A Study of the Residual Stress Distribution in an Autofrettaged, Thick-Walled Cylinder With Cross-Bore

Abstract

It may be necessary to provide a radial opening such as gas evacuator holes, or an opening to operate the unlocking of the bolt mechanism by means of exhaust gases, in a gun barrel, which is a thick walled cylinder. A three dimensional finite element analysis has been performed to evaluate the effect of introducing a radial cross-bore in an autofrettaged thick-walled cylinder. From the analysis of the cross-bored autofrettaged cylinder, it was observed that there is a severe localized change in the residual stress profile in the vicinity of the cross-bore. The residual circumferential stress increases in compression at the bore. Similarly it increases in tension at the outer diameter, thus making the outer diameter more vulnerable to fatigue failure or crack initiation under stresses arising as a result of firing. Analyses were also performed by varying the cross-bore diameter and it was observed that, by increasing the diameter of the radial hole, the residual circumferential stress at the bore reduces, while it increases at the outer diameter, with an increase in the cross bore diameter. The re-pressurization pressure of an autofrettaged cylinder with radial cross-bore was found to be approximately 65 percent less than the actual autofrettage pressure in a particular case discussed in this paper. A comparison is also made with the residual stress field which would result if the cross-bore was machined before autofrettage.