MAE314

Solid Mechanics

Fall, 2008

Chapter 9. Pressure Vessels; Stresses due to Combined Loading

9.1 Introduction
Stress resultant
Normal force

Symbol
P

Torque moment

Bending moment

Formula
P
=
A
T
=
Ip

My
I
VQ
=
It

Transverse shear force V

References
Section 2.2 and 3.2
Sections 4.3
Section 6.3
Section 6.8

9.2 Thin-walled Pressure Vessels

(a) Spherical Shell under internal pressure

Cut into hemisphere in y direction.

y
A1

x A1 pA2 = 0

Sphere has inner radius r and thickness t.

A1 = 2 rm t = 2 (r + t / 2)t
rm : mean radius. Assume sphere is very thin
r >> t ,
A1 2 rt

x
p
x

=0

A2 = r 2
x (2 rt) p( r2 ) = 0
pr
x =
2t

A2

Similarly cut in x-direction

y

y =

pr
2t

9-1

Dr. Yuan

MAE314

Solid Mechanics

Fall, 2008
pr
2t

pr
2t

pr
2t
pr
2t

In fact, at any point there are two equal stresses of magnitude

pr
.
2t

(b) Cylindrical Pressure Vessel under internal pressure

y

1) Cut parallel to y-z plane

pr
Same as sphere. x =
N
2t
( )

2) Cut at x-z or x-y plane

y A1 PA2 = 0

A1 = 2tL , A2 = 2rL
pr
y =
t
This formula is good for any angle measured
about the x-axis.

=0

9-2

Dr. Yuan

MAE314

Solid Mechanics

Fall, 2008

pr
=
N
t
( )
1

Sometimes, yy is written as .

The hoop stress (or 1) in a closed cylindrical shell is twice the longitudinal stress x (or 2).
In an open-end cylindrical shell, x = 0.
9.4 Combined Loading (Stresses)

The basic relationships governing the influence of the fundamental types of loads - axial
load, torsion, transverse load (bending and shear), internal or external pressure - have been
developed in the previous chapters. In this section, we may combine the knowledge we have
acquired to determine the stresses in slender structural members or machine components under
fairly general loading conditions.
Combined stresses can be determined by superposition of the stresses due to each load
acting separately. This implies that the presence of one load does not affect the stress contributed
by another. The principle of superposition is applicable in cases involving linear elastic material
behavior where deformations are small.
F5

My

B
F1

B
K

F6

A
F3
F2

Vz

F1

F4

A
F3
F2

D
y

9-3

P
Mz

Vy

Dr. Yuan

MAE314

Solid Mechanics

xy

Mz

Vz

xz

Fall, 2008

My

Vy

(a)

(b)

Example 9.4.1 (Combined Axial and Bending Loads)

Consider a beam subjected to a force applied in the xy-plane and inclined to the x-axis as
shown below. Determine the normal and shear stresses at a distance x from the support. (the xaxis coincides with the centroid of the cross section and the cross section possesses a plane of
symmetry, the xy-plane)
y

P
x

(a)

(b)

P
x
M=Pe

P = Fcos, Q = Fsin.
The following figure shows that at any section located a distance x from the support, equilibrium
requires that an axial load P, a shear force V = -Q, and a moment M = Q(L-x) - Pe be
transmitted.
Q
Q

M=Q(L-x)-Pe

e
P
x

P
Q

L-x

M=Pe

(c) FBD

Superposition of the two normal stresses due to the axial P and the moment M gives

9-4

Dr. Yuan

MAE314

Solid Mechanics
x =

P
A

Fall, 2008

x =

x =

My

P
A

My
I

M
x
P

The normal and shear stresses is

F cos [F sin (L x) F cos e ]y
F sin Q
x =

=
A
I
Ib
Note that the location of the neutral axis for combined axial and bending is offset from the
centroidal axis due to the presence of the uniform stress x = P/A; thus, the neutral and
centroidal axes no longer coincide as is the case for pure bending. Several possibilities for the
stress distribution, contingent upon the signs and magnitudes of P and M are shown below.
Neutral axis

y
Centroidal
axis

M
x

M
x

Centroidal
axis

Centroidal
axis

Neutral axis

Example 9.4.2 A 2-in.-square bar is loaded as shown. At a section 2 in. from the support,
determine (a) the normal stress distribution, (b) the shear stress distribution.
M

24 in.

