Appendix B Transformation of Field

Variables Between Cartesian,

Cylindrical, and Spherical
Components

This appendix contains some three-dimensional transformation relations between displacement and stress components in Cartesian, cylindrical, and spherical coordinates. The coordinate systems are shown in Figure A-1 in Appendix A, and the related stress components are
illustrated in Figure B-1. These results follow from the general transformation laws (1.5.1) and
(3.3.3). Note that the stress results can also be applied for strain transformation.

tRq

sz

sR
Rf

tqz

trz

sq
trq

sr

sq

tfq

y
r
x

(Cylindrical System)

FIGURE B-1

502

sf

dq
dr

x
(Spherical System)

Stress components in cylindrical and spherical coordinates.

Cylindrical Components from Cartesian

The transformation matrix for this case is given by
2
3
cos y sin y 0
[Q] 4  sin y cos y 0 5
0
0
1

(B:1)

Displacement Transformation
ur u cos y v sin y
uy u sin y v cos y

(B:2)

uz w

Stress Transformation
sr sx cos2 y sy sin2 y 2txy sin y cos y
sy sx sin2 y sy cos2 y  2txy sin y cos y
sz sz
try sx sin y cos y sy sin y cos y txy ( cos2 y  sin2 y)
tyz tyz cos y  tzx sin y

(B:3)

tzr tyz sin y tzx cos y

Spherical Components from Cylindrical

The transformation matrix from cylindrical to spherical coordinates is given by
2
3
sin f 0 cos f
[Q] 4 cos f 0  sin f 5
0
1
0

(B:4)

Displacement Transformation
uR ur sin f uz cos f
uf ur cos f  uz sin f

(B:5)

uy uy

Stress Transformation
sR sr sin2 f sz cos2 f 2trz sin f cos f
sf sr cos2 f sz sin2 f  2trz sin f cos f
sy sy
tRf (sr  sz ) sin f cos f  trz ( sin2 f  cos2 f)
tfy try cos f  tyz sin f

(B:6)

tyR try sin f tyz cos f

Transformation of Field Variables

503

Spherical Components from Cartesian

The transformation matrix from Cartesian to spherical coordinates can be obtained by combining the previous transformations given by (B.1) and (B.4). Tracing back through tensor
transformation theory, this is accomplished by the simple matrix multiplication
2

sin f

cos f

32

cos y

sin y

6
76
[Q] 4 cos f 0  sin f 54  sin y cos y
0
1
0
0
0
2
3
sin f cos y sin f sin y cos f
6
7
4 cos f cos y cos f sin y  sin f 5
 sin y
cos y
0

7
05
1

(B:7)

Displacement Transformation
uR u sin f cos y v sin f sin y w cos f
uf u cos f cos y v cos f sin y  w sin f
uy u sin y v cos y

(B:8)

Stress Transformation
sR sx sin2 f cos2 y sy sin2 f sin2 y sz cos2 f
2txy sin2 f sin y cos y 2tyz sin f cos f sin y 2tzx sin f cos f cos y
sf sx cos2 f cos2 y sy cos2 f sin2 y sz sin2 f
2txy cos2 f sin y cos y  2tyz sin f cos f sin y  2tzx sin f cos f cos y
sy sx sin2 y sy cos2 y  2txy sin y cos y
tRf sx sin f cos f cos2 y sy sin f cos f sin2 y  sz sin f cos f
2txy sin f cos f sin y cos y  tyz ( sin2 f  cos2 f) sin y

(B:9)

 tzx ( sin2 f  cos2 f) cos y

tfy sx cos f sin y cos y sy cos f sin y cos y txy cos f( cos2 y  sin2 y)
 tyz sin f cos y tzx sin f sin y
tyR sx sin f sin y cos y sy sin f sin y cos y txy sin f( cos2 y  sin2 y)
tyz cos f cos y  tzx cos f sin y
Inverse transformations of these results can be computed by formally inverting the system
equations or redeveloping the results using tensor transformation theory.

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APPENDIX B