maximum stress intensities for
load cases M xb, M yb, and M zb, respectively
2L length of the main shell
M xb , M yb , M zb three load cases: external branch pipe moments
M component of moment in the Cartesian coordinates of the main shell
N load case number shown in Table 1
Q* , S* boundary effective transverse and in-surface
shear forces, respectively
r , R radii of the branch pipe and main shell,
respectively
t , T thicknesses of the branch pipe and main shell,
respectively
T resultant force in the Cartesian coordinates of
the main shell
u boundary displacement vector at the intersecting curve
u , u , un component of displacement of the main shell
x , y , z global Cartesian coordinates in 3D space
, polar coordinates on the developed surface of
the main shell
rotation component of normal to the middle
surface of shell
, Cartesian coordinates on the developed surface
of the branch pipe
, , z global cylindrical coordinates in 3D space
0 = d / D diameter ratio
, Cartesian coordinates on the developed surface
of the main shell
displacement function for the branch pipe
complex-valued displacement-stress function
for the main shell
Subscripts

Fig. 14 The stress concentration factors versus and t / T

0 = 0.7. a Kyb for in-plane bending moment Myb; b Kxb for
out-of-plane bending moment Mxb; c Kzb for torsion moment
Mzb.

is presented. The results by the present method are in very good

agreement with those obtained by test and by FEM. The present
analytical results are in good agreement with WRC Bulletin 297
Journal of Pressure Vessel Technology

n components in the normal direction to the

middle surface of the main shell
, components in the , coordinate system for
the main shell
, , z components in the 3D cylindrical coordinate
system, coincident with the normal, circular,
and longitudinal directions, respectively, of the
branch pipe
, t components in the normal and tangent directions to , respectively
value at the intersecting curve
, components in the , coordinate system for
the main shell
N = 1 , 2 , 3 denote different cases
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Superscripts
t for the branch pipe
for the particular solutions

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