ME2112 (Part 1) Chap 2 - 1 ME2112 (Part 1) Chap 2 - 2

Thin-Walled Pressure Vessels

READING QUIZ
• A thin-walled vessel is one in which the distribution of stress is
1) Which of the following statement is incorrect? essentially constant through the thickness, whereas in thick-walled
vessels, the normal stress varies over the wall thickness.
a) The principal stresses represent the maximum and minimum normal • If the ratio of wall thickness t to inner radius r is less than about 1/10
stress at the point. (or r/t ≥ 10), the vessel is classified as thin-walled. In fact, in thin-
walled vessels, there is often no distinction made between the inside
b) When the state of stress is represented by the principal stresses, no and outside radii because they are nearly equal.
shear stress will act on the element.

c) When the state of stress is represented in terms of the maximum in-

plane shear stress, no normal stress will act on the element.

d) For the state of stress at a point, the maximum in-plane shear stress
usually associated with the average normal stress.

ME2112 (Part 1) Chap 2 - 3 ME2112 (Part 1) Chap 2 - 4

Cylindrical Pressure Vessels • By passing a section through the vessel perpendicular to its axis, a
FBD is obtained.
• Consider a cylindrical pressure vessel
with radius r and wall thickness t F h 0  p r 2  2rt a  0
subjected to an internal gage pressure p.
pr a
a  (2.12)
F 2t

v 0 

sin d  cos  0  2  a: axial stress
0

  2 t tL   pr ( d ) L(sin  )  0
0 F h  0 ( ro2  ri 2 ) a  pri 2  0
pr ( ro  ri )( ro  ri ) a  pri 2  0
 2 t tL  2rLp  0   t  (2.11)
t ( ro  ri )t a  pri 2  0 ro
ri
pri 2
 t : tangential stress a 
t ( ro  ri )t
t
 t  0.1ri ro  ri  ro  ri  2ri
t t pr pr ( r  ri )
a  i 
(c)
2t 2t
ME2112 (Part 1) Chap 2 - 5 ME2112 (Part 1) Chap 2 - 6

Thin-Walled Spherical Vessel Principal Stresses in Pressure Vessels

• Pressure p acts over entire inside surface of • Principal Stress in Spherical Pressure Vessels
t
hemisphere but only a projection of Consider a spherical thin-walled ( r  t ) pressure vessel subjected to internal
hemisphere on a vertical plane is shown. pressure p. The tangential stress of spherical pressure vessel is give by
Why? t
r pr State of stress on element C
• For equilibrium, we have t   
2t pr
2
F t t
h  0  t 2 rt  p r 2  0 pr
2t
pr C t p
t    (2.13)
2t p r 0
pr
pr 2t
2t

pr
1   2 
C  2t For all points,
 not just C
pr
p  3  0,  p 
2t

ME2112 (Part 1) Chap 2 - 7 ME2112 (Part 1) Chap 2 - 8

• Principal Stress in Cylindrical Pressure Vessels Maximum Shear Stress in Vessels

Consider a long cylindrical thin-walled (r  t ) pressure vessel subjected to Radial stress  r varies from  r   p at inner surface of shell to  r  0 at
internal pressure p. The tangential and axial stresses of cylindrical pressure outer surface. For thin-walled shells,  r is much smaller than  t and  a
vessel are give by is generally omitted.
pr pr
t  , a  For cylindrical vessels, the principal stress are  t ,  a   t / 2 and 0.
t 2t State of stress on element C
Mohr’s circle of the biaxial state of stress is shown in the Fig. (b).
pr
1 pr
t p ( max ) a  ( t  0)  (2.14a)
t 2 2t
C r
p
pr pr For spherical vessels, the principal stress  t   a   and 0.
2t 2t
L 1 pr
( max )a  (  0)  (2.14b)
0 pr 2 4t
r-t plane
t t

C a pr pr r
C
p 1  , 2  a
2t t For all points,
 not just C
pr
 3  0,  p 
p t 2t a-r plane a-t plane
 ME2112 (Part 1) Chap 2 - 9 ME2112 (Part 1) Chap 2 - 10

Vessels for pressurized storage such as oil refinery tanks and gas tanks etc.
Example 2.4
A hollow pressurized sphere having
radius R = 150 mm and wall
thickness t = 13 mm is lowered in
a lake. The compressed air in the
tank is at a pressure of 140 kPa
(gauge pressure when the tank is
out of the water).
At what depth D0, will the wall of
the tank be subjected to a
compressive stress of 700 kPa?

