6.

3 COMPOUND CYLINDER

Introduction
Using single cylinder, from sketch of stress distribution, there is a large variation in the
hoop stress across the wall thickness, the tangential stress at the inner surface can be very
large compared to the stress at the outer surface; this led to wastage of the material.

The material in the case of single cylinder is not therefore used to its best advantage. To
obtain more uniform hoop stress distribution, cylinders are often made by shrinking one
tube on to the outside of another. In this case, the inner radius of the outer member or
jacket is made smaller than the outer radius of the inner cylinder.

When the outer tube or jacket contracts on cooling, the inner tube is brought into a state of
compression. The outer tube will therefore be in the state of tension. If this compound
cylinder is now subjected to internal pressure the resultant hoop stresses will be the
algebraic sum resulting due from the shrinkage and from the pressure.

If properly designed this compound cylinder can resist relatively large pressure more
efficiently and require less material than a single cylinder.

6.3.1 Derivation of interference pressure or shrinkage pressure, ps.

When the two parts are fitted together, contact pressure set up at the common surface. Let
this pressure is denoted as ps – the interference pressure. The outer cylinder therefore can
be considered as being subjected to the internal pressure equals to pc, whilst the inner
cylinder is considered being subjected to the external pressure equals to ps.

The magnitude of the contact pressure or interface pressure, ps, between the members may
be calculated using the previous equations as follows:
 Outer
cylinder

Interference
pressure, ps
b a

Inner
cylinder

Let
a= internal radius of the inner cylinder
b= common radius
c= external radius of the outer cylinder

Assume the internal radius of the outer cylinder to be larger in the unstressed state by an
amount , termed as the radial interference or shrinkage allowance,

Then,

u r ]bo  u r ]bi  bi  bo   (6.5 )

Due to ps, the outer cylinder is seemed being subjected to internal pressure, whilst the
inner cylinder seemed to be subjected to outside pressure

By using equations 6.3(case 1 ) and 6.4(case 2 ) we obtain

 1  c2  b2  1  b2  a2 
  p s .b     
o
   i  , or (6.6)
 c2  b2  2 2
 E o   Ei  b  a 


ps  .
 1 c b 2  1
2  b2  a2  (6.7)
b   2 2   o   
 b2  a2   i


 Eo  c  b  Ei  
Thus the interference pressure can be found as function of shrinkage allowance,

If both the inner and outer cylinders are made from same material, then

E  b 2  a 2  c 2  b 2 
ps  .
2b 3  c 2  a 2 
(6.8)

Note that the terms a, b and c can be diameters, then  is termed as the diametral
interference.

6.3.2 Analysis of compound cylinder subjected to internal pressure , pi.

The compound cylinder when subjected to internal pressure can be analysed in the
following manner:
(A) First consider the effect of the interference pressure ps.

(i) For the outer cylinder, the internal radius is b and external radius is c.

The tangential stress,, is given as in eqn 6.3 (case 1)

psb 2  2 
 = 1  c  , (i)
 r 2 
c2  b2 

(ii) For the inner cylinder, the internal radius is a, and the external radius is b,

The tangential stress,, is given as in eqn 6.4 (case 2)

ps b 2  2 
1  a  ,
 =   r 2 
(ii)
b2  a2 

The inner cylinder experiences compressive stress throughout it wall thickness.

(B) Next, consider the compound cylinder subjected to internal pressure, pi. In this case the
compound cylinder is considered as a single thick walled cylinder with internal radius a,
and external radius c. Equation 6.3 (case 1) is applied.

The tangential stress,, is given as in eqn 6.3 (case 1)

ps a 2  2 
1  c  ,
 =  r 2 
(iii)
c2  a2 

(C ). Next, consider the combined effect of interference pressure, ps, and internal pressure,
pi.
 (i) For the outer cylinder, add equation (i) and equation (iii) and substituting r = b
at the common radius and r = c at the external radius.
(ii) For the inner cylinder, add equation (ii) and equation (iii) and substituting r = b
at the common radius and r = a at the internal radius.

The variation of these stresses is illustrated in figure below. The same can be made for the
radial stresses.

due to ps combined effect (resultant

stress)
due to pi
Example. See example 8.3 pp 323 ref 1.

1. A compound cylinder made from same material with a = 150 mm, b = 200 mm, c = 250
mm, E = 200 GPa, with shringkage allowance,  = 0.1 mm is subjected to an internal
pressure of 140 MPa.
Compute (a) the interference pressure at the common surface of the cylinders, and (b) the
tangential stress distribution throughout the compound cylinder wall.
( ps = 12.3 MPa,)

Solution.