TSINGHUA SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

ISSN 1007-0214 21/22 pp305~309

Volume 1, Number 3, September 1996

Approximate Calculation of U-shaped Bellows

Shen Zupei ( Л Й ^ )

Department of Engineering Physics, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084

Abstract: U-shaped bellows are widely used for sealed connections that require some flexibility. Since the struc-
ture of U-shaped bellows is complex, numerical methods are often used to calculate mechanical parameters such as
stiffness, displacement, etc. In this paper approximate formulas are derived for calculating the stiffness and the
stresses of a U-shaped bellows with a slender ring shell. These formulas can be used for designing bellows and se-
lecting corrugation parameters. Comparison between the results of the approximate caculation and a finite element
calculation showed that the approximate formulas are applicable for μ < 0 . 5.

Key words: bellows; approximate calculation? stiffness; toroidal shell

л2 л2

Introduction
A U-shaped bellows is a thin, elastic rotational where, hx = — , v is Possion's ratio.
shell, consisting of semitoroidal shells and annular /12(1 - v 2 )
plates. Fig. 1 shows one corrugation of a U-shaped Analysis of the deformations and the stresses of
bellows which may have many corrugations. Since a U-shaped bellows uses the theory of toroidal
the bellows are symmetric, only a half corrugation shells. References [l~~5] studied various approaches
AD is analysed . In part AD, AB is an external for solving the toroidal shell equations and for
toroidal shell, CD is an internal toroidal shell and ВС analysing bellows deformations. These methods used
is an annular plate. for calculating the stiffness are complex and the re-
sults have no obvious relation to the bellows parame-
z
П ters. Clark [6] discussed approximate formulas for a
n U-shaped bellows with a rough ring shell. This pa-
per discussed approximate formulas for a U-shaped

vj bellows with a slender ring shell. The approximate

analytic solution for toroidal shell under axial load
В
С
pt has been derived for / / < 0 . Approximate formulas for
calculating the stresses and the stiffness of a U-
A shaped bellows were then derived using the approxi-
mate solution.
Fig. 1 U-shaped bellows profile
1 Approximate Solution of the
In the bellows analysis, a 3 is the radius of the
Toroidal Shell Equation.
circular cross section, r 3 is the radius of revolution
for the external toroidal shell, ax and rx are the radii The complex variable equation for the toroidal
for the internal toroidal shell, Ь = г3 — rx is the width shell shown in Fig. 2 under axial load has been de-
rived1-23. In the theory of thin shells, for a/r0<^l, the
of the annular plate, r0 = — (ri+r3) is the average ra-
toroidal shell equation can be reduced to
dius, and h is the shell thickness. The characteristic
d2X I—
parameters of the internal and the external toroidal -j-^- + i μ sin?> X = μ Q0r0 V r0 cosp (1)
shells are where,

Manuscript received: 1995-10-04

 306 Tsinghua Science and Technology, September 1996, 1 (3): 305^309

cos?
+ Q,0 ' 0 V ' 0
sin?
(2) XF =— Ί μ Q0r0 V r 0 c o s ? (4)
For C 0 = A, + i Βλ and Cx = A2 + i B2,
then the general solution of Eq. (1) takes the follow-
ing form
X =(AX +ÌB0ÌÌ -i//(?-sin?)] +
(A2 + ΊΒ2)[_φ — ϊμ(2 — 2cos? — ? s i n ? ) ] —

Ψ Qor0 V r 0 c o s ? (5)
T h e stress r e s u l t a n t s in the toroidal shell may be
expressed in t e r m s of the general s o l u t i o n , Neglect-
ing the μ2 t e r m s gives
SmCP
Q9=- - [ Λ + Βιμ(φ— sin?) + Л 2 ? +
Fig. 2 Toroidal shell coordinates

