Stability of thin-walled high-pressure vessels subjected to uniform corrosion

The stressed state in real metal constructions changes in the process of operation even under permanent external loading. It takes place due to changes in the cross-sections of the loaded elements, resulting from the surface corrosion. This paper proposes a method for determining the critical time of stability loss in thin-walled high-pressure vessels subjected to uniform corrosion from the inside. The method is based upon the model of a thin elastic cylindrical shell. It is shown that this critical time can be established if the solution of the respective problem of the static stability loss for the vessel, not subjected to corrosion, and the law of corrosion rate change are known. Several special cases of the law of corrosion rate are examined.