University Institute of Engineering

Aerospace Engineering
Aircraft Structures-II Lab Manual

Experiment No.6 Thin Walled Pressure Vessels

Setup
Aim:

To determine stresses and forces acting in axial and circumferential direction (or) hoop and longitudinal on
four different thin walled cylinders (Copper, Aluminum, mild steel & brass).

Theory:

Pressure vessels are compressed gas storage tanks designed to hold gases at a pressure substantially
different from the ambient pressure. They have a variety of applications in industry, including in oil
refineries, nuclear reactors, gas reservoirs, etc. An aircraft fuselage, a gas cylinder are pressure vessels
which must be designed to meet very specific requirements of integrity. The human arteries maintain
pressure in the circulatory system much like a balloon maintains pressure on the air within it. The arteries
therefore act as pressure vessels by maintaining pressure. Pressure vessels can be any shape, but shapes
made of sections of spheres and cylinders are usually employed.

Cylinder stress patterns include:

Circumferential Stress To determine the circumferential stress σ 1 , make three sections (cd and ef)
perpendicular to the longitudinal axis and distance b apart (Figure (a)); and a third cut in a vertical plane
through the longitudinal axis of the tank. The resulting free body diagram is shown in Figure (b). Acting on
the longitudinal cut (plane ce fd) are the circumferential stresses σ 1 and the internal pressure p . The
circumferential stresses σ1 acting in the wall of the vessel have a resultant equal to σ1 (2bt) , where t is the
thickness of the wall. Also, the resultant force P1 of the internal pressure is equal to 2 pbr, where r is the
inner radius of the cylinder. Hence, we have the following equation of equilibrium.
σ1 (2bt -2pbr =0 ) Digital strain indicator
From the above equation, the circumferential stress in a pressurized cylinder can be found.

Thin Walled Pressure Vessels

 University Institute of Engineering
Aerospace Engineering
Aircraft Structures-II Lab Manual

Stresses in a circular cylindrical pressure vessel.

pr
σ 1=
t
If there exist an external pressure o p and an internal pressure i p, the formula may be expressed as:
( p 1−p o )
σ 1=
t
Longitudinal Stress The longitudinal stress σ 2 is obtained from the equilibrium of a free body diagram
shown in Figure (c). The stresses σ 2 acts longitudinally and have a resultant force equal to σ 2 (2πrt) . The
resultant force P2 of the internal pressure is a force equal to 2prπ . The equation of equilibrium for the free
body diagram is
2
σ 2=( 2 π rt )− p π r =0

Solving the above equation for σ 2 , lead to the following formula for the longitudinal stress in a cylindrical
pressure vessel.
pr
σ 2=
2t
If there exist an external pressure po and an internal pressure pi , the formula may be expressed as.
( p i − po ) r
σ 2=
2t
we find that the circumferential stress in a cylindrical vessel is equal to twice
the longitudinal stress.
σ1 = 2σ2
Due to this, cylindrical pressure vessels will split on the wall instead of being pulled apart like it would under
an axial load.
Apparatus:
 Foot pump
 Strain gauges on the cylinder
 Channel selector with digital indicator

Description:

It consists of foot pump, cylinder, and digital strain indicator. The whole set up is mounted on the frame.
Test frame comprises of a pressure vessel of 0.0016m thick wall. 4 cylinders A, B, C, D (copper,
aluminium, brass, mailsteel).strain gauges are mounted in 900 apart and are connected to the digital strain

Thin walled pressure apparatus

 University Institute of Engineering
Aerospace Engineering
Aircraft Structures-II Lab Manual

indicator in control panel for each cylinder. The display of strain is seen in the digital strain indicator. A foot
pump is used to input air pressure into the cylinder. Discharge valve is provided to discharge the pressure
from the cylinders.

ε y εx Y
x

Specification:

 Diameter of the cylinder =80mm

 Thickness of the cylinder = 1 mm
 Length of the cylinder = 150mm

Young’s modules (N/m2):

 Mild steel = 210×10 9

 Aluminum =75×10 9
 Brass =110×10 9
 Copper =120×10 9

Poisson Ratio:

 Mild steel = 0.303

 Aluminum = 0.334
 Brass = 0.357
 Copper = 0.36

Procedure:

1. Note down the material of the specimen and young’s Modulus.

2. Bring the strain display to zero by rotating the knob on either direction.
3. Press the cal button and release.
4. Zero display should be displayed in the meter.
5. Keep the discharge valve in closed position and cylinder valve in open position for the first cylinder
(MS cylinder). All other valves should be closed.
6. Start pumping the air and note down the pressure gauge reading in tabular column.

Thin walled pressure apparatus

 University Institute of Engineering
Aerospace Engineering
Aircraft Structures-II Lab Manual

7. Note down the axial strain reading by keeping channel selector point (1) from digital strain
indicator.
8. Release the pressure and repeat the point (2 to 6) same for first cylinder for circumferential reading
by keeping channel selector point (2) from digital strain indicator.
9. Repeat the experiment for other cylinders (Copper, brass, aluminium) channel selector points
(3,4,5,6,7,8) and note down the reading.

