International Journal of Pressure Vessels and Piping 75 (1998) 443446

Autofrettage of thick cylinders

Ruilin Zhu a,*, Jinlai Yang b
a
Zhejiang University, PO Box 258, Hangzhou 310027, Peoples Republic of China
b
Zhejiang TV University, Hangzhou 310012, Peoples Republic of China

Abstract

Based on the third and the fourth strength theory, this paper presents an analytic equation for optimum radius of elasticplastic juncture,
r jopt, in autofrettage technology; influence of autofrettage on stress distribution and load-bearing capacity of a cylinder is studied and
optimum pressure in autofrettage technology is presented. q 1998 Published by Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved

Keywords: Autofrettage; Cylinder; Elasticplastic juncture

Notation elasticplastic juncture, r jopt, where the equivalent stress,

j eq, is minimum. With r jopt solved, many other problems
about autofrettage can be readily solved. In Harvey [1], no
k Ratio of outside radius to inside radius, k r o/r i
p Internal pressure
detailed result but only a concept about autofrettage was
pa Autofrettage pressure given. Brownell and Young [2], and Yu [3] proposed a
pe Maximum internal pressure a cylinder can contain elastically repeated trial calculation method to determine r jopt, which
py Entire yield internal pressure were a bit too tedious and inaccurate; moreover this method
r i,r j,r o Inside radius, radius of elasticplastic juncture and outside is based on limiting only hoop stress and is essentially based on
radius of a cylinder, respectively
j eq Equivalent stress at r r j
the first strength theory which is in agreement with brittle
j r,j t,j z Radial, hoop and axial stress, respectively materials, while pressure vessels are made generally from
jy Yield strength. ductile materials which are in excellent agreement with the
third or the fourth strength theory [4,6]. The graphic method
Superscripts presented in Kong [5] was also a bit too tedious and inaccurate.
The purpose of the present paper is to find out a simple,
applicable, accurate and reasonable analytic equation to
III,IV
Quantity based on the third and the fourth strength theory, determine r jopt, which does not appear to be available in the
respectively existing literature, and to study problems about autofrettage.
Residual stress
9, p,T
Stress caused by p & total stress, respectively, j T j9 j p.

2. Relation between the third and fourth strength theory

Subscripts for a cylinder
opt The optimum quantity.
According to the third strength theory, the equivalent
stress is as follows [4,6]:
1. Introduction jIII
eq jt jr (1)
The equivalent stress based on the fourth strength theory is
To obtain a favourable stress pattern inside the wall of a
as follows [4,6]:
cylinder, autofrettage is an appropriate method, in which q
the key problem is to determine the optimum radius of jIV 2[(jt jr ) (j r jz ) (jz jt ) ]
1 2 2 2
eq (2)

* Corresponding author Substituting j z (j t j r)/2 (Lame formula [13]) into

0308-0161/98/$ - see front matter q 1998 Published by Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved
PII: S0 30 8 -0 1 61 ( 98 ) 00 0 30 - 1
444 R. Zhu, J. Yang/International Journal of Pressure Vessels and Piping 75 (1998) 443446

