PLASTIC LOADS FOR INTERNALLY PRESSURIZED TORISPHERES

Tests on ten internally pressurised machined steel torispheres are reported. Their mean diameter was 200 mm and the constant wall thickness was 6 mm. Five different configurations were chosen. This meant two test repeats for each geometry. All domes had the same mass and they were loaded up until they burst. Various plastic loads were extracted from the load versus apex deflection curves and the data were compared with numerical predictions. Experimental plastic collapse loads, based on the twice-end-of-proportionality deflections, were varying from 13.0 N/mm(2) to 23.0 N/mm(2). The discrepancy between experimental points and numerical predictions of the plastic load varied from -12% to 0%. The ratio of the burst to the plastic pressure, as obtained from experiments, was between 1.7 and 2.8.