CE-228: MECHANICS OF SOLIDS-II

MODULE-4

THIN AND THICK-WALLED

PRESSURE VESSELS

PROF. DR. MOHAMMAD ASHRAF

DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL ENGINEERING, UET PESHAWAR

CONTENTS
• Thin-Walled Pressure Vessels
• Tangential Stress in Thin-Walled Cylinders
• Longitudinal Stress in Thin-Walled Cylinders
• Tangential Stress in Thin-Walled Spherical Vessels
• Problems

• Thick-Walled Cylinders
• Tangential Stress
• Radial Stress

• Comparison of Thin-Walled and Thick-Walled Formula

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PRESSURE VESSELS
A vessels which is subjected to fluid pressure from inside or outside or both is known as pressure vessel.
Pressure vessels are usually cylindrical in shape. Spherical and other shape are also found. Based on the
thickness relative to the diameter, pressure vessels may be classified as thin-walled and thick-walled.
Examples of Pressure Vessels are:
• CNG Cylinder of Vehicle is classified as thin-walled cylindered pressure vessel subjected to internal
pressure only.
• Submarine, usually of cylindrical shape, is a thick-walled cylinder subjected to external pressure due to
water.
• Overhead water tank, usually of cylindrical shape, is a thin-walled cylinder subjected to internal pressure
due to water.
• Underground water tank, usually of cylindrical shape, is a thick-walled cylinder subjected internal
pressure from water and external pressure from earth
• Penstock supplying water to hydro-power turbine is subjected to internal pressure from water.
• Water supply pipes are open ended cylinder pressure vessels subjected to internal water pressure
• Steam Boiler is a cylindrical pressure vessel and is subjected internal steam pressure.

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THIN-WALLED PRESSURE VESSELS
Introduction: A pressure vessels which is subjected to internal pressure only
and whose wall thickness (t) is less than one-twentieth of its diameter (d) is
known as thin-walled pressure vessels. Thin-walled pressure vessels cannot
be subjected to external pressure as it is unable to resist external pressure
due to its buckling tendency.

Thin-walled formulation is an approximate formulation based on the

assumption that the stresses produced in the wall are uniform. The
assumption holds good for thin-walled cylinder as the error in thin walled-
formulation associated with d/t = 20 is approximately 5%. For larger d/t the
error will be even smaller.

The thin-walled pressure vessels are assumed to be subjected to gage

pressure (pressure above atmospheric pressure) since the atmospheric
pressure is assumed to exist both inside and outside the vessel’s wall before
the vessel is pressurized.

Thin-walled pressure vessels are usually cylindrical or spherical in shape.

Other shapes also exist.

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THIN-WALLED CYLINDER
Introduction: Following two types of stresses are induced in walls of a
closed ended thin-walled cylinder:
• Tangential Stresses also known as circumferential or hoop stresses
• Longitudinal stresses

Open ended thin-walled cylinders are subjected to tangential stress

only.
Derivation: Consider a thin-walled cylinder of internal diameter (d) and
wall thickness (t). The cylinder is subjected to an internal pressure (p)
as shown in the figure.
Tangential Stress: To derive expression for tangential stress, consider
the free-body diagram of half cylinder with differential length (dL). From
equilibrium condition of the free-body:
2P = F −−− −(1)

Where F is the resultant force acting due to the applied pressure (p) and
P is the internal resistance force induced in the wall due to the
tangential stress (σT ).

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THIN-WALLED CYLINDER (CONT..)
P = σT dL t −−− −(2)
π π π
d d
F = න dF sin θ = න p dθ dL sin θ = p dL න sin θ dθ
0 0 2 2 0
d
F = −p dL cos π − cos 0 = p d dL −−− −(3)
2
Where (d dL) is the projected area as shown in the figure.
Therefore, the resultant force due pressure applied on curved
surface is equal to the applied pressure times the projected
area. This rule is applicable to curved surface of any shape.

