TRIBHUVAN UNIVERSITY

INSTITUTE OF ENGINEERING
THAPATHALI CAMPUS

Lab report on: The thick-walled cylinder

Submitted By:- Submitted To:-

Department of Mechanical
THA076BME014 - THA076BME018
Engineering.
EXPERIMENT

1. Title: The Thick-wall Cylinder

2. Objective:
a. To learn the effect of pressure on thick wall cylinders in developing principal stresses
for open end and closed end conditions.
b. To determine the circumferential (hoop) and longitudinal strains developed in the wall
of the cylinder for open end and closed end conditions.

3. Introduction:

In order to meet with several requirements, the fluids are stored under pressure in pressure vessels
or shells and transported from one place to the other through pipes. Both spherical and cylindrical
forms of vessels are used for storing fluid under pressure (steam boilers, air compressors, tanks)

In relation to stress analysis, cylinders are divided in two groups: thick and thin. The distinction
between the two relates to the ratio of internal diameter to wall thickness of a particular cylinder.
A cylinder with a diameter to thickness ratio of more than 20 is considered to be thin. A ratio of
less than 20 is considered to be thick. This distinction is made as the analysis of a cylinder can be
simplified by assuming it is thin.
Thin cylinders or shells are common place in engineering. Examples of thin walled cylinders are:
. Pressure pipes,
. Aircraft fuselages and
. Compressed gas containers
Thick walled cylinders are less common, an example being a gun barrel.
For a closed cylinder with an internal pressure there can be three direct stresses acting upon it.
. Longitudinal stress (𝜎L): the cylinder’s resistance to stretching along its length (axis).
. Hoop or Circumferential stress (𝜎H): the cylinder’s resistance to grow in diameter.

. Radial stress (𝜎R): gas or fluid compressing the walls of the cylinder. It is equal to the
pressure on the inside and zero on the outside.
4. Apparatus, Equipment and Materials Required:
a. Thick walled cylinder apparatus with accessories:
i. Cylinder
ii. Mechanical pressure gauge
iii. Pump
iv. Pressure release valve
v. Strain gauges
vi. Direct hoop stress digital indicator
b. Hydraulic oil
c. Lab manual and other stationaries (graph paper, pencil, rural and eraser )
d. Other requirements: Electrical Power Supply : 240VAC/1-phase/50Hz

5. Theory:
The longitudinal stress and hoop stresses are directly proportional to the pressure and the ratio of
diameter to thickness of the cylinder. However the radial stress is related to the pressure alone.
Because of their relationship to the geometry, the longitudinal and hoop stresses are far greater
and more significant than the radial stress in a thin cylinder. It is reasonable and recognized to
assume that the radial stress is small enough for it to be ignored for basic calculations.
The individual direct stresses are given by:
 Figure: Stresses in a thick walled cylinder

Nearly all applications of the thick cylinder will have closed ends with the biaxial stress system
described previously. However as outlined in the introduction; the equipment allows us to examine
the stresses in the cylinder with open ends i.e. with no direct longitudinal stress. Although there is
no practical application for a cylinder in this condition, the experiment yields several useful
relationships. We can use these relationships in the more complex closed ends condition.

6. Description of the Apparatus:

Thick Cylinder with Open Ends:

A mechanical gauge is provided to measures the hydraulic pressure in the cylinder. The hoop stress
can be measured directly in digital value in the apparatus. The cylinder is held in a sturdy frame
in which it is free to move along its axis as shown in figure.
"Open" ends is the condition where the axial loads are taken by the frame (not the cylinder),
therefore there is no development of direct longitudinal stress in the cylinder wall.
Specification:
f. Material of the thick wall cylinder : Aluminium alloy
g. Young’s modulus of the material (E) : 70 GNm-2
h. Poisson’s ratio of the material (µ) : 0.33
i. Internal diameter of the cylinder (d) : 90 mm
j. Wall thickness of the cylinder (t) : 50 mm
7. Precautions:
a. Do not exceed the cylinder pressure of 4 MN/m2 (40 kg/cm2).
b. The apparatus should be placed always on a horizontal table.
c. Make sure that the pump contains sufficient hydraulic oil or not. If not, fill up.
d. Digital reading of the apparatus indicates hoop strain value thousand times magnified
and first 0 of the indicated strain value represent decimal (decimal dot) i.e. 019 means
.19*10-3.
e. After the completion of experiment, loose the pressure release valve very slowly for a
while and again keep it tight for other time.
f. After the experiment is over, switch OFF the electrical supply.

