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Thin-Walled Structures 43 (2005) 2332

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Stability of thin-walled high-pressure cylindrical


pipes with non-circular cross-section
and variable wall thickness subjected
to non-homogeneous corrosion
E.M. Gutmana,*, J. Haddadb, R. Bergmanb
a

Department of Materials Engineering, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev,


P.O. Box 653, Beer-Sheva 84105, Israel
b
Negev Academic College of Engineering-NACE, Bialik/Bazel St., P.O. Box 45, Beer Sheva 84100, Israel
Received 20 August 2003; received in revised form 30 July 2004; accepted 20 August 2004

Abstract
This paper proposes a method for determining the critical time of stability loss of thin-walled
cylindrical pipes with non-circular cross-section and variable wall thickness along the directrix
subjected to non-homogeneous corrosion from the inside. The method is based upon the model of a
thin elastic cylindrical shell with a non-circular cross-section and variable wall thickness along the
directrix. It is shown that the critical time can be established if the solution of the respective problem
of the static stability loss for the non-circular cylindrical shell with variable wall thickness along the
directrix, not subjected to corrosion, and the law of corrosion rate change are known. Numerical
results are connected with the pipe of the elliptical cross-section.
q 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Keywords: Non-circular cylindrical shell; Stability loss; Corrosion; Critical time

1. Introduction
High-pressure cylindrical non-circular shells with variable wall thickness are used as
constructive elements in the shipbuilding and aircraft industries, chemical engineering,
* Corresponding author. Tel.: C972 7 6461478; fax: C972 7 6519247.
E-mail address: gutman@bgumail.bgu.ac.il (E.M. Gutman).
0263-8231/$ - see front matter q 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
doi:10.1016/j.tws.2004.08.002

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E.M. Gutman et al. / Thin-Walled Structures 43 (2005) 2332

etc. They are often subjected to both internal and external pressures that can cause
structure stability loss, leading to the flattening of an initially perfect thin-walled elastic
body. A majority of investigations have been devoted to the stability loss analysis of
the elastic thin-walled cylindrical circular shells with constant wall thickness, subjected
to various loads, particularly to external pressure, e.g. [1]. However, these
investigations do not take into account the fact that in the process of the structure
operation, its interaction with an active environment can change, for instance, the
thickness of the shell.
In the article [2] the effect of the uniform corrosion process on the stability loss in thinwalled structures has been analyzed for the elastic thin-walled circular cylindrical pipes
subjected to permanent external pressure and uniform corrosion from the inside. It was
determined here, according to [3], that mechanical stresses increase the general (uniform)
corrosion rate and it was shown that structure life time will be completely determined by
the criterion of the stability loss of the elastic pipe. In the present paper, the corresponding
analysis is generalized to the elastic thin-walled non-circular tube, with variable wall
thickness along the directrix subjected to a permanent external pressure and nonhomogeneous corrosion from the inside.
It is demonstrated here that the critical time can be established if the solution of
respective problemsof the static stability loss for the non-circular cylindrical shell with
variable wall thickness along the directrix, not subjected to corrosion, and the law of
corrosion rate changeare known. For the exponent law of the corrosion rate [3] and for
the pipe with elliptical cross-section, the numerical results are received.

2. Problem description
Corrosion is considered here as a non-homogeneous dissolution of the surface. This
suggestion leads to a model in which the internal wall of the pipe is dissolved nonhomogeneously over the entire surface, and its thickness h decreases with time t.
The form of the function hZh(t) depends on many factors. One of them is the stressed
state of the metal [3,4], etc. In [4], particularly, for a single-crystal KCl plate placed into
the solution of its own ions, the enhancing effect of stresses on the dissolution rate was
established.
Experimental data for various metals and steels, received for a pure elastic stressed
state, have demonstrated an exponential dependence of the corrosion rate on the stress
value [3]. According to these data, it is assumed that the rate of the decrease in wall
thickness is equal to the non-homogeneous corrosion rate. This means, in a general sense,
that vZf[s(t)], where s is compressive stress in direct of the directrix, depending on the
time due to a decrease in the wall thickness under a constant external pressure. It is
possible to express this law in an explicit form, taking into account the specific conditions
of corrosion and the approximation accuracy or by using experimentally established
parameters of this function. The variable geometric characters of the cross-section of the
shell (curvature and wall thickness) generate the fact that compressive stress s is a variable
character of the cross-section as well. Consequently in the neighborhood of the point of
the cross-section, where the stress is maximal, the rate of the corrosion is maximal too.