ME2112 (Part 1) Chap 2 - 11 ME2112 (Part 1) Chap 2 - 12

Solution. Characteristic parameter t/R = 13mm/150mm = 0.087

Discussion 1: What can we learn from this example?
(a) In air, pi = 140 kPa, pe = 0
Fuselage of aircraft
Under water, pi is maintained, pe increases
R
 1   2    ( pi  pe ) , pe  D0
2t
  9.81 kN/m3 (weight density of water)
r
Tangential stress:  t  ( pi  pe )
For compressive stress of 700 kPa t

( pi  D0 )
R
 700 kPa On ground: pi  pe
2t r
Substitute numerical values: High in sky: pi is maintained,
150  103 pe decreases
(140  103  9.81  103 D0 )
2  13  103
 700  103  D0 = 26.64 m
ME2112 (Part 1) Chap 2 - 13 ME2112 (Part 1) Chap 2 - 14

t Example 2.5 A closed-end cylindrical tank is constructed with a helical

Discussion 2: weld that makes an angle   500 about the longitudinal axis and supported
by two cradles as shown in the Fig. (a). The vessel has inner radius r  2 m,
The maximum tangential stress in the
wall thickness t  10 mm, and is subjected to an internal pressure of
wall of the tank (with an open top) due
p  500 kPa. Find (a) The tangential and axial stresses. (b) The normal and
to water pressure occurs
shear stresses acting perpendicular and parallel to the weld, respectively.
(A) at top of the standpipe
(B) at the middle of the standpipe
(C) at the base of the standpipe
The axial stress in the wall of the tank  y  xy
due to the water pressure is
 x
(A) > 0
t
(B) = 0
(C) < 0
a

ME2112 (Part 1) Chap 2 - 15 ME2112 (Part 1) Chap 2 - 16

Solution: (a) The tangential and longitudinal stresses are given by So, a counterclockwise angle of 2  80 on the circle locates point B corresponding
0

Eqs. (2.11) and (2.12). to the stresses on the x face. The average normal stress and radius of circle are
1 1
pr 500(103 )( 2)   avg  (100  50)  75 MPa, R  (100  50)  25 MPa
t    100 MPa,  a  t  50 MPa 2 2
t 0.01 2
The coordinates of point B are then
The stresses are indicated in Fig. (b). Hence, tensile stress:
 x   avg  R cos 2  75  25 cos 800  70.7 MPa  x  70.7 MPa
(b) An element oriented at   900  500  400 has its sides parallel and  xy  R sin 2  25 sin 800  24.6 MPa Shear stress:
perpendicular to the weld as shown in Fig. (c). Observing that there are  xy  24.6 MPa
Similarly,  y   avg  R cos 2  75  25 cos 80  79.3 MPa
0
both tangential and axial stresses, we draw Mohr’s circle as shown in
the Fig. (d). Normal stress in y’ axis

A
B
y

t
a 800

y A1 D E
x
B1
500 400
x x
(d)
ME2112 (Part 1) Chap 2 - 17 ME2112 (Part 1) Chap 2 - 18

Transformation of Plane Strain • Components of Strain (2D)

Partial derivative notation is used since u or v
• Normal Strain is a function of x and y u
(u  dx )  u
 x u B

C
x  
(2.15) u v x
L x  , y  (2.17a) dx
v
x y ( v  dy )  v A D
 : elongation, L: original length y 
y

v
v u y
Displacement A  A : u, B  B : u  u  xy   (2.17b)
dy
x y v
dx
u
dy
 y
u du  xy  x 
  lim  In 2D strain or plane strain, the dx dy
x 0 x dx following condition is satisfied v u
 
