Past exam of the mathematical mechanical biology course of the University of Oxford / 2023 / 2 / b / i / Solution

Take $s=\sigma$ up to an irrelevant additive constant, $r=a$ constant, $z=z_0-\sigma$, and $\theta =\pi /2$. These satisfy the geometric relations and give the principal stretchesThe constitutive equations therefore produce constant membrane tensionsThe tangential mechanical equilibrium equations hold automatically, while the normal equation reduces toEvery positive root of this algebraic equation provides a cylindrical solution with no axial stretch ratio change. There is no further constraint on $t_s$ in the interior equations when end boundary conditions are discarded. In particular, a closed-end pressure balance would impose additional axial loading data that are absent here. Existence of a positive root for an arbitrary specified $P$ depends on the given constitutive equation.