ENGR.

BON RYAN ANIBAN

 Cylindrical and spherical vessels are commonly used in industry to serve as boilers
or tanks. When under pressure, the material of which they are made is subjected to a
loading from all directions. Although this is the case, the vessels can be analyzed in a
simple manner provided it has a thin wall.

In general, “thin wall” refers to a vessel having an inner-

radius-to-wall-thickness ratio of 10 or more (r/t ≥ 10).

Provided the vessel wall is “thin,” the stress distribution

throughout its thickness will not vary significantly, and so
assumed that it is uniform or constant.

Using this assumption, we will analyze the state of stress in

thin-walled cylindrical and spherical pressure vessels.
 t Consider the cylindrical vessel having a
length L, wall thickness t, inner diameter D, and
σt subjected to an internal pressure p that
developed within the vessel by a contained
σL fluid. Due to this loading, a small element of the
D vessel that is sufficiently removed and oriented
as shown, is subjected to normal stresses σt in the
circumferential or hoop direction and σL in the
longitudinal or axial direction.
L
 The tangential stress (σt) can be determined
by considering the vessel to be cut by plane a-a,
a other common names are circumferential stress,
t hoop stress, and girth stress.

σt

σL
D

L
a
 z The tangential stress (σt) can be determined
by considering the vessel to be cut by plane a-a,
other common names are circumferential stress,
t hoop stress, and girth stress.
L
σt

p D y
x

σt
t
 z The tangential stress (σt) can be determined
by considering the vessel to be cut by plane a-a,
other common names are circumferential stress,
t hoop stress, and girth stress.
L
Σ𝐹𝑥 = 0;
σt
F1 = σt (tL) 2(𝐹1) − 𝐹2 = 0
p D y 2 𝜎𝑡 𝑡𝐿 = 𝑝 𝐷𝐿
x
F2 = p (DL) 2𝜎𝑡 𝑡 = 𝑝 𝐷
Where:
σt = the normal stress in the
σt 𝑝𝐷 circumferential direction, MPa
t
F1 = σt (tL) 𝜎𝑡 = p = the internal pressure developed by
the contained gas or fluid, MPa
2𝑡 D = the inner diameter of the cylindrical
vessel, mm
t = the thickness of the wall, mm
 The longitudinal stress (σL) can be determined by
considering the vessel to be cut by plane b-b, and isolate
the left portion of plane b-b. As shown in the figure, σL acts
uniformly throughout the wall, and p acts on the section
t of the contained fluid.

σt
σL
D

L
 The longitudinal stress (σL) can be determined by
b considering the vessel to be cut by plane b-b, and isolate
the left portion of plane b-b. As shown in the figure, σL acts
uniformly throughout the wall, and p acts on the section
t of the contained fluid.

σt
σL
D

L
 The longitudinal stress (σL) can be determined by
z considering the vessel to be cut by plane b-b, and isolate
the left portion of plane b-b. As shown in the figure, σL acts
uniformly throughout the wall, and p acts on the section
t
of the contained fluid.
Σ𝐹𝑦 = 0;
σL
𝐹1 − 𝐹2 = 0
F2 = p(πD2/4)
D y
F1 = σL (πDt) 𝜎𝐿 𝜋𝐷𝑡 = 𝑝 𝜋𝐷2 /4
x 𝜎𝐿 𝑡 = 𝑝 𝐷/4
Where:
σt = the normal stress in the
p 𝑝𝐷 longitudinal direction, MPa

𝜎𝐿 = p = the internal pressure developed by

the contained gas or fluid, MPa
4𝑡 D = the inner diameter of the cylindrical
vessel, mm
t = the thickness of the wall, mm
 Consider the vessel to have a wall thickness t, inner diameter
D, and subjected to an internal pressure p. A small element of
the vessel that is sufficiently removed and oriented as shown,
is subjected to normal stress σS. If the spherical vessel is cut in
half by plane c-c, the resulting free-body diagram is shown.

σs
D
σs

t
 Consider the vessel to have a wall thickness t, inner diameter
D, and subjected to an internal pressure p. A small element of
c the vessel that is sufficiently removed and oriented as shown,
is subjected to normal stress σS. If the spherical vessel is cut in
half by plane c-c, the resulting free-body diagram is shown.