Now from equations (1), (2) and (3):

pd
2σT dL t = p d dL ⇒ σT = −−−− −(a)
2t
Thus tangential stress produced in a thin-walled cylinder is
directly proportional to the diameter of cylinder and inversely
proportional to the wall thickness.

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THIN-WALLED CYLINDER (CONT..)
Longitudinal Stress: To derive expression for longitudinal stress,
consider a transverse section across the cross section of cylinder
.From equilibrium condition of free-body diagram of left portion of the
cylinder:
P = F −−− −(4)

Where F is the resultant force acting at the end due to the applied
pressure (p) and P is the internal resistance force induced in the wall
due to the longitudinal stress (σL ).
P = σL 𝜋dt −−− −(5)
𝜋𝑑2
F=p −−− −(6)
4
Now from equations (4), (5) and (6):
𝜋𝑑2 pd
σL 𝜋dt = p ⇒ σL = −−−− −(b)
4 4t
Thus in a thin-walled cylinder the longitudinal stress is half of the
tangential stress. Therefore, the design of thin-walled cylinder is
governed by the tangential stress.

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THIN-WALLED CYLINDER (CONT..)
Stress in Hoops: As already mentioned that the tangential
stress in a thin-walled cylinder is twice than the longitudinal
stress, circular hoops are used around the cylinder to
strengthened it in transverse direction. Moreover, in some
cases like wooden penstock the tangential stress are totally
resisted by the hoops.
Consider a cylinder whose resistance against the tangential
stress is zero. The cylinder is reinforced with hoops having
cross sectional area equal to (AH) spaced at a center to
center distance of (s).
Apply equilibrium condition to the free-body diagram half
cylinder of length equal to spacing (s) in hoops.
2P = F −−− −(7)
P = σH AH −− −(8)
F = p Projected Area = p d s −− −(9)
p ds
7 ⇒ 2σH AH = p d s ⇒ σH = −− −(c)
2 AH

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THIN-WALLED SPHERICAL VESSELS
In spherical vessels, same tangential stresses are induced in all directions in
the wall.
Derivation: Consider a spherical vessel of internal diameter (d) and wall
thickness (t). The vessel is subjected to an internal pressure (p) as shown in
the figure.
To derive expression for tangential stress, consider free-body diagram of half
spherical vessel. From equilibrium condition of the free-body:
P = F −−− −(10)

Where F is the resultant force acting due to the applied pressure (p) and P is
the internal resistance force induced in the wall due to the tangential stress
(σT ).
P = σT 𝜋dt −−− −(11)
𝜋𝑑2
F = p Projected Area = p −−− −(12)
4
Now from equations (10), (11) and (12):
𝜋𝑑2 pd
σT 𝜋dt = p ⇒ σT = −−−− −(d)
4 4t

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THICK-WALLED CYLINDER
Introduction: The formula developed for thin-walled cylinder is based on the
assumption that the tangential stress developed is uniform across the wall
thickness. However, in case of thick-walled the assumption is not valid. The thin-
walled formulation is applicable to internal pressure only. Additionally, the radial
stress developed in the radial direction is ignored in the analysis of thin-walled
cylinders. The thick-walled formula consider the above mentioned limitations and
the thick-walled formula is more exact than the thin-walled formula.
Derivation: Consider a thick-walled cylinder having (a) and (b) as its internal and
external radius respectively. The cylinder is subjected to inner pressure (pi ) and
outer pressure (po ). σr and σr + dσr are the radial stresses at a radial distance (r)
and (r + dr). σT is the tangential stress assumed to be uniform in thickness (dr).
Apply equilibrium condition to the free-body of unit length :
2P + Fi − Fo = 0 ⇒ 2σT dr + σr 2r − σr + dσr 2 r + dr = 0
⇒ 2σT dr + 2rσr − 2rσr − 2r𝑑σr − 2σr dr − 2𝑑σr dr = 0
dσr
⇒ 2σT dr − 2rdσr − 2σr dr = 0 ⇒ r + σr − σT = 0 −− −(a)
dr
If σL is the longitudinal stress in the cylinder which may assumed to be uniform.

