Identification of mechanical properties of inhomogeneous materials

In the present paper, the stress-strain state of tubes made of inhomogeneous elastic materials is considered. We discuss what causes the onset of inhomogeneity and solve a problem for a tube consisting of an inhomogeneous and a homogeneous layer. It is shown how the variations in the thickness ratio of the homogeneous and inhomogeneous material layers affect the values of the longitudinal and circular deformations on the external surface of the tube under the action of constant internal pressure; it is noted that this effect can be used to monitor the pipeline state and to ensure its safe operation. A method for identifying mechanical properties of deformable inhomogeneous materials is proposed; this method is based on the use of thick-walled tubular specimens in calibration tests, which is especially convenient when analyzing the action of aggressive media or radiation on the properties of deformable materials.