The thing that is not being considered in this is the adhesion or weld strength in the different materials. This is the reason that the M59 failed as a gun because the fiberglass disbonded from the steel causing a matrix much weaker then initially designed.
W/ the Damascus, the key is that the different steel structures were effectively bonded (within each ribbon and even ribbon to ribbon) Shear stress, causing failure of the inter-layer boundary layer, would be the primary method of failure. By angling the welds slightly, you would place a degree of lesser stress across the layers welds allowing them to shed loads into the bands. The overall matrix becomes stronger then it’s individual parts.
In theory Russ is correct in that perfect hoop stress is best mitigated by perfect hoops. Hence, Winchester made their ultra light composite bbls. Problem with a gun is that the dynamic loading/unloading is not best answered by a strict hoop stress analysis.
I’m going to dig some wording up from my old strength of materials and matrix books to get the exact wording, but that’s as close as the old brain bucket can remember.
DG
