– Tractor trailers that transport liquid are cylinders, soda cans, water bottles etc. Why are most liquids transported in cylindrical vessels instead of square or rectangular?

Question

– Tractor trailers that transport liquid are cylinders, soda cans, water bottles etc. Why are most liquids transported in cylindrical vessels instead of square or rectangular?

In: 11

Answer 1

If you fill up a square sided container with liquid the fluid pressure will try to make the side bend. In order to resist this you need to have very thick sides so they’ll be stiff enough to carry the bending and not deform outwards.

If you fill up a circular container the fluid pressures will apply forces that are carried almost entirely in tension, and can only deform the container by stretching the material. Materials are much stronger and stiffer in tension than a similarly sized object is in bending, so you can use much thinner walls.