Rotating space colonies

--- In spacesettlers@yahoogroups.com, b wrote:
>
> You have got to be kidding. Did you do any real research into this ?
>

Hi B,

I read the material on the referenced web site. I'm not an engineer
so I can't critique some of the claims made there. I'm hoping your more
knowledgeable than I am about such things. Specifically, this issue
about the unbearable overpressure a 500 meter diameter cylinder (Torus)
would be subjected to at one atmosphere (14.7 psi). Is this a real
engineering problem or would an ordinary kevlar/mylar "bag" of this
diameter have sufficient tensile strength to withstand this pressure?

I'll leave the question of the pseudo-gravity effects of a rotating
Torus and the stresses so induced to another post - unless you'd like
to address it in your reply.

Chris