Avco Inspection CC TECHNICAL DISCUSSION Reference: TD010 Rev 0

Author: Ray Delaforce PrTech (RSA) Engineer: Avco Inspection CC (RSA)

Synopsis

Investigating and deriving the moment of inertia of the shell-to-cone junction for a typical
pressure vessel conical element without a knuckle radius.

Introduction

In the case of ASME Section VIII, Division 1, Appendix 1-8: ‘Rules for reinforcement of cones
and conical reducers under external pressure’ requires that the actual moment of inertia (more
properly the second moment of area) be derived. The code does not give any guidance to the
derivation of the actual moment of inertial. This technical paper addresses that problem to enable
the engineer to derive that value using some simple formulae.

Definition of the problem

Figure 1 sets out the dimensions whose moment of inertial is required:

Figure 1

The shaded area in the above illustration is the critical area over which the stress from the external
pressure acts, either tensile or compressive. Ls represents the decay length of the shell or cylinder,
and Lc represents the decay length of the cone. The angle α is the half-apex angle of the cone.
The red dot is the centroid or centre of area of the shaded critical area. The axis G-G is the axis
about which the moment of inertia (second moment of area) is derived. Locating the position of
the centroid is crucial to the analysis.

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Avco Inspection CC TECHNICAL DISCUSSION Reference: TD010 Rev 0

Analysis

The method used in this paper is the Parallel Axis Theorem otherwise known as the Theorem of
Guldinus1 or Pappas. For the sake of illustrating in this analysis, the following example is used:

Input Data (left to right):

Material: SA 516 Grad 70 at 100 OC
Large Cylinder
Di = 1800 mm Inside diameter
L = 3000 mm Length
t = 12 mm Thickness
Conical Element
Di = 1800 mm Inside diameter at the large end
di = 1000 mm Inside diameter at the small and
t = 12 mm Thickness
L = 393 mm Length
α = 30 degrees Half apex angle
Small Cylinder
Di = 1000 mm Inside diameter
L = 1000 mm Length
t = 10 mm Thickness
Pe = 0.1 MPa External pressure
Corrosion allowance is 0 mm for all components.

The large cylinder and cone are illustrated in Figure 2. The large cylindrical shell has been
detached from the cone to make things easy. The two red dots are really one dot if the cylinder is
moved to the right such that the dots become one dot. This geometry is not perfect, but is close
enough to give us a reasonable result:

Figure 2

1
The Parallel Axis theorem can be found in any of a number of engineering mathematical textbooks as we do not
derive the method of analysis in this narrative.

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Avco Inspection CC TECHNICAL DISCUSSION Reference: TD010 Rev 0

Ls and Lc represent the decay lengths of the shell and cone respectively, so we shall find what
those decay lengths are. A clue to estimating the decay lengths is given in equation (3) of Appendix
1-8 to which the reader is directed. We only consider the large end of the cone.

DL = 1824 mm Outside diameter of the shell

ts = 12 mm Thickness of the shell
tc = 12 mm Thickness of the cone
α = 30 degrees Half apex angle of the cone

length of the cylindrical shell Decay length of the conical element

𝐷𝐿 ∙ 𝑡𝑐
𝐿𝑠 = 0.55 ∙ √𝐷𝐿 ∙ 𝑡𝑠 𝐿𝑐 = 0.55 ∙ √
𝑐𝑜𝑠(𝛼)

1824 ∙ 12
= 0.55 ∙ √1824 ∙ 12 = 81.37 𝑚𝑚 = 0.55 ∙ √ = 87.438 𝑚𝑚
𝑐𝑜𝑠(30𝑜 )
Looking at Figure 2 we need the first moment of are M and the second moment of are Ic about
the datum line O-O. We first consider the conical element. The first moment of area of the small
element dl.dt is: Mo =y times dl.dt, The second moment of area about the datum is Io=y2 times
dl.dt. So, the dimension y must be found first before we can proceed. Referring to Figure 2 we
need the angle β, and dimension z.

𝑡
𝛽 = 𝑎𝑡𝑎𝑛 ( )
𝑙
𝑙
𝑧=
𝑐𝑜𝑠(𝑐𝑜𝑠(𝛽))
𝑙 𝑡
𝑦 = 𝑧 ∙ 𝑠𝑖𝑛(𝛼 + 𝛽) = ∙ 𝑠𝑖𝑛 (𝛼 + 𝑎𝑡𝑎𝑛 ( ))
𝑡 𝑙
𝑐𝑜𝑠 (𝑎𝑡𝑎𝑛 ( ))
𝑙
We are now ready to derive the mathematical equation to derive the first and second moments of
are about the datum O-O for the conical element. A dedicated mathematical analysis programme2
is used to do the integral derivation.

First, we consider the conical element.

From the equations just above, we know that y represents the distance from the datum line O-O.

