Effect of End Conditions on the Burst Strength of Finite Cylinders

Abstract

Solutions are presented for the bursting strength of thin-walled cylinders of finite length with various end restraints, including (a) two rigid end plates, (b) two hemispherical caps, and (c) one rigid end plate and one hemispherical cap. The deformation theory of plasticity is used, together with the Mises yield criterion, for materials obeying a linear strain-hardening law. Comparisons of the results are made to determine the influence of end restraints on burst pressure with numerical results presented for cylinder lengths from 0 (sphere) to ∞, and for a range of hardening constants. The results show that the effect of shortness is small (less than 8 percent), and the influence of end conditions negligible, in the range l > 3. For shorter cylinders, the finite length of the shell serves to increase burst pressures, to values nearly double those for the infinite cylinder, as l → 0. Also, the effect of end restraints becomes very pronounced, the cylinder with the two rigid end plates being the strongest, and that with two hemispherical caps the weakest; all other types of end closures are assumed to have a strengthening effect intermediate to these two cases.