Q0 is the axial force per unit length at r„. E is Β2μ(2 — 2cos?— ? s i n ? ) ] + -—cos? (6)
2лг 0
the elastic m o d u l u s . If total axial force is F, then Q0
ß \_Βλ — Αιμ(φ— sin?) +Β2φ—Α2μ
= F/2nr0.
T h e sign and the direction of the stress resul- EhL·
t a n t s and the displacements of the toroidal shell are (2 - 2 c o s ? - ?sin?)] + ^ 77^-cos? (7)
C2]
the same as in Zhao et al . Q^is the shear force, Νφ V^Q0 (8)
and Νθ are the stress r e s u l t a n t s in the ? and Θ direc- 1
H =- \_AX + Βλμ{ψ— sin?) + A 2 ? +
tions , Μφ and Μθ are the bending m o m e n t s in the ?
r0 V r0
and Θ d r i e c t i o n s , Ur and Uz are the displacements in
Β2μ(2 — 2cos?— ? s i n ? ) ] (9)
t h e r and Z d i r e c t i o n s , β is the angular rotation in
Νφ =Hcos<p+ Q0sin? (10)
the counter-clockwise direction. The homogeneous
form of Eq. ( 1 ) can be solved using a power series so- Νθ =—η=\_Βλμ{\ - cos?) +A2 +
l u t i o n , as in Shen et al L3] . a V r0
Β2μ(8ΐηφ — ?cos?)] (11)
Let χ= Σ ^ M,
A1
[ - A ^ Q - cos?) + Б 2
S u b s t i t u t i n g into Eq. ( 1 ) and using the power series <2 V Г0
expression of the trigonometric function give recur- — A 2 /^(sin? — ? c o s ? ) ] + a Q 0 s i n ? (12)
sive relations for the coefficients as follows Μθ ^ ν Μ , (13)
1 n-l-m
Cn =— \μ — 77 Y\ Cm
u
n(n — 1) f-4 r = ΐ ϊ Γ - [ β ι Μ 1 - cos?) + A2
Eha
. n —2 — m
+ £> 2 /*(sin? — ? c o s ? ) ] (14)
sin π
n > 2 a
(n — 2 — m)\ C7Z = I tf/?cos?d? + I -£τ(Νφ — vNg)smcpa<p (15)
J 0 J 0 -C,Ai
w h e r e , C 0 and C\ are undetermined complex con-
w h e r e , У and H are the vertical and horizontal s t r e s s
s t a n t s . Neglecting the μ2 t e r m s , the solution becomes
r e s u l t a n t s . E is the elastic modulus of the material.
X = T h e c o n s t a n t s Ax ,B},A2 and B2 can be determined u s -
ing the toroidal shell boundary conditions. T h e stress
. n - 2 . n - 3
sin — - — π r e s u l t a n t s and the displacements of the toroidal shell
sin — - — π
^ 1 } (n - 3 ) ! -ΛΨ
(n - 2 ) ! +' C
[Co can then be calculated.
Simplifying gives homogeneous solution of Eq. ( 1 ) 2 Stresses in a U-shaped Bellows
X = C0[l - Ίμ(φ- sin?)] +
under Axial Load
C\{.4>— i /"(2 — 2cos? — ? s i n ? ) ] (3)
A d o p t i n g the change of coefficents gives one n o n - h o - Assume that the internal and the external
mogeneous particular solution of Eq. ( 1 ) toroidal shells of the U - s h a p e d bellows shown in
Fig. 1 satisfy the conditions μ ι < 0 and μ3<^1, that b is
X F = — i μ Q0r0 V r0 [ c o s ? + Ίμ(—φ+ — sin2?)]
of the same order as αλ, a2 and a3 and that b<^r0, r ^
Neglecting the μ2 t e r m s gives the particular solution r2^r0. In part AD of the U-shaped b e l l o w s , Fig. 3 ,
 Shen Zupei (ut *&*!■): Approximate Calculation of U-shaped Bellows 307

p a r t AB is t h e external toroidal shell and t h e solution

Нг A, (21)
c o n s t a n t s are defined as A 3 , B3, A 4 and B4. P a r t ВС
is t h e annular plate. P a r t CD is t h e internal toroidal
shell which is opposite to t h e internal toroidal shell /?,=- B, , Qo (22)
Ehh 2
Ehh,
with —— ^ <p ^ 0 , so t h a t Q<p, Μφ9 β should take
(23)
negative sign in t h e above formulas and t h e solution ~axEhAt
constants are defined as Αλ, Βλ , A2 and B2. T h e angu- F o r part AB , at φ = 0
lar rotations and t h e shear forces vanish at both edges A,
M, B4 (24)
of t h e U - s h a p e d bellows due to s y m m e t r y . A t point

D(<p = -),
я2=- =i4 s (25)

H0 ΐΑ1-Β1μί±-Ό-Αχ-± +
_«3_
r0 A=- ß 3 + EhhY-Ά
1
"
(26)
£Mt
Β2μ(2 - - ) ] = 0 (16)
(27)
a3Eh

Ehhx V r 0
ϊ-»- F o r t h e annular p l a t e , the general solution 1 - 53 of the
equations for an annular p l a t e , under t h e condition of
Β2· f - Α2μ(2 -- - ) ] = 0 (17) b<^r0, can be approximated as
2 J M г- M,
point Α(φ = -) A ~ Eh3 Wo
6
) (28)

r2
H3 = = _J_ ΙΑ,+Β,μ^ -i)+^«f+ -HO (29)
г о V г0 Neglecting t h e t e r m s of μΑ{(ί = 1 — 4) in E q s . ( 1 7 )
and ( 1 9 ) gives t h e approximate equations
Β<μ(2 ■- | ) ] = ο (18)
π
B\ —~^B2 (30)
A -1) +ß4 Y
~2 ~
Ehhi η , B3---BA (31)
Α4μ(2 -f)] = o (19) T h e n , using E q s . ( 2 0 ) , ( 2 2 ) , ( 2 4 ) , ( 2 6 ) and ( 2 8 )
gives t h e solutions :

