Effect of composite wrapping on the fracture behavior of the steel-lined hoop-wrapped cylinders

The steel-lined hoop-wrapped cylinders with internal axial semi-elliptical cracks in the cylindrical portion center of steel-liner have been modeled b y a three dimensional finite element (FE) method. Crack front regions were modeled using singular elements, whereas the rest of the cylinder was model ed using twenty-node hexahedron elements. Not only the cylindrical body but also the neck and transition areas of the cylinder were considered in the modelling. The stress intensity factor, K-1, and crack mouth opening displa cement (CMOD) were calculated. The influence of the hoop-wrapped materials, the internal pressure and the crack sizes on the fracture behavior of the cylinder an discussed. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.