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THICK-WALLED CYLINDER (CONT..)
The strain in the longitudinal direction is given by:
1
εL = σL − ϑ σT + σr
E
As εL , σL , ϑ and E ado not vary with radial distance r, therefore: σT + σr = Constant
Sum of radial stress and tangential stress remains same at any radial distance. Let this
constant is assumed to be 2A, therefore:
σT + σr = 2A −− −(b)

Putting value of σT from equation (b) into equation (a), therefore:

dσr dσr dσr dr
r + σr − 2A − σr = 0 ⇒ r = 2 A − σr ⇒ =2
dr dr A − σr r
2
−ln A − σr = 2 ln r + C = ln r + C
ln A − σr r 2 = −C ⇒ A − σr r 2 = e−C

e−C is constant. Replacing this constant with B:

B
A − σr r 2 = B ⇒ σr = A − 2 −− −(A)
r
B
b ⇒ σT = A + 2 −− −(B)
r

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THICK-WALLED CYLINDER (CONT..)
Values of constants A and B are determined from boundary conditions. Here the
boundary conditions are:
At r = a, σr = −pi and at r = b, σr = −po
B B
A ⇒ −pi = A − −− − 1 and − po = A − −− −(2)
a2 b2
Solving equations (1) and (2):
a2 pi − b2 po a2 b2 pi − po
A= and B=
b 2 − a2 b 2 − a2
For inner pressure only:
a2 pi a2 b2 pi
A= 2 and B= 2
b − a2 b − a2
a2 pi b2
σT = 2 1 ± 2 −− −(C)
𝑟 b − a2 r
Both tangential and radial stresses due to inner pressure only are maximum at r =
a and decreases with radial distance. The tangential stress is always tension and
radial stress is always compression

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THICK-WALLED CYLINDER (CONT..)
For outer pressure only:
a2 po a2 b2 po
A=− 2 and B=− 2
b − a2 b − a2
b2 po a2
σT = − 2 1 ± 2 −− −(D)
𝑟 b − a2 r
The tangential stress due to outer pressure only is maximum at r = a
and decreases with radial distance. Radial stress is maximum at r = b.
Both tangential and radial stresses are always compression.

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ERROR IN THIN-WALLED FORMULATION
The tangential stress formula for thick-walled cylinder is:
a2 pi b2
σT = 2 1+ 2
b − a2 r
The maximum tangential stress is at r = a given by:
a2 pi b2 b2 + a2 K2 + 1
σT,Max = 2 1+ 2 = 2 p = p
b − a2 a b − a2 i K 2 − 1 i
Where K=b/a. From thin-walled formula the average tangential stress is:
pd pi 2a pi pi
σT,Ave = = = =
2t 2 b − a b K−1
−1
a
Therefore the percentage error in the thin-walled formula is:

K2 + 1 pi
p − K2 + 1 − K + 1
σT,Max − σT,Ave K2 − 1 i K−1 K K−1
Percent Error = 100 = 100 = 100 = 100
σT,Max K2 + 1 K2 + 1 K2 + 1
p
K2 − 1 i

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ERROR IN THIN-WALLED FORMULATION
45.0%
For a cylinder with t/d = 1/20:
40.0%
t 1 b−a 1 1 35.0%
= ⇒ = ⇒K−1= ⇒ K = 1.1
d 20 2a 20 10 30.0%

K K−1 1.1 1.1 − 1

% Error
25.0%
Percent Error = 2 100 = 100
K +1 1.12 + 1 20.0%

15.0%
= 5.0%
10.0%

Thus the error in thin-walled formula for t/d = 1/20 5.0%

is 5.0%. The error will be small for smaller t/d 0.0%

1.00 1.20 1.40 1.60 1.80 2.00

ratios. K = b/a

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