E.M. Gutman et al. / Thin-Walled Structures 43 (2005) 2332

25

A loss of stability of the corresponding shell, non-subjected to corrosion, has a local


character [5,6] and modes of the loss of stability are localized close to generatrix of the
shell, corresponding to the point mentioned above on the directrix. Hence, to determine
the critical time for the loss of stability it can be traced on the dissolution of the shell in the
neighborhood of the generatrix.
The stability of a thin-walled elastic pipe, subjected to external pressure and nonhomogeneous corrosion from the inside, is studied below. It is assumed that the pipe has
the shape of a non-circular hollow cylinder with variable wall thickness and the ratio of the
average wall thickness in the cross-section to the average radius of the curvature is small
so that the pipe can be simulated as an elastic thin closed non-circular cylindrical shell
with variable wall thickness along the directrix.
Subsequently, relations for determining the critical time corresponding to the moment
of stability loss will be received.

3. Determination of the shells thickness, corresponding to stability loss


of the shell, not subjected to corrosion, at a given external pressure
The system of equations for stability loss of the thin elastic non-circular cylindrical
shell of the variable wall thickness along the directrix, subjected to the action of uniform
external pressure with intensity p (Fig. 1), at the initial membrane stress-state, in the linear
statement has the form [5]

Fig. 1. Curvilinear coordinate system and scheme of shells loading.

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E.M. Gutman et al. / Thin-Walled Structures 43 (2005) 2332

8
T2
v2 w
>
>
< DDDw K C pR 2 Z 0
vb
 ~ R 2
>
DF
Ev w
>
:D
Z0
C
h1
R va2

v2
v2
Dh 2 C 2
va
vb


(1)

where h1Zh1(b) and RZR(b) are the non-dimensional wall thickness and radius of the
curvature of the shell, respectively; a, b are the Gaussian coordinates on the middle
surface of the shell: a is the non-dimensional length of the generatrix, b is the nondimensional length of the directrix; w is the normal deflection of the middle surface of
the shell; E is Youngs modulus; DZ Eh31 =121K n2 is the flexural rigidity of the shell
2
~
~ F=r 2
(n is the Poisson coefficient); T2 Z v2 F=va
is the membrane tensile force; FZ
(FZF(a, b) is the function of forces, r is any character linier size of the shell having
dimension of the length). All non-dimensional quantities, participating in the problem, are
related to r.
Let us assume that the boundary conditions are simply supported butt ends. According
to the estimates made, e.g. in [5], they have the following approximate form
wZ

v2 w
Z0
vx2

a Z 0; a Z l

(2)

where l is the non-dimensional length of the shell. Let us assume that the shell is of
moderate relative length: lwO(1).
Note that the boundary conditions for the longitudinal displacement of the shell u and
the twisting displacement v are not taken into account because, in the case under
consideration in each point of the shells middle surface, the inequality max{juj,
jvj}/jwj takes place (see, e.g. [5,6]).
Eq. (1) consist of the variable coefficients, thus finding a solution from [2] is
inapplicable here. If we search the solution of the system of Eq. (1) in the form
F~ Z F bsin ka;

w Z w bsin ka;

kZ

pm
l

(3)

where m is the number of half-waves along the generatrix of the cylinder, then the
boundary conditions (2) are satisfied automatically. According to estimates in the
stability loss problem for the non-circular cylindrical shell of moderate length,
subjected to the action of uniform external pressure with intensity p [5,6], it was
received
m Z 1;

v
v
whK1=4
OO ;
0
vb
va

p~ wh03=2

(4)

~ p=Eh0 is the non-dimensional parameter of the load, h0 is any average


where pZ
along the cross-section of the shell non-dimensional (related to r) thickness of
the shell. Taking into account relations (3) and (4), we receive from the system of

E.M. Gutman et al. / Thin-Walled Structures 43 (2005) 2332

Eq. (1)
8
>
>
<

 2

Eh30
d 3 d2 w 
k2 F
d2 w 
~
C
Eh
h
Z0
pR
C
0
2
R
121K n2 db
db2
db2

2
>
1 d2 F
Eh k2
> d
:
K 0 w Z 0
2 h
2
R
db
db

27

(5)

where hZh(b) is non-dimensional wall thickness, related to h0 hbZ h1 b=h0 .


