Experimental and numerical study of stress-strain state of pressurised cylindrical shells with external defects

Work presents the experimental technique with using of strain gauges for determining of strain distribution near longitudinal external defects of semielliptical shape in pressurised cylindrical shells and an appropriate procedure of numerical calculation based on a finite element method (FEM) for assessment of strain state near such defects. Numerical assessment of elastic stress distribution at bottom of external semielliptical notch in pressurised cylindrical shell is in a good agreement with the data received on the base of different analytical models. Here, the FEM results and data based on Glinka-Newport model are the most close for maximal stress. A comparison an experimental and calculation results showed on their acceptable coincidence and this fact gives the ground for using the numerical calculations instead labour-intensive and expensive experimental tests. © 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.