Analysis of cracked cylindrical shells by a strain-based finite element

Abstract

In this paper, parameters necessary to implement the Strip Yield Zone Model (Dugdale, D.S., J. Mech. Phys. Solids 1960 8, 100-4) a in the analysis of pressurized cylindrical shells are evaluated using a strain-based finite element. The shell finite element employed is a strain-based bidimensional cylindrical circular element with four nodes and five degrees of freedom for each node. Two types of crack orientation are considered: axial and circumferential, and results are presented relating the ratios of remote stress/yield stress and the opening displacements to the ratios of yield zone length/crack length.