Abstract: Based on the explosive pressure curve, dynamic mechanical property and constructive relationship of 43CrNiZMoVA steel which were tested with Hopkinsion bar equipment, the explosive autofrettage of thick - wall cylinder with nonlinear finite element method was analyzed in this paper. Under different explosive pressure, the change rule of the stress, displacement,
velocity of different position and the size of plastical zone versus the time were obtained. Finally, the residual stress resulted in explosive autofrettage with Sachs method was measured, and the residual stresses of explosive autofrettage were compared with that of hydrostatic pressure.

Key words: autofrettage, residual stress, finite element method, high-pressure vessel, stress analysis