ASSIGNMENT 4 THICK CYLINDERS SKMM2123

1. A closed-end thick cylinder is subjected to an external pressure of 150 MPa. The cylinder
inner radius is 25 mm and the outer radius is 50 mm. Determine:
a) the state of stress (hoop, radial and longitudinal stresses) at the inner and outer surfaces.
b) the maximum shear stress at the inner and outer surfaces.
[Ans: a) σR,Ri = 0, σR,Ro = -150 MPa, σH,Ri = -400 MPa, σH,Ro = -250 MPa, σL= -200 MPa;
b) τmax,i = 200 MPa, τmax,o = 50 MPa]

2. A thick closed cylinder, 100 mm inner diameter and 200 mm outer diameter is subjected to
an internal pressure of 230 MPa and outer pressure of 70 MPa. The modulus of elasticity is
200 GPa and the Poisson’s ratio is 0.3. Determine
a) The maximum hoop stress,
b) The maximum shear stress
[Ans: a) σH,max = 197 MPa; b) τmax = 213 MPa]

3. A closed-ended thick wall cylinder is made of an alloy where E = 80 GPa and ν = 0.33. The
internal diameter is 250 mm and the external diameter is 750 mm. The cylinder is subjected
to an internal pressure of 140 MPa. Determine the principal stresses and maximum shear
stress at a point on the inside surface of the cylinder.
[Ans: σR,Ri = -140 MPa, σH,Ri = 175 MPa, τmax,i = 157.5 MPa]

4. A thick cylinder of 300 mm external diameter and 200 mm internal diameter is subjected to
an external pressure of 20 MPa. Assuming that the cylinder has closed ends, determine the
maximum internal pressure that can be applied if the maximum hoop stress permitted on the
inside wall of the cylinder is 40 MPa.
[Ans: Pi = 43 MPa]

5. A thick cylinder with external diameter of 300 mm operates as an open ended cylinder. The
elastic modulus of the material is 200 GPa and the Poisson’s ratio is 0.3. The cylinder is
required to maintain pressurised oil a pressure of 80 MPa. If the maximum tensile stress in
the cylinder wall is not to exceed 110 MPa, determine the thickness of the cylinder wall.
[Ans: t = 90.4 mm]

1
ASSIGNMENT 4 THICK CYLINDERS SKMM2123

6. A pipeline with inner and outer radius of 100 mm and 150 mm, respectively is subjected to
an external pressure of 10.3 MPa.
a) Determine the maximum internal pressure that can be applied in the pipe if the maximum
normal stress is limited to 200 MPa.
b) Sketch the hoop and radial stress distributions in the wall thickness of the pipe and
indicate all the stresses on the inner and outer surfaces.
[Ans: a) Pi = 90.77 MPa]

7. An external pressure of 12 MPa is applied to a closed-end thick cylinder of internal diameter

150 mm and external diameter 300 mm. If the maximum hoop stress on the inner surface of
the cylinder is limited to 30 MPa,
a) What is the maximum internal pressure that can be applied to the cylinder?
b) Sketch the hoop and radial stress distributions in the wall thickness of the cylinder and
indicate all the stresses on the inner and outer surfaces.
[Ans: a) Pi = 37.2 MPa]

8. An open-ended thick-walled steel cylinder has an inside diameter of 50 mm and an outside

diameter of 250 mm. Determine the maximum internal pressure that could be applied if the
maximum shear stress is limited to 230 MPa.
When the maximum internal pressure calculated above is applied, find the radial and hoop
stresses at a point of 50 mm from the centre of the cylinder.
[Ans: Pi = 221 MPa; σR,50mm = -48 MPa, σH,50mm = 67 MPa]

9. A closed-end thick cylinder with inner radius of 100 mm, is subjected to an internal pressure
of 50 MPa. If the maximum shear stress and the tensile strength of the cylinder material are
limited to 70 MPa and 250 MPa, respectively, determine the suitable external radius of the
cylinder.
If a safety factor of 2 has been used in the design, would this resulted in a smaller or larger
external radius?
[Ans: Ro = 62 mm]

2
ASSIGNMENT 4 THICK CYLINDERS SKMM2123

10. A closed thick-walled cylinder, with inner radius 50 mm an outer radius 200 mm has yield
strength of 700 MPa. If the material obeys Tresca yield criterion, find the internal pressure
that will cause first yield in the cylinder.
If this internal pressure is to be increased by 50%, fin the additional external pressure that
must be introduced when yielding is just beginning to occur.
[Ans: Pi = 328 MPa, Po = 164 MPa]