P
12 in.

y
1 kip

1 kip

30o

30o

Note that since the xy-plane is a plane of symmetry, the use of the equation x = P/A- My/I
and = VQ/Ib is valid. Use the free body diagram to determine the internal forces and moments,
P = 1000 cos60o = 500 lb., V = -1000 sin60o = -866 lb, and M = (86621+50011)lb-in. =
23,686 lb-in. The normal stress is

x =

P
A

My
I

500lb
4in

23,686lb in.(y)
4 / 3in 4

9-5

= (125 17,765y) psi

Dr. Yuan

MAE314

Solid Mechanics

Fall, 2008

The combined normal stress distribution is shown below. The neutral axis is less than 0.01 in.
from the centroidal axis.
125 psi

17,765 psi

=
17,765 psi

17,640 psi

17,890 psi

For the square section, the shear stress distribution is parabolic, with a maximum value of

max =

3V
3(866lb)
=
= 325 psi
2A
2(4in2 )

Example 9.4.3 Axial, Transverse, and Torsional Loads

An 80-mm-diameter cantilever aluminum bar is loaded as shown. Given allowable stresses

of 90 MPa in tension and 50 MPa in shear on a section 320 mm from the free end, determine the
largest value of R. Let T = 0.2R N.m and P = 20 R N.
y

T
B

R
L

The geometric properties of the section are

A = d 2 / 4 = 16 (10 4 ) m 2
1
1
I=
d 4 = (0.08)4 = 64 (10 8 ) m 4
64
64
I p = 2I = 128 (10 8 ) m 4
The normal stress at all points of the bar due to the axial load is
20R
12,500R
P
x = =
4 =

A 16 (10 )
and the torsional shear stress at the outer surface of the bar is
Tr 0.2R(0.04) 6250R
t =
=
8 =
I p 128 (10 )

(a)

(b)

The maximum tensile bending stress occurs at point B of the section considered. Therefore, for
a=320mm, we have
Mr 0.32R(0.04) 20,000R
(c)
x =
=
=
I

64 (10 8 )
Inasmuch as Q = As y = ( r 2 / 2)(4r / 3 ) = 2r 3 / 3 and b=2r, the maximum direct shearing stress
at point A is
9-6

Dr. Yuan

MAE314

Solid Mechanics

d =

'x

Fall, 2008

VQ 4V
4R
833R
=
=
4 =
3A 3(16 10 )

Ib

(d)

'x+"x
t

d +t

(a)

(b)

The maximum principal stress and the maximum shearing stress at point A ( Fig. a) are
12,500R
12,500R 2 7083R 2 6250R 9446R 15,696R
( 1 ) A =
+ (
) +(
) =
+
=

2
2
9446 R
( max ) A =

Similarly, at point B (Fig. b)

32,500R
32,500R 2 6250R 2 16,250R 17,411R 33,661R
+ (
) +(
) =
+
=
( 1 ) B =
2
2

17,411R
( max ) B =

Note that the stress at B are more severe than those at A. Substituting the given data into the
foregoing, we have
33,661R
6
90(10 ) =
or R = 8.4 kN

and

50(106 ) =

17, 411R

or

R = 9 kN

The magnitude of the largest permissible load is thus R = 8.4 kN.

Example 9.4.4 A closed-ended cylinder 10 in. internal radius and 0.5 in. thick is subjected to an
internal pressure of 500 psi and an axial tension of 100 kips. Determine for the shell wall (a) the
maximum tensile stress and (b) the maximum shearing stresses and the orientation of their
planes.
(A) Internal pressure: =
(B) Tension: x =

pr 500 x10
pr 500 x10
=
= 10 Ksi x =
=
= 5 Ksi
0.5
2 x 0.5
t
2t

P
P
100
=
=
= 3.183 Ksi
A 2 rt 2 (10)(0.5)

Combine the stress state (A) + (B) : x = 8.183 Ksi = 10 Ksi

9-7

Dr. Yuan

MAE314

Solid Mechanics

Fall, 2008

10 ksi

8.183 ksi

x = 8.183 Ksi y = 10 Ksi

ave =

x + y
2

= 9.092 Ksi

x y 2
+ 2xy = 0.909 Ksi
R =
2

The maximum tensile stress 1 = ave + R = 10.01 Ksi.

The maximum shearing stresses = R = 0.909 Ksi by rotating the cross section by 45o c.c.w.

9-8

Dr. Yuan