Observation table:

Sl Pressure in Strain indicator Strain indicator Strain indicator reading Strain indicator reading
no kg/cm2 reading reading
Mild Steel Copper Brass Aluminium
εx εy εx εy εx εy εx εy

Strain Gauge points

∈1 , ∈2=Mild Steel

∈3 ,∈4 =Copper

∈5 ,∈6=Brass

∈7 ,∈8= Aluminium

Formulas used:

1. For hoop stress

E εx 2
σ x= N /m
( 2−ϑ )

2. For longitudinal stress

E εy 2
σ y= N /m
( 1−2 ϑ )
Where
E=young’s modulus in N/m2
ε x =hoop strain (circumferential)
ε y =longitudinal strain
ϑ =¿ Poisson ratio

Thin walled pressure apparatus

 University Institute of Engineering
Aerospace Engineering
Aircraft Structures-II Lab Manual

Pressure can be calculated directly from the measured strain.

3.
4 tE ε x 2
P x= N /m
D ( 2−ϑ )

4.
4 tE ε y 2
P y= N /m
D ( 1−2 ϑ )
Where
D=diameter of the cylinder t=thickness of the cylinder

Note:

 Do not exceed the pressure 1.7 kg/cm2

 Operate the instrument gently.
 Do not touch the strain gauges.
 Drain out air from vessel on completion of the experiment.

Thin walled pressure apparatus

 University Institute of Engineering
Aerospace Engineering
Aircraft Structures-II Lab Manual

Test Results

Thin Walled Pressure Vessels

Young
Pressu Dia
’s thickn Lengt Hoop longitudina Pressure Pressure for
Materi re in (D
Ex Ey modul ess t h in Stress l Stress for Hoop longitudinal
al Kg/cm in
us in m m N/m2 N/m2 strain strain
2 m)
Gpa
0.0 494991.16 4263.9593 24749.558 213197.969
0.4 4 8 0.001 0.15
8 09 91 04 5
0.0 1113730.1 9593.9086 55686.505 479695.431
0.8 9 18 0.001 0.15
8 12 29 6 5
MS 210
0.0 1608721.2 13324.873 80436.063 666243.654
1.2 13 25 0.001 0.15
8 73 1 64 8
0.0 2227460.2 18121.827 111373.01 906091.370
1.6 18 34 0.001 0.15
8 24 41 12 6
0.0 585365.85 5142.8571 29268.292 257142.857
0.4 8 12 0.001 0.15
8 37 4 68 1
0.0 1024390.2 8571.4285 51219.512 428571.428
0.8 14 20 0.001 0.15
8 44 7 2 6
Copper 120
0.0 1390243.9 12000.000 69512.195
1.2 19 28 0.001 0.15 600000
8 02 00 12
0.0 1829268.2 15000.000 91463.414
1.6 25 35 0.001 0.15 750000
8 93 00 63
0.0 401704.19 20085.209
0.4 6 14 0.001 0.15 5384.615 269230.769
8 96 98
0.0 803408.39 40170.419
0.8 12 24 0.001 0.15 9230.769 461538.462
8 93 96
Brass 110
0.0 1071211.1 53560.559
1.2 16 34 0.001 0.15 13076.923 653846.154
8 99 95
0.0 1539866.0 76993.304
1.6 23 51 0.001 0.15 19615.385 980769.231
8 99 93
0.0 1035414.1 51770.708
0.4 23 45 0.001 0.15 10165.663 508283.133
8 66 28
0.0 2070828.3 103541.41
0.8 46 79 0.001 0.15 17846.386 892319.277
Alumin 8 31 66
75
ium 11 0.0 2340936.3 117046.81 1276355.42
1.2 52 0.001 0.15 25527.108
3 8 75 87 2
14 0.0 3241296.5 162064.82 1637801.20
1.6 72 0.001 0.15 32756.024
5 8 19 59 5

Thin Walled Pressure Vessels

 University Institute of Engineering
Aerospace Engineering
Aircraft Structures-II Lab Manual

Sample calculation for MS

1. For hoop stress

E εx 2
σ x= N /m
( 2−ϑ )

9 −6
210 ×10 ×18 ×10 2
σ x= N /m
( 2−0.303 )

2
σ x =2227460.22 N /m

2. For longitudinal stress

E εy 2
σ y= N /m
( 1−2 ϑ )

9 −6
210× 10 ×34 × 10 2
σ y= N /m
( 1−( 2 ×0.303 ) )

2
σ y =18121.82 N /m

Pressure can be calculated directly from the measured strain.

3.
4 tE ε x 2
P x= N /m
D ( 2−ϑ )

9 −6
4 ×0.001 × 210× 10 ×18 ×10 2
P x= N /m
0.15 ( 2−0.303 )

2
P x =111373.0112 N /m

4.
4 tE ε y 2
P y= N /m
D ( 1−2 ϑ )

9 −6
4 ×0.001 ×210 ×10 × 34 ×10 2
P y= N /m
0.15 ( 1−(2 × 0.303) )

Thin Walled Pressure Vessels

 University Institute of Engineering
Aerospace Engineering
Aircraft Structures-II Lab Manual

2
P y =906091.3706 N /m

Prepared By Reviewed By Approved By

Uma Shanker Sanjeev Kumar Dhama HOD- Aerospace

Engineering

Thin walled pressure apparatus