Guidelines for the design of multiple-use containment vessels

The strain growth phenomenon is an unsolved fundamental problem in the dynamic elastic response of containment vessels subjected to internal blast loading, which may seriously influence the design of multiple-use containment vessels. When strain growth happens, the local dynamic response of a containment vessel may become larger in a later stage than its response in the earlier stage. Since strain growth may cause increased local structural deformation in multiple-use containment vessels, it is important to understand the mechanisms of strain growth for the design of multiple-use containment vessels. In this paper, we present the mechanisms, influencing factors and control methods of strain growth, as well as the methods to distinguish different mechanisms of strain growth. Based on the understanding of the strain growth phenomenon, the guidelines and procedures for the design of multiple-use containment vessels are proposed. As there are currently no guidelines available in ASME code for multiple-use containment vessels, the understanding of the strain growth mechanisms and the proposed design guidelines may contribute to the establishment of ASME code for containment vessels.