• Shear Strain x y
 z   xz   yz  0
 
 nt  tan     
2  whereas in plane strains
 x ,  y ,  xy are
Tangent of the total change in angle usually non-zero.
occurring between two originally
perpendicular lines (n and t).  nt is small, Deformations of an
hence element in plane strain

 nt     (2.16)
2

ME2112 (Part 1) Chap 2 - 19 ME2112 (Part 1) Chap 2 - 20

The three strain components referred to x - y  axes which are at an angle  Principal Strains and Max. Shear Strain (Refer to Appendix A):
to x-y axes: There will be a plane in the element which does not experience any shear
x  y x  y  xy strains, i.e.  xy  0
 x   cos 2  sin 2 (2.18)  xy  ( x   y ) sin 2   xy cos 2  0
2 2 2
x  y x  y  xy  xy 1  xy
 y   cos 2  sin 2 (2.19)  tan 2 p  or  p  tan 1
2 2 2 x  y 2 x  y
 xy x  y  xy Substituting  p into Eqs. (2.18) and (2.19), we obtain
 sin 2  cos 2 (2.20)
2 2 2
2 2
x  y     y    xy  (2.21a)
Eqs. (2.18) to (2.20) are known as the strain transformation equations 1    x    
(Refer to Appendix A). 2  2   2 
y
 y 2 2
y y x  y     y    xy 
2    x     (2.21b)
x 2  2   2 
Note that angle  is measured  xy  x
counter-clockwise to the x axis  xy The max. shear strains are found on plane 450 relative to the principal planes:
 x 2 2
  x   y    xy 
x
 max  2      (2.21c)
 2   2 
 ME2112 (Part 1) Chap 2 - 21 ME2112 (Part 1) Chap 2 - 22

• Mohr’s Circle for Plane Strain Mohr’s circle of stress: x –axis represents normal stress 
y–axis represents shear stress 
x y x  y (2.1)
 x   cos 2   xy sin 2
2 2 Mohr’s circle of strain: x –axis represents normal strain 
x y x  y y –axis represents half shear stain  / 2
Plane Stresses  y   cos 2   xy sin 2 (2.2)
2 2 Mohr’s circle of stress: 2
 y   y 
 xy  
x  y
sin 2   xy cos 2 (2.3) Center at  x ,0  R   x    xy
2

2  2   2 
Mohr’s circle of strain: 2 2
x  y x  y  xy (2.18) Center at   x   y      y    xy 
 x   cos 2  sin 2  ,0  R   x    
2 2 2  2   2   2 
x  y x  y  xy
Plane Strains  y   cos 2  sin 2 (2.19) Mohr’s Circle of Strain
2 2 2 Sign convention for Mohr’s strain
 xy x  y  xy (2.20) circle similar to Mohr’s stress circle
 sin 2  cos 2
2 2 2 Normal strain plotted along x-axis
elongation  +ve strain (on +ve side
Re-examining Eqs. (2.18), (2.19) & (2.20) and compare with Eqs. (2.1), (2.2) & (2.3) for of x-axis)
 x ,  y &  xy . The equations are similar in form. Hence a Mohr’s circle of strain can also
contraction  -ve strain (on –ve side
be constructed.
of x-axis)

ME2112 (Part 1) Chap 2 - 23 ME2112 (Part 1) Chap 2 - 24


Given the strain state  x ,  y ,  xy
Compressive strain on -ve side 2 Tensile strain on +ve side
the corresponding Mohr’s strain circle can be plotted.
The convention for constructing and reading A
shear strain values from Mohr’s strain circle 2  x 1
is similar to that used for shear stress in y
2
    y    xy 
2

C 2 p  R   x    
Mohr’s stress circle. y  2   2 
 y y
B
B
Shear strain: Positive shear stress results in positive shear strain  xy
i.e. A positive shear strain corresponds to a clockwise shear stress couple. x
 xy  x
A negative shear strain corresponds to anti-clockwise shear stress couple.
 A
x
y

 xy

Hence the strain components  x ,  y and  xy at any orientation 

x can be determined.
+ve Shear stresses +ve Shear strains
 ME2112 (Part 1) Chap 2 - 25 ME2112 (Part 1) Chap 2 - 26

