Exact solutions of sequential limit analysis of pressurized cylinders with combined hardening based on a generalized Hölder inequality: Formulation and validation

The paper aims to investigate nonlinear combined isotropic/kinematic hardening cylinders under internal proportional pressure by sequential limit analysis. The Armstrong–Frederick kinematic hardening model is adopted and the Voce hardening law is incorporated for isotropic hardening behavior. In particular, we establish the kinematic formulation of sequential limit analysis from the corresponding static formulation by a generalized Hölder inequality. Especially, it is found that the derived kinematic formulation involving combined isotropic/kinematic hardening is equivalent to that by the bipotential concept. Further, exact solutions of plastic limit pressure were developed analytically by performing both static and kinematic limit analysis. Finally, the problem formulation and the solution derivations presented here are validated by a very good agreement between the numerical result of exact solutions of the present work and the upper bounds from the kinematic formulation available in literature.

► Sequential limit analysis is extended to consider combined hardening by a generalized Hölder inequality.
► It is found that the derived kinematic formulation is equivalent to that by the bipotential concept.
► Exact solutions of plastic limit pressure were developed by performing both static and kinematic limit analysis.