Failure correlation between cylindrical pressurized vessels and flat plates

Utilizing the theory of thin shell structures, a failure criterion is prese nted which one may use to predict, analytically, catastrophic failures, or unzipping, in cylindrical pressurized vessels, based on the fracture toughn ess profile K obtained from tests carried out on hat plates of the same mat erial and thickness. These test results are plotted as a function of the ch aracteristic ratio (h/c), where h represents the specimen thickness and c o ne-half of the crack length. Comparison with carefully controlled experimen tal data substantiates its validity and its potential use. The advantage of such an approach is that considerable amount of time and money can be save d. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.