Example 2.6 The strain components at a point in a machine member are 

given by  x  900 ,  y  100 ,  xy  600 . Using Mohr’s circle, 2 Max. shearing strain
 y  100
determine the principal strains and the maximum shearing strains. y
B(-100,300)
Solution: R  583 B
 y  100 x
y C  xy   x  900
Center of circle: 2  y 0 2 p 1 
B
600  A

x  y 900  ( 100)  xy   x  900 A(900,-300) x

 avg    400  600
2 2 A
400
x

Radius of circle: On plane A,  x  900  ,on plane A the shear

direction is anticlockwise, hence it is indicated
From the Mohr’s circle as a –ve shear stress on the Mohr’s circle
 x  y 
2
  xy 
2 2 2 1  983 ,  2  183   xy / 2  600 / 2  300
 900  100   600 
R             583 
 2   2   2   2  Maximum shearing strain On plane B,  y  100  , on plane B the shear
direction is clockwise, hence it is indicated as a
 max  1166 +ve shear stress on the Mohr’s circle
clockwise shear on plane B,  xy / 2  600 / 2  300 

ME2112 (Part 1) Chap 2 - 27 ME2112 (Part 1) Chap 2 - 28

Measurement of Strain and Strain Rosette Appendix A: Transformation of Plane Strain

State of strain and principal strains can be obtained similar to the state of stress
and principal stress equations. Consider the displacement of corners A and D of a
linearly deformed and distorted element with dimension dx & dy, of unit thickness.
The x and y displacements of A are u & v. Displacement of C are u  du, v  dv
u u v v
du  dx  dy , dv  dx  dy (a)
x y x y C’

 dv
 is small  cos   1, sin   tan    
(a) E du
Normal Strains:
The components of strains in the xy  coordinate making angle  with xy axis
are  x ,  y ,  xy
EC  cos   EC   du cos   dv sin  (b)
Strain gage. A typical strain gage
consists of a grid of fine wire or foil Normal strain  x  EC  / ds
filament cemented between two (b)
sheets of treated paper foil or plastic Rosette strain gages: (a) rectangular rosette;
backing. where ds is the initial length of diagonal AC.
(b) Delta rosette.
 ME2112 (Part 1) Chap 2 - 29 ME2112 (Part 1) Chap 2 - 30

Applying Eqs. (a), (b) and (2.17), replacing dx/ds by cos  and dy/ds by sin  , Shear Strains: y y Rotation is measured
counterclockwise from
we have
du cos   dv sin  du dv u v Consider the shear strain  xy , as the total decrease in 
the x-axis and defined as

 x   cos   sin  x  , y  positive (i.e. clockwise is

x y the angle between two lines x and y  that were at right –ve) x
ds ds ds
v u angle. Hence  xy      x  EC  / ds 
u dx u dy v dx v dy  xy   
 cos   cos   sin   sin  x y tan   EC / ds where EC  dv cos   du sin   EC  sin  x
x ds y ds x ds y ds A
du 
u u
dx  dy
u u x y
u v v 2 du 

dx  dy
y
However, EC  sin    xds  0 , dealing small strain and small angle. v v
  x cos   sin  cos   sin  cos   sin 
2 x dv  dx  dy
x y
y x y v v EC dv cos   du sin  v dx v dy u dx u dy
dv  dx  dy    cos   cos   sin   sin 
x y x ds y ds x ds y ds
  x cos2    y sin 2    xy sin cos  ds ds
v u C’ C’
 cos2    y sin  cos    x sin  cos   sin 2  EC  sin 
Use relations: cos 2  cos   sin   2 cos   1  1  2 sin  , sin 2  2 sin  cos 
2 2 2 2
x y dv
x  y x  y  xy v u
 ( x   y ) sin  cos   cos2   sin 2 
E 
 
 x   cos 2  sin 2 (2.18) x y C du
E
2 2 2
Introducing    / 2 for  into previous equation
The normal strain in the y  direction is obtained
by substituting    / 2 for  v 2 u
  ( x   y ) sin  cos   sin   cos2 
x y
x  y x  y  xy
 y   cos 2  sin 2 (2.19) The expression that results is counterclockwise, so
2 2 2
it equals to the negative of angle 

