A multiaxial-failure test vehicle for filament-wound pressure vessels

A test vehicle to obtain multiaxial failure envelopes for filamentary composites was designed. The test sample consisted of a filament-wound pressure vessel with the dome and tangent line regions of the chamber reinforced with low-modulus cast-epoxy pieces. Finite-element stress analysis was used to design the shape of the epoxy so that the maximum stress and strains and, thus, the failure, would occur in the cylindrical section of the chamber. The device was proven in initial tests.