What this calculator does
Hoop Stress works out circumferential and longitudinal stress in a thin-walled pressure vessel. Enter your own figures above and the answer updates as you type: nothing is fixed in the code, so the result reflects exactly the numbers you supply.
The formula this calculator evaluates is printed under the tool and explained below, so you can check the working by hand or reuse it in a spreadsheet.
The formula
Formulaσh = p·d/(2·t·η); σl = p·d/(4·t·η) (cylindrical shell)
The inputs explained
| Field | What to enter |
|---|---|
| Internal pressure (p) (MPa) | A number, measured in MPa. Starts at 2. |
| Shell diameter (d) (m) | A number, measured in m. Starts at 0.6. |
| Wall thickness (t) (m) | A number, measured in m. Starts at 0.01. |
| Joint efficiency (η) | A number. Starts at 1. |
Worked examples
Every figure in the tables below is produced by this page’s own calculator at build time, so the numbers and the tool always agree. Select any row to load that scenario.
How the answer changes with internal pressure (p)
Every other input is held at the calculator’s starting values while internal pressure (p) varies. Select any row to load that scenario into the calculator.