Stresses in torispherical drumheads: A photoelastic investigation

Abstract

The dependence of the elastic stress distribution on the shape and thickness parameters in a wide range of torispherical drumheads has been examined using the photoelastic frozen-stress method. Peak principal stress indices are presented in the form of two contour systems; they have also been studied in terms of mean and bending stresses. An approximate approach to some of the practical problems of non-uniform stress gradients is suggested. Head distortions have been measured. A stress concentration factor based on the Maxwell-von Mises yield criterion is shown to be approximately equal to the conventional one.