Effect of Shear Deformation and Relaxation of Support Conditions on Elastic Buckling of Pressurized Expansion Bellows

Abstract

Mechanical stability of pressurized expansion bellows and tube-bellows-tube interconnects is considered. Effect of shear deformation on buckling pressure of bellows is shown by using Engesser’s model. A generalized equivalent column concept is developed in order to study effect of relaxation of support conditions on stability of interconnects containing expansion bellows. Two general modes of buckling are discussed: column instability of well-supported bellows (I) and buckling of tube-bellows-tube interconnect if the support-bellows distances are large enough (II). A dramatic drop of critical pressure in the transition region from mode I to mode II is shown.