ME2112 (Part 1) Chap 2 - 31 ME2112 (Part 1) Chap 2 - 32

The shearing strain is Maximum Principal Strains:

v u u v R  ( x   y )2   xy2
 xy      ( x   y ) sin  cos   cos2   sin 2  x  , y   xy
x y x y tan 2 p  R  xy
v u x  y
v u  xy   2 p
 ( x   y ) sin  cos   sin 2   cos2  x y x  y  xy x  y
x y  cos 2 p  , sin 2 p 
( x   y )  
2 2
xy ( x   y ) 2   xy2
 v u   v u 
 2( x   y ) sin  cos   cos2      sin 2    
 x y   x y  Substitute cos 2 p and sin 2 p into Eq. (2.18), we get
 ( x   y ) sin 2   xy (cos   sin  )
2 2
sin 2  2 sin  cos 
x  y x  y  xy
 xy x  y  xy cos 2  cos2   sin 2   x   cos 2 p  sin 2 p
Hence,  sin 2  cos 2 2 2 2
(2.20)
2 2 2 x  y x   y ( x   y )  xy  xy
  
2 2 ( x   y )  
2 2
xy
2 ( x   y ) 2   xy2
v u
  ( x   y ) sin  cos   cos2   sin 2  x  y ( x   y ) 2   xy2 x  y ( x   y ) 2   xy2
x y    
v 2 u 2 2 ( x   y ) 2   xy2 2 22
  ( x   y ) sin  cos   sin   cos2 
x y 2 2
x  y     y    xy 
   x    
 Maximum principal strain
2  2   2 
 ME2112 (Part 1) Chap 2 - 33 ME2112 (Part 1) Chap 2 - 34

Minimum Principal Strains: Maximum Shear Strain:

R  ( x   y ) 2   xy2 Maximum shear stress is obtained by taking d xy / d  0 in Eq. (2.20)
 xy d x ' y '
tan 2 p 
x  y
R  xy  ( x   y )2 cos 2    xy 2 sin 2   0  ( x   y )
2 p d
x  y  xy x  y  ( x   y )  cos 2   xy
 cos 2 p  , sin 2 p   tan 2 s  2 s  xy
( x   y ) 2   xy2 ( x   y ) 2   xy2
s
 xy ( x   y )2   xy2 R

 ( x   y )
Substitute cos 2 p and sin 2 p into Eq. (2.19), we get sin 2 s  R  ( x   y ) 2   xy2
( x   y ) 2   xy2
x  y x  y  xy Substitute cos 2 s and sin 2 s into Eq. (2.20), we get
 y   cos 2 p  sin 2 p
2 2 2  xy x  y  xy
 sin 2  cos 2
x  y x  y ( x   y )  xy  xy 2 2 2
   x  y  ( x   y )   xy
2 2 ( x   y ) 2   xy2 2 ( x   y ) 2   xy2   xy
2 ( x   y ) 2   xy2 2 ( x   y ) 2   xy2
x  y ( x   y ) 2   xy2 x  y ( x   y ) 2   xy2
    ( x   y ) 2   xy2 ( x   y ) 2   xy2
2
    y    xy 
2

2 2 ( x   y ) 2   xy2 2 22     x    

2 ( x   y ) 2   xy2 22  2   2 
2 2
x  y     y    xy  2 2
   x         y    xy 
2  Minimum principal strain   xy  2  x     Maximum shear strain
 2   2   2   2 


ME2112 (Part 1) Chap 2 - 35 ME2112 (Part 1) Chap 2 - 36

Appendix B: Generalized Hooke’s Law  The strain produced by  x

• Materials are isotropic and homogeneous x   x x
x  ,  y  z 
E E
y
  The strain produced by  y
x
y   y
y  , x  z 
z E E
y
Uniaxial loading Multi-axial loading
1-D state of stress 3-D state of stress  The strain produced by  z

z   z
z  , x  y 
  E   f ( ) E E
z
ME2112 (Part 1) Chap 2 - 37 ME2112 (Part 1) Chap 2 - 38

Using principle of superposition (valid for cases which

x are within linear elastic limit and where deformation is
small), normal strains  x ,  y and  z can be found as
z
y x  y  z
x :  
E E E
y :  x y  z
 
E E E
x
z :  x  y z
z  
y E E E
x  y  z x  y  z 1
x :   x     [ x   ( y   z )]
E E E E E E E
y :  x y  z  x y  z 1
  y      [ y   ( x   z )]
E E E E E E E
z :  x  y z  x  y z 1
  z      [ z   ( x   y )]
E E E E E E E