From Eq. (5) we receive


8
R d2 1 d2 F 
>
>
< w Z 2
Ek h0 db2 h db2 



2 2
>
h
k
d2 3 d2
d2 1 d2 F
k 4 F
d2
d2 1 d2 F
0
>
:
~
C
pR
h
R
R
C
Z0
R
121 K n2 db2 db2 db2 h db2
db2 db2 h db2
(6)
Using the method for the exponential representation of solution (see, e.g. [7]), we seek a
solution of the second Eq. (6) in the form
!1=4
 
f
h0
2
p
F F1 3F2 3 F3 /exp
;
; 3
3
2 31 K n2
(7)
p~ 36 p1 p2 3 p3 32 /
where FiZFi(b) (iZ1,2,3,.); fZf(b) are the unknown functions and pi(iZ1,2,3,.) are
the unknown parameters (according to [7], f(b) is function of variability, Fi(b) are the
coefficients of intensity).
Substituting the representation (7) into second Eq. (6) and equating to zero the
coefficients at the same exponents of 3, beginning from the major one, we receive the
algebraic equation of the 8-th degree for the unknown function q hdf =db
h2 q8 C

p1 R 6 k 4
q C 2 Z0
h
R

(8)

and the linear ordinary differential equations of the first order for the coefficients of
intensity Fi(b) (iZ1,2,3,.) with the same left side; moreover, the equation for the first
coefficient of intensity F1(b) is homogenous. It is known, e.g. [8], that the integration of
the above-mentioned equations for Fi(b) (iZ1,2,3,.) is elementary. We confine
ourselves to finding of the first coefficient of intensity F1(b) and the first approximation of
the parameter of the upper critical load 36p1 from Eq. (7). Correspondingly to the eight
roots of the algebraic Eq. (8) we receive eight linear independent solutions (7) for the
Eq. (6). Constructing the linear combination of these eight solutions and satisfying four
boundary conditions at the straight-line boundaries of the shell, if it is open, or
corresponding periodic condition, if it is closed, we find p1.
According to [5], stability loss of the shell is possible only if among eight linear
independent solutions (7) there are the solutions, oscillating at the part of the interval of
integration for the variable b. This condition is equivalency [5] to the fact that among

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E.M. Gutman et al. / Thin-Walled Structures 43 (2005) 2332

the roots of the Eq. (8) there are the pure imaginary roots at the part of the interval of
integration for the variable b only. If at a certain point b* of the interval of change of
variable b the condition
p1 Z

4kh5=2 b
33=4 R3=2 b

(9)

is realized as at this point there are two pairs of pure imaginary roots of the Eq. (8) (see, for
example, [5,6])
p p
p p
3 p1 Rb
3 p1 Rb
(10)
q1;2 Z
i; q3;4 Z K
i; i2 Z K1
3=2
2 h b
2 h3=2 b
At this point, the solutions (7) are not linear independency now. Such as point was
referred to as the multiple turning point [5,6,911]. At the neighborhood of the point the
representations (7) and (8) are not available for the construction of the solutions for Eq. (6)
now, and to construct the solutions, it is necessary to use the approach which was
developed, e.g. in [5,6,11,12].
Assume that the function
gb Z

h5=2 b
R3=2 b

(11)

has the single minimum into the interval of integration for the variable b. This occurs,
particularly if the cross-section of the shell is the symmetric close oval, where a decreasing
of the curvature correspondents to a decreasing of the wall thickness; hence, the single
minimum of the function g(b) into the interval of integration for the variable b corresponds
to the point where the radius of the curvature has a maximal value and the wall thickness
has a minimal one. Further on in this work we shall investigate such shells only.
As it follows from Eq. (8), if p1Z0 all roots of this equation are the complete complex
numbers. If parameter p1 increases from zero and becomes the value
4k minb gb 4 kgb
Z
33=4
33=4
then, according to [5,6], e.g. it is the minimal value of p1, corresponding to the appearance
of the pure imaginary roots of Eq. (8) into the interval of integration for the variable b. At a
further increasing of the parameter p1 the neighborhood of the point b** appears, where
Eq. (8) has the pure imaginary roots; correspondingly to this fact, the interval of stability
loss appears on the middle surface of the shell [5,6]. We obtain as a primary approximation
of the parameter p1 the value
p10 Z