11. A closed-end thick cylinder, with outer diameter of 300 mm and inner diameter of 200 mm,
is pressurised with internal pressure Pi. The material properties of the cylinder are: E = 250
GPa, σyield = 200 MPa and ν = 0.28.
a) Calculate the allowable internal pressure Pi, using the Tresca yield criterion and a safety
factor of 2.5.
b) Using the value of pressure calculated in a), draw the hoop, radial and longitudinal stress
distribution along the thickness and mark the important values.
[Ans: a) Pi = 22 MPa; b) σL = 18 MPa, σR,Ri = -22 MPa, σR,Ro = 0, σH,Ri = 58 MPa,
σH,Ro = 36 MPa]

12. A thick-walled pipeline with inner and outer diameters of 200 mm and 300 mm, respectively,
is used to deliver pressurised oil. The material yield strength is 240 MPa and the pipeline is
to be designed with a safety factor of 3.
a) Determine the maximum internal pressure that the pipe can sustain, according to Tresca
yield criterion.
b) Sketch the hoop and radial stress distributions in the wall thickness of the pipe and
indicate the values of all the stresses on the inner and outer surfaces.
c) WITHOUT PERFORMING ANY CALCULATION, state whether the maximum
internal pressure that is obtained according to von Mises yield criterion would be higher,
lower or remain the same compared to the value calculated in Part (a). State the reason
for your answer. (Hint: Sketch the principal stresses on the Tresca and von Mises failure
loci).
[Ans: a) Pi = 22.22 MPa, b) Hint: σH,Ri = 57.78 MPa, σH,Ro = 35.56 MPa]

3
ASSIGNMENT 4 THICK CYLINDERS SKMM2123

13. A closed-end thick cylinder contains fluid at gauge pressure Pi. If the internal diameter of the
cylinder is 100 mm and the external diameter is 200 mm, calculate the maximum allowable
pressure Pi using the Tresca yield criterion and a safety factor of 2.5. The cylinder is made of
steel where E = 200 GPa, σyield = 250 MPa and ν = 0.3.
[Ans: Pi = 37.5 MPa]

14. A closed-end thick cylinder is to sustain an internal gauge pressure of 20 MPa. If the internal
diameter of the cylinder is 100 mm, find the external diameter of the cylinder using the
Tresca yield criterion and a safety factor of 3. The cylinder is made of steel where E = 200
GPa, σyield = 250 MPa and ν = 0.3.
Is the cylinder considered safe if the diameter which you have calculated is increased?
[Ans: Do = 139 mm]

15. Let us analyse a normal cooking gas cylinder. What is the maximum pressure that can be
supplied into the container if it were to be safe, using von Mises yield criterion with a safety
factor of 2.5. The thick cylinder has an outer diameter of 0.3 m and thickness of 25 mm. It
was made from mild steel with properties E = 210 GPa, σyield = 250 MPa and ν = 0.29.
[Ans: Pi = 19 MPa]

16. An open-ended thick cylinder with outer diameter of 400 mm is subjected to an internal
pressure of 10 MPa. The material yield strength is 240 MPa and a safety factor of 3 is used in
the design.
a) Determine the thickness of the cylinder if it is designed according to Tresca yield
criterion (maximum shear stress theory). Subsequently, calculate the von Mises effective
stress at the outer surface of the cylinder.
b) If the cylinder is CLOSED, would the designed thickness become higher, lower or
remain the same as compared to the value calculated in Part (a)? State the reason for your
answer. CALCULATION IS NOT NEEDED.
[Ans: a) t = 26.8 mm, σeff,vM = 60 MPa]

4
ASSIGNMENT 4 THICK CYLINDERS SKMM2123

17. A closed thick cylinder, 50 mm inner radius and 100 mm outer radius is subjected to an
internal pressure. From an actual testing on the cylinder, it shows signs of yielding when the
internal pressure of 270 MPa is applied. Determine the yield strength of the cylinder material
if it had been designed according to the following yield criteria:
a) Tresca.
b) von Mises.
[Ans: a) σY = 720 MPa, b) σY = 624 MPa]

18. A closed-end thick cylinder of internal and external diameters, 600 mm and 1000 mm,
respectively, is subjected to a gradually increasing internal pressure. The yield strength of the
material is 600 MPa. Determine the value of the internal pressure when the cylinder first
commences to yield, using
a) The maximum shear stress theory
b) The maximum distortion energy theory.
If the cylinder is open-ended, WITHOUT ANY CALCULATION, explain whether the value
of the internal pressure is influenced by this end condition, using the same yield criteria
mentioned above.
[Ans: a) Pi = 192 MPa, b) Pi = 222 MPa]