—— и„ Βλ = — (α,α 3 + irò-—— a\)Q0 (32)

α3

(αλα3 + ^b ^ αl λα23 \ - ai)Qo ( 3 3 )

в,=- 2 αλ + α3

α}α3
1 -a\)Q0 (34)
π h 2 αλ α-χ

в>=еж (αλα3
A, ^ 1 " 3
j b - ^ - - a \ ) Q 0 (35)
2 α1 + α3
T h e c o n s t a n t s А, (г = 1 — 4) can be obtained
from t h e other equations. Д are of t h e order of μΒ{(ί
Fig. 3 Stress resultants and displacements — 1 ~" 4) , so t h e neglected t e r m s in E q s . ( 1 7 ) and
(19) areCK// 2 ) .
T h e value of H, Mr,Ur and ß for t h e toroidal T h e t e r m s of μΑί(ί = 1 — 4) can also be neglect-
shell and t h e value of t h e m for the a n n u a r plate ed w h e n calculating t h e angular rotation and the
should be equal at the joint В and the joint С , t h e r e - bending m o m e n t . S u b s t i t u t i n g B{(i = 1 — 4) into
f o r e , t h e y are defined with t h e same s y m b o l s . F o r E q s . ( 7 ) and ( 1 2 ) gives t h e angular rotation distribu-
p a r t CD , at f = 0 tion along t h e U - s h a p e d bellows.
Ai For t h e internal toroidal s h e l l ,
- M , = zB, (20)
ß= - _ < y + ,»(«,«, + -2 * αλ + аъ
 308 Tsinghua Science and Technology, September 1996, 1 ( 3 ) : 305 — 309

a\Qo г 2 ( a3
al)Q0 TiQoCOs? (36) fli) + +b (43)
£ M ч? L 7^r U s ax + a . T-3
Wzl =
Ehh\
For t h e external toroidal shell , for t h e external toroidal s h e l l ,
2 ,π alQo
[— (ax — a3) + b
öl
ß =vzEhh2v 2
<p)(axa3
2 <2i + α 3 Ehh\ #i + <23 4
(44)
aVQ
< 3 ^ o0 +
T ~ Q0cos^ (37)
h l
for t h e annular p l a t e ,
For the annular plate, Wo/ ¥ 3 π
Α Ι , 1 .24
(45)
1 Ehh\ ax -\- a3 2 12
ß Ehh\
[_axa3 + —b
2 (2i + a3 + T h e total axial displacement of a U - s h a p e d bellows
r г
1 (r
i + з ч 22
) ]Q< (38) with one corrugation is
8 2ч 2 d= 2(uzX +uz2 + uz3) (46)
T h e bending m o m e n t distribution is t h e n : T h e axial stiffness formula is then
for t h e internal toroidal s h e l l ,
π а а Cd = ^ τ = 2rcr0Ehh2x/l—axa3(ax + a3) + —
Mφ=— 2 , i / \ ъ о тс Ь
—(α^ + —b — — —
παχ 2 αχ + α3 (π2 — 8 ) 3 . 3Λ I л~ ~ L I π
«1«3^2
] (47)
+
/
a?)Qo + ajQosin^ (39) ■(α? + a D + ±α,αφ +
2π αχ + α,
for t h e external toroidal s h e l l ,
3. 2 Bending stiffness formula
9
πα3 2 ax + a3 W h e n a U - s h a p e d bellows is loaded with a b e n d -
al)Qo + a3Q0s'm<p (40) ing m o m e n t M0 , Fig. 4 , t h e bellows will have a n a n -
T h e m a x i m u m bending stresses are at edges A and D
nular rotation a . T h e bending stiffness is defined a s
π
= M0/a . T h e bending moment may be generated b y a n
* "7 equivalent vertical force acting on t h e bellows. T h e
(Ум ■— ί—(α2 — αλ) + b ι* + *.]§ 2 <41) vertical force per unit length has a cosine distribution
π αχ -+- α3
on t h e bellows e d g e , V = F 0 c o s # » where V0 is t h e
^=Τ vertical force per unit length at Θ = 0 . T h e relation-
, n6Q0
ship between V0 and M0 is
σΜ = [_—{αχ — α3) + b — (42)
π αχ
M0 = У0со82вгШ = TZAV,
All o t h e r stresses are smaller and are of t h e order
1 Ώ aQo T h e vertical force is m a x i m u m at Θ = 0 w h e r e the axi-
<?ΝΘ ' μ<*Μ
al displacement is £ 0 . A s s u m i n g t h a t δ0 is approxi-
ah
mately equal t o t h e axial displacement of t h e U -
Βμ ac ~ a
'0t Q<p shaped bellows under t h e uniform axial force
σ
Νφ
r0h MQO μ<*Μ Q0(Q0
= V0 ) , t h e n E q s . ( 4 3 ) , ( 4 4 ) and (45) can be used t o