4kh5=2 b
33=4 R3=2 b

(12)

It was shown analytically and numerically in [5,6] for the stability loss problem and in
[912] at corresponding situation for the problem of the finding of the lowest frequency for
free vibrations of non-circular cylindrical shells, that inaccuracy in the calculation of
the upper critical load, according to formula (12), is negligible and the inaccuracy is

E.M. Gutman et al. / Thin-Walled Structures 43 (2005) 2332

29

connected with positive power of the small parameter 3. Thus we receive the value (12) for
the approximate calculation of the upper critical load. According to (12) we obtain from
Eq. (7) a corresponding approximate value of the upper critical pressure
p 10 Z

436 kh5=2 b Eh0


33=4 R3=2 b

(13)

Note that the condition (13) was received in the assumption that the external pressure p is
the unknown quantity. It follows from Eq. (13) that if, on the contrary, we assume that the
external pressure p value is specified, as like to [2], then the shell wall thickness h1*Zh*h0
(h*Zh(b**)), corresponding to stability loss, will be equal to

2=5
91 K n2 3=4 pR3=2
 l
p
; R Z Rb
(14)
h1 Z
6pE
Note that if the cylindrical shell, in particular has a constant curvature and wall thickness,
then for this case formula (14) coincides with the corresponding formula (10) from
article [2].

4. Determination of the critical time for stability loss of the shell subjected to
simultaneous action of the external pressure and non-homogenous internal corrosion
Let us now assume that the shell is subjected to a simultaneous action of a constant
external pressure of intensity p and non-homogenous internal corrosion. Assuming that
changes of the wall thickness and, consequently, the radius of curvature are quasi- static,
then the equations of static stability loss in linear approximation, which are considered
above, can be applied.
If the shell is subjected to the action of uniform external pressure with the intensity p
and the initial stress state of the shell is membranelike, from equations of the thin elastic
shells theory [5,7] it follows that sb ZKpRb=h1 b where sb is the stress in the
direction of directrix of the middle surface of the shell. Thus, the effect of transverse
uniform load p is equivalent to the effect of compressing stresses
pb Z

pRb
h1 b

(15)

The rate of the thickness decrease at each moment of time t is equal to the corrosion rate
(h2(b)Zh1(b)r)
dh2
Z f s
dt

(16)

where f(s) is a sufficiently smooth function of the compressive stress shpb that can be
found both from theoretical considerations and from direct experimental measurements.
Particularly, in [3] the theoretically and experimentally grounded dependence
f s Z Kv0 expVs=R0 T

(17)

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E.M. Gutman et al. / Thin-Walled Structures 43 (2005) 2332

was received for pipes in a stressed state, subjected to uniform internal corrosion and
external pressure. Here v0 is the corrosion rate for a non-stressed pipe, V is the molar
volume of the material, R0 is the universal gas constant, T is the absolute temperature.
From Eq. (15) it follows that compressive stress shpb has maximal value at the point
bZb**. Hence, according to Eqs. (16) and (17), the rate of the wall thickness decrease at
each moment of time t is maximal for the generatrix of the cylinder corresponding to the
point bZb** on the directrix of the middle surface of the shell.
Taking into account that this point corresponds to the single minimum of the function
g(b) into the interval of integration for the variable b, we assume that for determining the
critical time stability loss it can be supposed that for each moment of time t quantities h2(b)
and s(b) from Eqs. (16) and (17) are calculated at bZb** and consequently they depend
on time only. As with [2], since as a result of corrosion the stress s in Eq. (16) depends on
time, the function f(s) in Eqs. (16) and (17) is actually a composite function of time t. Now
it follows from Eqs. (15) and (16)
ds
s2 f s
ZK
dt
h00 s0

(18)

where
h00 Z h2 b jtZ0 ;

s0 Z

pR00 r
;
h00

R00 Z Rb jtZ0

(19)

Here it is taken into account that R(b**)zconst that is R(b**) does not depend on the
time t approximately because h1(b)/R(b)/1. To obtain the critical time t*, corresponding
to the moment of the shell stability loss, Eq. (18) is integrated with the account for Eq. (14)
s
ds
t Z Kh00 s0
;
(20)
2
s0 f ss
where
s Z p10 R =h1

(21)

is the upper critical stress.


