Stresses in Pressurized Cylinders

Cylindrical pressure vessels, hydraulic cylinders, shafts with components

mounted on (gears, pulleys, and bearings), gun barrels, pipes carrying fluids
at high pressure,.. develop tangential, longitudinal, and radial stresses.
Stress element
Wall
thickness

Longitudinal stress

(closed ends)

Tangential
stress
Hoop stress

r
Radial stress

A pressurized cylinder is considered a thin-walled vessel if the wall

thickness is less than one-twentieth of the radius.

t
r < 1/20

Thin-walled pressure vessel

Stresses in a Thin-Walled Pressurized Cylinders

In a thin-walled pressurized cylinder the radial stress is much smaller than
the tangential stress and can be neglected.
Longitudinal stress, l
Longitudinal stress

Fy = 0
(l) /4 [ (do)

(l) [ (di + 2t)

(di) ] = ( p ) /4 (di)
2

Pressure area

(di)2] = ( p ) (di)2
Internal
pressure, p

4t is very small,

(l) (4di t) = ( p ) (di)

p di
l =
2t

p (di + t)
l =
4t

Max. longitudinal stress

Stresses in a Thin-Walled Pressurized Cylinders

Tangential (hoop) stress
Hoop stress

Fx = 0
2() t (length) = ( p ) (di)

p di
=
2t

(length)

Max. Hoop stress

Projected
area

l =

Stresses in a Thick-Walled Pressurized Cylinders

In case of thick-walled pressurized cylinders, the radial stress, r ,
cannot be neglected.
Assumption longitudinal elongation
is constant around the plane of cross
section, there is very little warping of
the cross section,

l = constant

l = length of cylinder

F=0
2()(dr)(l) + r (2rl) (r + dr) [2(r + dr)l] = 0

r + dr

(dr) (dr) is very small compared to

other terms 0

dr
dr

=0

r
dr

(1)

Stresses in a Thick-Walled Pressurized Cylinders

constant

Deformation in the longitudinal direction

l =

r + r

+r

dr

dr
dr

= 2C1

(2)

=0

(1)

Consider,

Subtract equation (1) from (2),

dr

l E

+ r

d (r r 2)
2 dr
=r
+ 2r r
dr
dr

= 2C1

Multiply the above equation by r

2rr + r

dr
dr

d (r r 2)
= 2rC1
dr

= 2rC1

r r 2 = r2C1 + C2
r

= C1 +

C2

r2

= C1

C2

r2

Stresses in a Thick-Walled Pressurized Cylinders

Boundary conditions

r
l

- pi at r = ri

- po at r = ro

pi ri2 - po ro2 ri2 ro2 (po pi) / r2

ro2 - ri2

pi ri2 - po ro2 + ri2 ro2 (po pi) / r2

Hoop stress

Radial stress

ro2 - ri2

pi ri2 - po ro2
ro - ri
2

Longitudinal stress

Stresses in a Thick-Walled Pressurized Cylinders

Special case, po (external pressure) = 0

p i ri 2
ro2 - ri2

(1 +

ro2
r2

Hoop stress distribution,

maximum at the inner surface

p i ri 2
ro - ri
2

(1 -

ro2
r

Radial stress distribution,

maximum at the inner surface

Press and Shrink Fits

Inner member

ds (shaft) > dh (hub)

p (contact pressure) = pressure

at the outer surface of the inner
member or pressure at the inner
surface of the outer member.

Consider the inner member at the interface

Outer member

pi ri2 - po ro2 ri2 ro2 (po pi) / r2

ro2 - ri2

po R2 ri2 R2 p / R2

ir

= po = p

R ri
2

=p

R2 + ri2

po = p
ri = ri
ro = R

R2 ri2

pi = 0

Press and Shrink Fits

po = 0

Consider the outer member at the interface

=p

ri = R
ro = ro

R + ro
2

ro2 R2

or = p
o = increase in the inner radius of the outer member
i = decrease in the outer radius of the inner member
Tangential strain at the inner radius of the outer member

ot =
ot =

o
Eo

o
R

or
Eo

R2 + ro2
Rp
(
o =
+ o )
2
2
Eo
ro R

pi = p

Press and Shrink Fits

Tangential strain at the outer radius of the inner member

it =
it =

i
Ei

ir
Ei

R2 + ri2
Rp
(
i =
+ i )
2
2
Ei
R ri

i
R

Radial interference, = o i
R2 + ro2
Rp
R2 + ri2
Rp
(
=
+ o ) +
(
+ i )
2
2
2
2
Eo
ro R
Ei
R ri
If both members are made of the same material then, E = Eo = Ei and = o = i

p=

E
R

(ro2 R2) (R2 ri2)

2R2 (ro2 - ri2)