Eq. (2), we obtain: Letting

p p
3 3 III djIII
eq
IV
jeq (j jr ) j (3) 0,
2 t 2 eq drj
we obtain:
Eq. (3) is the relation between the third and the fourth  
p
strength theory for a cylinder, and is also the relation rjopt ri exp (8)
jy
between the Trescas and the Mises yield norm [4,6].
With this relation we can obtain the desired solution based At r j r jopt,
on the third strength theory conveniently from the fourth d2 jIII
eq
strength theory and vice versa. . 0,
drj2
that means the jIII
eq at r j r jopt is minimum, therefore, r jopt is
3. To determine optimum radius of elasticplastic the optimum radius of elasticplastic juncture.
juncture, r jopt
3.2. In view of the fourth strength theory
3.1. In view of the third strength theory
Similarly, with the help of the relation between the third
From Harvey [1], Brownell and Young [2], and Yu [3] and the fourth strength theory, we obtain r jopt based on the
and using the relation between the third and the fourth fourth strength theory:
strength theory, we obtain the residual stresses at r j after p !
removing p a based on the third strength theory as follows: 3p
rjopt ri exp (9)
!" ! #9 2jy
jy ro2 rj2 rj2 rj 1 >
>
jr 9 >
ri k 1 >
1 2 1 2 2ln
2 rj ro2 ro 2 >
> With Eq. (8) or Eq. (9): (1) neither repeated trial calculation
>
>
!" ! #>
>
>
nor graphic method but only a pocket calculator is needed to
jy 2
ro rj2
rj2
rj 1 = find out the optimum r jopt; (2) the effect of p and j y on r jopt is
jt 9 1 2 1 2ln
2 rj ro2 ro2 ri k2 1 >
>
depicted directly, for example, if p is great (the wall thick-
>
>
" ! # >
> ness of a cylinder will be great), r jopt should also be great for
2 2 >
>
jy rj rj rj 1 >
> its load-bearing capacity to be increased; while j y is great,
jz 9 2
1 2
2ln 2
>
; r jopt may be small, this is because the materials whose j y are
2 ro ro ri k 1
great have great load-bearing capacities; (3) p y of a cylinder
(4) can be obtained directly from Eq. (8) or Eq. (9), this only
The stresses caused by p at r j are as follows: needs to let r jopt r o in Eq. (8) or Eq. (9) or let jIII
eq
or IV
jy
!9 in Eq. (1) or Eq. (3):
p ro2 >
p
1 2 > > pIII
rj >
jr 2 y j y ln k (10)
k 1 >
>
>
>
!>
= 2
y pj y ln k
pIV
2
p p ro (5) (11)
jt 2 1 2 >
k 1 rj > >
>
3
>
>
>
> Eq. (8) and Eq. (9) show that rjoptIII IV
is a little larger than rjopt ,
p p >
;
jz 2 but their difference is very narrow, as shown in Fig. 1.
k 1
Thus it can be seen that using Eq. (8) or Eq. (9) to find r jopt
Adding up the corresponding stresses in Eqs. (4) and (5), we is a simple applicable, accurate and more reasonable
obtain the total stresses of an autofrettage-treated cylinder at method.
r r j: It can be noted that when substituting Eq. (4) to Eq. (6)
9
jTr jr 9 jpr > (stress based on the third strength theory) into Eq. (2)
>
=
p
or Eq. (3) (jIV III
eq ) (not into Eq. (1), or jeq ), we still obtain
jt jt 9 j t
T
(6) Eq. (8); conversely, applying the stress eqns based on
>
>
; the fourth strength theory but using jIII IV
jTz jz 9 jpz eq (not j eq ), we still
obtain Eq. (9). That is to say, provided stress equations
Substituting Eqs. (4)(6) into Eq. (1), we obtain the equiva- based on the third strength theory are used, whether jIII eq
lent stress at r r j: or jIVeq is used, r jopt is expressed by Eq. (8); conversely,
!
j r 2
r 2
r 2p ro2 provided stress equations based on the fourth strength
y o o j
jIII
eq jy 2 1 2 ln (7) theory are used, whether jIII IV
eq or j eq is used, r jopt is expressed
k 1 rj2 rj2 ri k2 1 rj2
by Eq. (9).
 R. Zhu, J. Yang/International Journal of Pressure Vessels and Piping 75 (1998) 443446 445

III
Fig. 1. Comparison between rjopt IV
& rjopt . Fig. 3. Autofrettage reduces the tension, a favourable stress pattern is
obtained.

4. Influence of autofrettage on a cylinder where

2k2 lnk
y =pe py =pe
pIII III IV IV
From Eq. (10) and Eq. (11), we know that autofrettage l (15)
k2 1
cannot increase p y of a cylinder. However, it can increase
the elastic strength of a cylinder. Eq. (10) or Eq. (11) is the Fig. 3 shows the influence of autofrettage on stress distribu-
maximum allowable pressure of a cylinder treated with tion (taking the fourth strength theory and k 2, p/j y 0.4
autofrettage, but the maximum allowable pressure of a as an example), from which it is seen that tension is reduced
cylinder not treated with autofrettage is [2,3]: considerably by autofrettage and the stress pattern is
favourable.
jy k2 1
pIII
e (12)
2 k2
or 5. The optimum autofrettage pressure