σs
D
σs

c
 Consider the vessel to have a wall thickness t, inner diameter
D, and subjected to an internal pressure p. A small element of
the vessel that is sufficiently removed and oriented as shown,
z t is subjected to normal stress σS. If the spherical vessel is cut in
half by plane c-c, the resulting free-body diagram is shown.
Σ𝐹𝑦 = 0;
σs
𝐹1 − 𝐹2 = 0
F2 = p(πD2/4)
D y 𝜎𝑆 𝜋𝐷𝑡 = 𝑝 𝜋𝐷2 /4
F1 = σs (πDt)
𝜎𝑆 𝑡 = 𝑝 𝐷/4
Where:
x σS = the normal stress in the
𝑝𝐷 spherical vessel, MPa

p 𝜎𝑆 = p = the internal pressure developed by

the contained gas or fluid, MPa
4𝑡 D = the inner diameter of the cylindrical
vessel, mm
t = the thickness of the wall, mm
Consider the wooden tank having an inner diameter D, and subjected to an internal pressure p
that developed within the vessel by a contained fluid. The staves of wooden tank is bound
together by steel hoops having a cross-sectional area AH and allowable stress σH. The spacing s
can be determined by considering the vessel to be sectioned by planes a-a, b-b, and c-c.

b a
c

c
s s
b a
Consider the wooden tank having an inner diameter D, and subjected to an internal pressure p
that developed within the vessel by a contained fluid. The staves of wooden tank is bound
together by steel hoops having a cross-sectional area AH and allowable stress σH. The spacing s
can be determined by considering the vessel to be sectioned by planes a-a, b-b, and c-c.

z AH Σ𝐹𝑥 = 0;
σH 2 𝐹1 − 𝐹2 = 0
F1 = σH(AH)
2 𝜎𝐿 𝐴𝐻 − 𝑝 𝐷 𝑠 = 0
Where:
s = spacing of hoops, mm
p D 2𝜎𝐻𝐴𝐻
y σH = allowable hoop stress, MPa
AH = cross-sectional area of the hoop, mm2
𝑠= p = the internal pressure developed by
F2 = p(Ds) 𝑝𝐷 the contained gas or fluid, MPa
D = the inner diameter of the cylindrical
x vessel, mm
F1 = σH(AH) σH AH
s/2 s/2
 𝑆𝐴𝑀𝑃𝐿𝐸 𝑃𝑅𝑂𝐵𝐿𝐸𝑀 1

A 300 mm diameter steel pipe 12mm thick, carries a head of 50 m of water. Determine its tangential stress in MPa

Solution
𝑝𝐷
𝜎𝑡 =
2𝑡
𝑝 = 𝛾ℎ
= 9.81(50)
𝑝 = 490.50 kPa
(490.5 × 10−3 MPa)(300 mm )
𝜎𝑡 =
2(12 mm)

𝜎𝑡 = 6.131 MPa
 𝑆𝐴𝑀𝑃𝐿𝐸 𝑃𝑅𝑂𝐵𝐿𝐸𝑀 2
Determine the required thickness of the 450 mm diameter steel pipe to carry a maximum pressure of 5500 kPa if the
allowable stress of steel is 124 MPa.
Solution

𝑝𝐷 𝑝𝐷
𝜎𝑡 = 𝜎𝐿 =
2𝑡 4𝑡
(5.5 MPa)(450 mm ) (5.5 MPa)(450 mm )
124 𝑀𝑃𝑎 = 124 𝑀𝑃𝑎 =
2(𝑡) 4(𝑡)

𝑡 = 9.980 mm 𝑡 = 4. 990 mm
 𝑆𝐴𝑀𝑃𝐿𝐸 𝑃𝑅𝑂𝐵𝐿𝐸𝑀 3
A thin walled hallow sphere 3.5 m in diameter holds helium gas at 1700 kPa. Determine the minimum wall thickness of the
sphere if the allowable stress is 60 MPa.
Solution

𝑝𝐷
𝜎𝑆 =
4𝑡
(1.7 MPa)(3500 mm )
60 𝑀𝑃𝑎 =
4(𝑡)

𝑡 = 24.792 mm
 𝑆𝐴𝑀𝑃𝐿𝐸 𝑃𝑅𝑂𝐵𝐿𝐸𝑀 4
A wooden storage vat is 6 m. in diameter and is filled with 7 m. of oil (sg = 0.8) the wood staves are bound by falt steel bands,
50mm wide by 6mm thick whole allowable tensile stress is 110 Mpa. What is the required spacing of the bands at the bottom
of the vat.?
Solution
2𝜎𝐻 𝐴𝐻
𝑠=
𝑝𝐷

𝑝 = 𝛾ℎ
= 9.81(0.8)(7)
𝑝 = 54.936 kPa
2(110 MPa)(50mm × 6 mm )
𝑠=
(0.054936 MPa)(6000 mm)
𝑠 = 200.232 mm