Pressure reqd. to rupture a tube

[m.a.tarafdar]

Which pressure or force is higher to rupture a tube,to rupture it from inside or outside ?I think from outside will be higher due to greater surface area .

 

[tasp77]

It would depend on the material.

A concrete sewer pipe (with out steel reinforcement) is quite strong in compression, but much weaker in tension. A uniform pressure from outside, like packed soil, could be resisted very well, because it is compressing the structure of the pipe, but for pressure inside the pipe (from a sewer backup) the failure might occur at less than 20% of the external pressure (neglecting in this case, the external pressure on the pipe from the soil tending to hold it together) because the internal pressure will tend to expand the pipe, failing the material in tension.

Steel, on the other hand, generally is similarly strong in compression and tension.