jy k 2 1 The optimum autofrettage pressure p aopt is a sufficiently

pIV
e p 2 (13)
3 k high internal pressure applied before a cylinder is put into
use to produce yield in its inner surface so that r jopt is
jy jy
pIII
e
or IV
or p(k `) (14) obtained. From Harvey [1] to Yu [3] and using the relation
2 3 between the third and the fourth strength theory, auto-
frettage pressure
Eq. (14), Eq. (10) or Eq. (11) show that increase of the !
elastic strength of a nonautofrettaged cylinder is p limited
III jy rj2 rj
(the limit is j y/2 for the third strength theory or jy = 3 for pa 1 2 jy ln (16)
2 ro ri
the fourth strength theory), even if its thickness is increased
infinitely (this is in agreement with Harvey [1] in a different Substituting Eq. (8) into Eq. (16), we obtain:
way); while an autofrettaged cylinder has limitless strength    
jy 2p 2
if its thickness is increased infinitely, as shown in Fig. 2, pIII
aopt 1 exp =k p (17)
2 jy
From Eq. (12), we obtain 1/k 2 1 2p/j y, therefore,
    
jy 2p 2p
pIII
aopt 1 1 exp p (18)
2 jy jy
Similarly, we obtain:
" p ! p !#
jy 3p 3p
paopt p 1 1
IV
exp p (19)
3 j y j y

The relation between p aopt and p is described in Fig. 4, from

Fig. 2. Autofrettage increases considerably the pressure a cylinder can
contain.
which we know that p aopt should be a little larger than p
(otherwise no yielding occurs in the wall of a cylinder)
and conform to Eq. (18) or Eq. (19) for r jopt to be obtained
so as to obtain a more favourable stress pattern.
It is necessary to point out that the above discussions are
446 R. Zhu, J. Yang/International Journal of Pressure Vessels and Piping 75 (1998) 443446
Fig. 4. The relation between p aopt and p.
done from the viewpoint of obtaining the optimum results.
Sometimes, it is allowed to choose r j between r i and r o (r jopt
expressed in Eq. (8) or Eq. (9) is just between r i and r o), and
near r jopt, but the j eq is not minimum if r j is not equal to r jopt.
Taking the case in Fig. 3 (k 2, p/j y 0.4) for an example,
r jopt 1.414 r i, thus from Eq. (3) to Eq. (6), j eq 0.665j y,
p aopt 0.689j y; while if r j r jopt, assuming: a. r j 1.2 r jopt
and b. r j 1.8 r jopt, thus from Eq. (3) to Eq. (6): a. j eq
0.712 j y, which is increased by 7.1%, assuming j y
600 MPa, j eq is increased by 28.3 MPa, p a 0.58 j y,
b. j eq 0.723 j y, which is increased by 8.7%, assuming
j y 600 MPa, j eq is increased by 34.9 MPa, p a 0.788 j y.
6. Conclusions
Using Eq. (8) and Eq. (9) to determine r jopt is a simple,
applicable, accurate and reasonable method to determine
r jopt; autofrettage considerably reduces tension in the wall
of a cylinder, a favourable stress pattern achieved; to
achieve r jopt, an autofrettage pressure p aopt a bit larger than
operation pressure p and conforming to Eq. (18) or Eq. (19)
should be applied before a pressure vessel is put into use, or
a suitable r j thus suitable p a can be chosen near r jopt accord-
ing to Eq. (8) or Eq. (9).
References
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Nostrand Reinhold Company Ltd, 1985.
[2] Brownell LE, Young EH. Process equipment design. New York: John
Wiley & Sons, 1959.
[3] Yu G. Chemical pressure vessel and equipment (in Chinese). Beijing:
Chemical Industrial Press, 1980 .
[4] Boresi AP, Sidebottom OM, Seely FB, Smith JO. Advanced
mechanics of materials, 3rd edn. New York: John Wiley & Sons,
1978.
[5] Kong F. Determining the optimum radius of the elasticplastic junc-
ture, R c, for thick-wall autofrettage cylinder by graphic method, (in
Chinese). Petrochemical Equipment, 1986;15:11.
[6] Timshenko S. Strength of materials. New York: Van Nostrand
Reinhold Company Ltd, 1978.