An Approach for Optimization of the Wall Thickness (Weight) of a Thick-Walled Cylinder under Axially Non-Uniform Internal Service Pressure Distribution

Abstract

Today, improving the weight/load carrying capacity ratio of a part is the matter of studies in most of the scientific and industrial areas. Autofrettage dimensions, the amount of material removed from outer and inner radius while manufacturing and the service pressure applied affect the residual stress distribution throughout the wall thickness and hence the load-bearing capacity of a thick-walled cylinder. Calculation of residual stresses after autofrettage process and optimization of autofrettage outline dimensions by using the amount of service pressures applied are common issues in literature. In this study, mandrel-cylinder tube interference dimensions were renovated by using traditional methods for swage autofrettage process of a gun barrel. Also, the residual stresses in the cylinder after autofrettage process, inside and outside material removal process and the variable service pressure throughout the cylinder applied were taken into consideration and incorporated into the design. By using the constrained optimization method, wall thickness (thus the weight) was optimized (minimized) to achieve the specified safety factor along the length of the cylinder. For the same cylinder, the results of the suggested analytical/with residual stress calculation approach were compared to analytical/without residual stress calculation results and numerical topology optimization method calculation results. Since the experimental measurement results are not yet available, it was not possible to compare them with the calculation results. The suggested approach enabled 22.9% extra weight reduction in proportion to numerical topology optimization and enabled 4.2% extra weight reduction in proportion to analytical/without residual stress optimization. Using this approach, the gain from residual stresses after autofrettage operation, the loss of residual stresses after material removal, and the effects of service pressures can be taken into account for each stage of design.