Thin-walled Pressure Vessels (continued)

Recall Mohr’s Circle provides a convenient way to determine the normal and shear stresses
on any face on the outer surface of a pressure vessel.

Mohr’s Circle for a spherical pressure vessel for in-plane stresses on the outer surface of
the cylinder is as follows:

where σ₁ = σ₂ = pr/2t

Note: σ₁ and σ₂ are the principal stresses and are the same in any direction for any

element on the outer surface of the spherical pressure vessel. There are no in-plane shearing stresses on any element on the outer surface of the sphere.

Click here for Mohr’s Circle involving cylindrical pressure vessels.

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