Enter the total pressure, mean diameter and wall thickness of a pressure vessel. The calculator will display the total hoop stress seen by that vessel.

Hoop Stress Formula

The following equation is used to calculate the hoop stress in a pressure vessel. 

HS = P*r/t
  • Where HS is the hoop stress
  • P is the pressure (either internal pressure or difference between outside and inside pressure)
  • r is the mean radius
  • t is the wall thickness

To calculate hoop stress, multiply the pressure by the mean radius, then divide by the wall thickness.

Hoop Stress Definition

Hoop stress is a measure of stress contained within a thin-walled tube under axial stress.

How to calculate hoop stress?

How to calculate hoop stress

  1. First, determine the pressure acting on the pressure vessel

    Often time this is considered just the internal pressure, but hoop stress can also be calculated by using the difference between the external and internal pressure.

  2. Next, determine the mean radius

    This is the mean radius of the pressure vessel that can be calculated by subtracting the wall thickness from the OD.

  3. Next, determine the wall thickness

    Measure the wall thickness of the pressure vessel.

  4. Calculate the hoop stress

    Calculate the hoop stress using the information from steps 1-3.

FAQ

What is hoop stress?

Hoop stress is a measure of stress within a thin-walled tube. In theory, this could be applied to thicker walled tubes as well, but the stresses are not equal in that case. The more pressure and larger a tube, the more stress the tube sees.