Effect of Fillets on Stress Concentrations in Cylindrical Shells With Step Changes in Outside Diameter

The effect of varying the radii of circumferential fillets in the transition region of cylindrical shells with a step change in outside diameter and loaded with internal pressure has been examined by means of finite element analyses for 27 models. Parameters studied were ratios of the thickness of the thicker section to the thickness of the thinner section, ratios of the fillet radius to thickness of the thinner section, and ratios of the inside radius of the cylindrical shell to the thickness of the thinner section. Comparisons are presented between experimental and theoretical results for two experimental models, and duplicate analyses for two cases were made with different computer programs for comparison purposes.