3 U-shaped Bellows Stiffness Formu- calculate t h e displacement £ 0 . Since the angular rota-
tion of the bellows # i s equal t o S0/r0 , then t h e bend-
las ing stiffness formula is
3· 1 Axial stiffness formula 0^0 ' On
(48)
a b a
So/го ~ 2
A s s u m i n g t h a t t h e axial displacement of a U -
shaped bellows is uz under the axial force F , the axial
stiffness is defined as F/uz . T h e axial displacement
of t h e U - s h a p e d bellows can be calculated from
3 4

E q . ( 1 5 ) . Because aß — IfTlQo* ψΐ^^ ~ ^13 Q<

£AV0^°
-(aßUnd-^j-Νφ^ ~^T-2QO - ( - ) W ) , the terms
r0 En EhAro r0
of 0(μ2) can be neglected w h e n integrating Eq. ( 1 5 ) .
T h e axial displacements of t h e U - s h a p e d bellows a r e
obtained a s follows :
Fig. 4 Bending loads
for t h e internal toroidal s h e l l ,
 Shen Zupei (v£ *&*!■) : Approximate Calculation of U-shaped Bellows 309

4 Ьъ
Св =nrlEhh\/\_—alaz(al + α 3 ) + — + 4αι<236 Table 1 Geometric parameters for bellows examples
π 6

(49)
+ 2π (#! -f- α 3 ;
example 1 example 2 example 3

ro/mm 100 100 100

5 Examples <2i/mm 1.0 1.6 2.5
The stiffness and the stresses in a U-shaped bel- йз/mm 1.0 2.0 3.0
lows were calculated using the approximate formulas b/mm 1.0 2.0 3.0
derived above. The results were compared to calcula-
h /mm 0.25 0.4 0.5
tions made using the finite element method [7] for the
μ\ 0.132 0.211 0.413
geometries given in Table 1. The bellows material
has E = 196 GPa and v = 0. 3 . μ* 0.132 0.330 0.595

The axial stiffness, the bending stiffness and the

maximum bending stress aM at the symmetric point D The results show that the approximate formulas
of the internal toroidal shell were calculated for a U- are accurate for μ <C 0. 3 and that the deviation is less
shaped bellows with one corrugation, Fig. 1, under than 15% for μ — 0. 5 . The approximate formulas
an axial force F = 100 N , Table 2. are therefor applicable for / / < 0 . 5.

Table 2 Comparison of calculated results

example 1 example 2 example 3

approximate formula 19.85 12.80 7.11
WMN-m"
finite element 19.87 12.88 7.38
approximate formula 99.2 64.0 35.6
C0/kN-m
finite element 100.6 67.8 42.1
approximate formula 22.9 17.7 17.0
<WMPa
finite element 23.6 17.6 16.5

6 Conclusions 1981, 21(2): 1-14

The approximate formulas for a U-shaped bel-

i j ^ ^ J g , 1981,21(3): 93-110
lows with a thin shell derived in this paper are very
Shen Zupei, Wu Zhenhui, Zhao Hongbin. Stresses and
simple and can be used for calculating the stiffness
displacements in rotating toroidal shells. Journal of T s -
for μ <C 0. 5 . The formulas provide explicit relation- inghua University, 1981, 2 1 ( 3 ) : 93—110
ship between the geometrical parameters and the
stiffness. These formulas are very convenient for de- ^ft, 1982, 3 : 4 9 - 8 5
signing bellows and for determining the bellows cor- Chen Shanlin. Symmetrical stress and deflection of S-type
rugation parameters. corrugated tubes. Journal of Chengdu University of Sci-
ence and Technology, 1982, 3 : 49—85
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Qian Weichang. Calculations for semi — circular arc type
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corrugated tube-Applications of the theory of slender ring
inghua University, 1989, 2 9 ( 6 ) : 58—66
shells. Journal of Tsinghua University, 1979, 19 (1) : 84 —
Clark R A , An expansion bellows problem. Journal of Ap-
99
2 &»£, n«?, гш*. т^шт$т№МШ№ plied Mechanics, 1970, 5: 61 — 69

ж^ш-^штшт&шш- т**¥¥т, ΐ98ΐ,2Κ2) : ι-

& А Ш 8 . 1987, 4 ( 1 ) : 55-61
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Shen Zupei, Wu Zhenbui. Finite element analysis of thin
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