A comprehensive analytical methodology for composite tubes incorporating optimization, stress analysis, and similitude study aspects is developed and used in the design of a composite riser. The equilibrium equations are developed to obtain the stresses and displacements of orthotropic laminated cylinders subjected to internal and external pressure, tensile, torsion and bending loads. The scaling laws are developed by the 'amplitude' approach, where the coefficients of the governing differential equation for the prototype are compared to those of the model configuration. Limited number of model tubes were experimentally tested. Data acquired included load, strain measurements and nondestructive evaluation of damage mechanisms. A sound agreement among computational simulations and experimental results is observed.
