Stress analysis in cylindrical pressure vessels with loads applied to the free end of a nozzle

This paper contains a stress analysis of a cylindrical pressure vessel load ed by axial and transverse forces on the free end of a nozzle. The nozzle i s placed such that the axis of the nozzle does not cross the axis of the cy lindrical shell. The method of finite elements was applied to determine the state of stress in the cylindrical shell. The values obtained for stress i n the nozzle region were used to determine the following: envelopes of maxi mum stress values; maximum values on these envelopes; and distances between maximum values on envelopes and the outer edge of the nozzle. Algebraic fu nctions were determined, which enable easy and simple determination of thes e numerous stress values. The stress values obtained from the algebraic fun ction were within -12.5 and +12.8% of those from finite elements. The diffe rence between stresses deduced from strain gauge readings on experimental a nd calculated stresses was a maximum of 12%. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.