The first moment of area is y times dl.dt – dl.dt is the area. We integrate between 0 and Lc and
between 0 and tc:

2
Mathcad Prime was employe in this case.

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Avco Inspection CC TECHNICAL DISCUSSION Reference: TD010 Rev 0

Lc = 87.438 mm as computed above

tc = 12 mm as defined above

Figure 2 above, the first moment of area for the for the cone about the datum: O-O Mc is:

𝑡𝑐 𝐿𝑐
𝑙 𝑡
𝑀𝑐 = ∫ ∫ ∙ 𝑠𝑖𝑛 (𝛼 + atan ( ) ∙ 𝑑𝑙 𝑑𝑡 = 28 388.329 𝑚𝑚3
𝑡 𝑙
0 0 𝑐𝑜𝑠 (𝑎𝑡𝑎𝑛 ( ))
𝑙
( )
A solution to the above integral is simplified as follow:

𝐿𝑐 ∙ 𝑡𝑐 2 ∙ 𝑐𝑜𝑠(𝛼) + 𝑡𝑐 ∙ 𝑙𝑐 2 ∙ 𝑠𝑖𝑛(𝛼)
𝑀𝑐 = = 28 388.329 𝑚𝑚3 (1)
2

Now we compute the second moment of area about the datum O-O: Ic:

2
𝑡𝑐 𝐿𝑐
𝑙 𝑡
𝐼𝑐 = ∫ ∫ ∙ 𝑠𝑖𝑛 (𝛼 + 𝑎𝑡𝑎𝑛 ( )) ∙ 𝑑𝑙 𝑑𝑡 = 944 633.291 𝑚𝑚4
𝑡 𝑙
0 0 𝑐𝑜𝑠 (𝑎𝑡𝑎𝑛 ( ))
𝑙
( )

A solution to above integral is simplified as follows:

The solution takes a little longer, but at least simple equations can be used to derive the moment
of inertia about Ico the datum line O-O. First find the distance y from the datum line O-O to the
centroid of the cone element:

First, find the area of the cone elements:

𝐴𝑐 = 𝐿𝑐 ∙ 𝑡𝑐 = 87.438 ∙ 12 = 87.438 𝑚𝑚2

𝑀𝑐 28 388.329
𝑦= = = 27.056 𝑚𝑚
𝐴𝑐 1049.256

From the rotation of axis (through 30 degrees)3, find the moment of inertia about the centroid of
the cone element:

𝐿𝑐 ∙ 𝑡𝑐 3 87.438 ∙ 123
𝐼𝑥𝑥 = = = 12 591.078 𝑚𝑚4
12 12

3
We do not give the proof here, but it can be found in a strength of materials book or mathematics book

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Avco Inspection CC TECHNICAL DISCUSSION Reference: TD010 Rev 0

𝑡𝑐 ∙ 𝐿𝑐 3 12 ∙ 87.4383
𝐼𝑦𝑦 = = = 668 499.737 𝑚𝑚4
12 12

Now we can perform the rotation of axes to determine the moment of inertia about the centroid of
the conical element Icg:

𝐼𝑐𝑔 = 𝐼𝑥𝑥 ∙ 𝑐𝑜𝑠(𝛼)2 + 𝐼𝑦𝑦 ∙ 𝑠𝑖𝑛(𝛼)2

= 12 591.078 ∙ 𝑐𝑜𝑠(30𝑜 )2 + 668 499.737 ∙ 𝑠𝑖𝑛(30𝑜 )2
= 176 568.243 𝑚𝑚4

Now we can find the moment of the cone element about the datum O-O Ic:

𝐼𝑐 = 𝐼𝑐𝑔 + 𝐴𝑐 ∙ 𝑦 2 − 176538.243 + 1049.256 ∙ 27.0532

= 944633.291 𝑚𝑚4

Compare that value with the value we derived above when the double integral was performed:

Summary so far for the cone element considered about the O-O datum line:

• The area of the cone element Ac

• The first moment of area of the cone element Mc
• The moment of inertia (second moment of area) Ic

They will be needed in a moment when we consider the whole cone-to-shell junction.

Now we consider the shell element.

Finding the section properties about the datum lind O-O is much simpler.

The area of the shell element about O-O As:

𝐴𝑠 = 𝐿𝑠 ∙ 𝑡𝑠 = 81.3703 ∙ 12 = 976.443 𝑚𝑚2

The first moment of area about the datum O-O is zero because any first moment about the centroid
is always zero:

𝑀𝑠 = 0 𝑚𝑚3

The second moment of area of the shell element about the datum O-O is the same as the second
moment of area about the centroid:

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Avco Inspection CC TECHNICAL DISCUSSION Reference: TD010 Rev 0

𝐿𝑠 ∙ 𝑡𝑠 3 81.3703 ∙ 12
𝐼𝑠 = = = 11717.319 𝑚𝑚4
12 12

Summary do far for the shell element about the datum O-O:

• The area of the cone element As

• The first moment of area of the cone element Ms
• The moment of inertia (second moment of area) Is

Finding the moment of inertial of to Cone-to-Shell junction

This is the point at which we use the Parallel Axis Theorem find the junction inertia:

Element L length t thickness To CG y A=L.t M=A.y Io

Cone 87.438 12 - 1049.256 28388.329 944633.291
Shell 81.3706 12 6 976.443 0.0 176538.243
Totals 2025.7 28388.329 956350.609

Distance to the cone-to-shell junction combined centroid:

𝑀 28388.329
𝑦= = = 14.014 𝑚𝑚
𝐴 2025.7

The final moment of inertia of the cone-to-shell junction about is centroid (see Figure 1 about G-
G):

𝐼 = 𝐼𝑜 − 𝐴 ∙ 𝑦 2 = 956350.609 − 2025.7 ∙ 14.0142 = 558514.125 𝑚𝑚4

CONCLUSION

The method to find the moment of inertial of the Cone-to-Shell junction:

1. Find the decay lengths of the shell and cone respectively Ls and Lc
2. Find the area of the shell and cone respectively As and Ac
3. Find the first moment of area of the shell and cone respectively Ms and Mc
4. Find the second moment of area of the shell and cone
respectively about the datum line O-O Is and Ic
5. Finally use the parallel axis theorem to find the final moment
of inertia of the cone-to-shell junction I

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