A simple experiment to demonstrate membrane stresses acting in cylindrical pressure vessels is described in this work. This was accomplished by attaching strain gauges to a drinking can that was, in turn, pressurized using a bicycle pump. Despite the items used being inexpensive and commonly available, the experiment was nonetheless able to produce measurements that were close to that predicted by membrane stress theory. More importantly, it was highly successful in helping students grasp the fundamental concepts of membrane stresses in an experiential manner.
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