Effect of Yield Criterion on Stress Distribution and Maximum Safe Pressure for an Autofrettaged Gun Barrel

World artillery in the present scenario is changing its role from defensive to aggressive nature and is attempting to achieve higher penetration into enemy targets. Even for an autofrettaged gun barrel, higher ranges requirement leads to higher barrel weight and its associated demerits. The design of gun barrel is based on the choice of yield criteria. Tresca yield criterion provides conservative design for a ductile barrel material. On the other hand, more accurate von Mises criterion presents complexity. The two criteria to evaluate various parameters required for design of an autofrettaged gun barrel are compared. The methodology for evaluation of maximum safe pressure, based on von Mises criterion, for an autofrettaged gun barrel is also included in the paper. Based on case study included in the article, for an autofrettaged gun barrel or pressure vessel with uniform thickness, a theoretical weight reduction of approximately 16 per cent is feasible with von Mises criterion as compared to Tresca criterion