3

Cylinders Under Internal Pressure

3.1 General Design Criteria

Three principal stresses are generated by internal pressure: a hoop stress σt ,
a radial stress σr , and a longitudinal stress σa . The latter is due to the thrust
of pressure on the heads of the cylinder. The value of the stresses σt and σr
is not constant through the cylinder wall, whereas σa is in fact constant.
In the design phase it is therefore necessary to consider the stresses of
the triaxial state and to derive the ideal stress via one of the theories of
failure described in Sect. 1.3. Assuming that the ideal stress is equal to the
basic allowable stress, we obtain an equation to compute the minimal required
thickness. Before discussing the problem based on the above considerations,
it may be useful to recall Mariotte’s well-known method.
Let us consider the semicylinder of unitary length shown in Fig. 3.1.
The pressure resultant along x is

F = pDi , (3.1)

whereas it is obviously zero along y.

We must apply two equal forces equal to F/2 at the ends of the semicylin-
der to balance this thrust; if we assume that the hoop stress in the cylinder
is constant through the thickness, we have:
F/2 pDi
σt = = , (3.2)
s 2s
where s is the thickness.
If the hoop stress is equal to the basic allowable stress f we obtain
pDi
s= . (3.3)
2f
Equation (3.3) is Mariotte’s formula, and it does not take into account the
variation of σt through the thickness, as well as the presence of the other two
48 3 Cylinders Under Internal Pressure

s y s
Di

F/2 F/2

Fig. 3.1

σt
D
C
σr σr+dσr

dϕ
A B
r dr

σt

Fig. 3.2

principal stresses σr and σa ; therefore, it cannot be used for the sizing of the
cylinder.
Still, the simple procedure leading to (3.2) is nonetheless important. In
fact, the value of σt obtained through this equation represents the hoop stress
in a membrane; if the thickness is reduced to a point that it is possible to
consider the cylinder as a membrane, σt is no longer a function of the radius
(because the radius has in practice a unique value) and therefore the value of
the hoop stress is constant. As we shall see, this value of the hoop stress is
important because it corresponds to the average value of the hoop stress and
does not depend on the thickness.
Let us now examine the generic element shown in Fig. 3.2. Its position is
determined by the radius r, while its dimensions by dr and by the angle dϕ.
Let us assume that it has unitary dimension in the direction orthogonal to
the figure.
The stress σt , constant along the circumference, is exercised on sides A–B
and C–D; the equilibrium in this direction is therefore assured in any case.
As far as the equilibrium in the radial direction, we note the presence of the
force FAC on the A–C side. We have

FAC = σr rdϕ. (3.4)