If f(s) is specified by Eq. (17) then from Eq. (20) it follows
s
t Z h00 s0 =v0
sK2 expKVs=R0 T ds

(22)

s0

5. Numerical results
Numerical simulations were performed for elastic closed thin-walled cylindrical shells
of the elliptic cross-section and of constant initial wall thickness made from steel with f(s)
described by Eq. (17). As with [2], when we introduce dimensionless variables
T  Z t v0 =h00 ;

t Z s=s ;

N  Z s =s0 K1 ;

(23)

E.M. Gutman et al. / Thin-Walled Structures 43 (2005) 2332

then Eq. (23) takes the form


1
dt
T Z
N  expKVts =R0 T 2
t
N

31

(24)

The value of T* can be treated as a relative durability of the shell and the value of N* as
a safety coefficient for the stability. Note that Eq. (24) can coincide with Eq. (22) from [2]
which was printed therein with the misprint, though all numerical simulations were
performed in [2] according to true Eq. (24).
The dependence of T* from N* is shown in Fig. 2. The curves are presented for steel
shells with the following parameters EZ2!1011 N/m2 nZ0.3, VZ7!10K6 m3/mol.
It was determined that lZ1, TZ27 8C, R0Z8.317 N m/(mol grad). Three elliptic shells
with an equal non-dimensional girth of the length 2p in the cross-section were examined.
If number e is a ratio for the grater semi-axis of the ellipse to the smaller one then they
were considered in the following cases: eZ1 (circle); eZ2 and eZ3. If it denotes the
maximal non-dimensional radius of the cross-section Rmax then we obtain the formula
(see, e.g. [13])
2e2 p
Rmax Z 2p p
e2 sin2 t C cos2 t dt
0

(25)

Fig. 2 presents the three lower curves for h10Z0.02 (h10Zh1jtZ0) and the three upper
ones for h10Z0.005 correspondingly. The curves corresponding to eZ2 are sited between
the two other ones corresponding to eZ1 and eZ3.

Fig. 2. Dependecy of the relative durability T* on the safety coefficient for stability N*.

32

E.M. Gutman et al. / Thin-Walled Structures 43 (2005) 2332

Fig. 2 shows that the relative durability decreases with increasing the safety coefficient
for stability. It is seen also that for every value of N*, the corresponding value of T* is
higher than the same one for a more flattened cross-section of the pipe. It is possible to
explain this fact: according to increase e the value Rmax increases too, which follows from
Eq. (25). Hence, Eqs. (13) and (21) show that upper critical stress s* decreases. Taking
into account the decreasing of s* with the growing of e, from Eq. (24) it follows that T*
grows for every value of N*.
Fig. 2 shows too, that with the decreasing of initial wall thickness of the shells, the
decrease of T* with N* follows near linear dependence and depends slightly on the
changing of the e.

6. Conclusion
The critical moment of stability loss of the elastic non-circular thin-walled pipes with
variable wall thickness, subjected to non-homogenous internal corrosion at external
pressure, can be predicted from the solution of the general problem of static stability of the
thin-walled closed non-circular elastic shell with variable wall thickness along the
directrix with simply supported butt ends. This problem was formulated in the form
accounting for the shells wall thickness non-homogenous changes due to corrosion,
accelerated by mechanical stresses in the metal. These stresses, in turn, are increased
because of the corrosive wear of the wall under a constant external load. Synergistic action
of corrosion with stresses leads to an accelerated stability loss in comparison with the case
of a constant corrosion rate.

References
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corrosion. Thin-Wall Struct 2000;38:4352.
[3] Gutman EM. Mechanochemistry of solid surfaces. NJ, USA: World Scientific; 1994.
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[5] Tovstik PE. Stability of thin shell: asymptotic methods. Moscow: Fizmatlit; 1995 [in Russian].
[6] Amenzade JuA, Bergman RM, Nasirov TT. About noncircular cylindrical shell stability under external
pressure. Dokl Akad Nauk Azerb SSR 1978;4:3843 [in Russian].
[7] Goldenveizer AL. Theory of thin elastic shells. Oxford: Pergamon Press; 1961.
[8] Boyce WE, DiPrima RC. Elementary differential equations and boundary value problems. New York:
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[9] Bergman RM. Investigation of the free vibrations of noncircular cylindrical shells. J Appl Math Mech 1973;
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[10] Bergman RM, Lobachinsky LA. Free oscillations of noncircular cylinders. Mech Solids 1979;14(2):12433.
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