Abstract
An experimental study has been made of the elastic stress distributions arising in the vicinity of two transition rings of the type used to connect cylindrical ducts with large spherical pressure vessels. The effect of bending moments on the duct was considered and theoretical estimates of the stresses were made by modifying certain well-known analyses. Two of these methods gave results close to the experimental values in a region which included the position of maximum stress. This occurred near the weld between the spherical shell and the transition ring.
In a further investigation it was found that, for the order of loads applied, the principle of superposition may be used to calculate the combined effect of a local bending moment and an internal pressure.
When allowable bending moments at design pressure are calculated using a limiting stress concentration factor, the heavier transition piece is slightly superior to the other.
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