8. Experimental Procedure:
a. First turn ON the main switch at the apparatus, LED on the front should illuminate.
b. Leave for 5 minutes to allow the gauges to warm up and reach a steady state.
c. Fully close the release valve on the pump if it is open.
d. Before any test being made, at zero pressure, the initial hoop stress readings should be
recorded.
e. Apply the pressure gradually by operating the lever of hydraulic pump observing the
pressure on the pressure gauge.
f. Take 4- 5 readings of hoop strain at different gauge pressure.
g. Open the release valve on the pump slowly; the pressure should fall to zero.
h. Remember again to full tight the pressure release valve before leaving out of the
experiment so as to prevent the leakage of oil.
i. After the experiment is over, switch OFF main switch and the electrical supply.
9. Observation Table:
Reading No. Pressure (P) [kg.cm-2] Hoop strain (εh) Hoop Stress (σH) Longitudinal
[MN.m-2] strain(εl)
1 14 0.09 ∗ 10−3 6.3 2.97 ∗ 10−5

2 20 0.12 ∗ 10−3 8.4 3.96 ∗ 10−5

3 26 0.16 ∗ 10−3 11.2 5.28 ∗ 10−5

4 32 0.19 ∗ 10−3 13.3 6.27 ∗ 10−5

5 38 0.23 ∗ 10−3 16.1 7.59 ∗ 10−5

10. Calculation:
a. Open end condition:
In the case of a cylinder the maximum and minimum strains are always at right angles to each
other. These strains are called the principle strains. In the open ends condition, the thick cylinder
has principle strains of:

𝜎𝐻
Hoop strains; 𝜀 = (direct from hoop stress)
𝐸

𝜎𝐻
Longitudinal strains; = −µ (indirectly due to Poisson effect)
𝐸
b. Closed end condition:
In the case of a cylinder having closed end condition, longitudinal stress also acts on the cylinder
wall and σL will cause strains of:

𝜎𝐿
Longitudinal strains; 𝜀 = (direct from longitudinal stress)
𝐸

𝜎𝐿
Hoop strains: 𝜀 = −µ (indirectly due to Poisson effect)
𝐸
 Where 𝜎 can be calculated using equations 1 and 2
So, in this case, the total principal strains are the combination of effects of both hoop and
longitudinal stresses and these values are:

𝜎𝐻 𝜎𝐿
Hoop strains: 𝜀H = -μ
𝐸 𝐸

𝜎𝐿 𝜎𝐻
Longitudinal strains; 𝜀L = -µ
𝐸 𝐸
11. Result analysis:
a. Plot a graph of hoop stress versus hoop strain for both open end and closed end condition.
>>The plot between hoop stress and hoop strain is as follows:
 b. Plot a graph of the longitudinal strain versus hoop strain for both open end and closed end
condition.
>> The plot between longitudinal strain and hoop strain is as follows:

c. What is the relationship between stress and strain? What is the gradient of the curve
obtained?
>> On observing the plot above, we found out that there is a linear relationship between hoop
stress and hoop strain. The gradient of the curve obtained gives the modulus of elasticity.
Hence the relation between them can be written as: σH=E*εH
Where, σH = hoop stress εH = hoop strain
E = modulus of elasticity
12. Conclusion:
a. What is the difference between open end and closed end cylinder?
>> Open end cylinder has no axial load but only hoop stress as suggested by it’s name so there
is no direct axial stress whereas Closed end cylinder has axial as well as hoop stresses so there
is direct axial stress.

b. What the magnitude of the gradient of your plot gives?

>> The magnitude of the gradient of our plot between hoop stress and hoop strain gives
Modulus of Elasticity(E) whereas the plot between longitudinal strain and hoop strain gives
Poisson’s ratio(μ)

c. What are the possible causes of error during the experiment and calculate the error in %.
>> The possible causes of error during the experiment are:
1. Due to the approximation after averaging the data and estimating hoop stress.
2. Diameter and thickness readings may vary due to exposing test material to atmosphere.

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