Andrei lozzi 2014

A change in the shape of a component

carrying a load, will have the effect of
increasing the stress, nearly always at
a concave corner.

The degree of concentration will

depend on the proportions of the
change in shape and on the type of
load.

Here the effect of tension and

bending is shown. In all, it is
important to be aware that there are
3 different stress concentration
relationships, for tension, bending
and torsion.

These graphs and data come from R L

Norton. Peterson has the most
comprehensive collection of such
graphs and formulae.
1
This end
can be
fixed
Convex edge,
external corner

Concave edge,
internal corner

Tensile load

We can verify that FEA will provide very similar (ie relatively precise) values for stress concentrations
as those provided by classic sources.

The above strap is subjected to tension. The tensile stress in the strap should be inversely
proportional to the cross sectional area of the strap. Since the narrow middle of the strap is ½ the
height of the ends, the stress at the middle could be expected to be no more than about 2 times that
at the fat ends, provided the changes in shape play no part !
2
For the same ratio of cross-sections, the radius of the
concave corner has significant effect on the stress level at
the beginning of the radius of the fillet.

Stress concentration of ~ 1.5

Stress concentration of ~ 3

3
The concave corner with the larger radius above, has a stress level of about 1.5 of
that of the thin middle of the strap. The fat end has about half the stress of the thin
middle, as expected. The convex corner has about 1/200 the stress of the middle !
Had we analysed a strap with perfectly sharp convex corners, with increasingly
smaller FEA elements, we would have found a stress level at the corners, that would
tend to increase to infinity, as the elements get smaller !
Hence convex corners should be filleted to as large a radius as practical and convex
corner, although may be left sharp should preferably be chamfered

Convex corner

A sizeable fillet has been added to

the concave corner

4
Quarter ellipses seem to be some sort of ideal fillets, generating
stress concentration of just over 1.
Some may say that deal components should be uniformly stressed,
which would result in smoothly and continuously sculptured parts.
Such parts would typically be so costly that they would turn up in
military planes and F1 cars, and our FSAE car of course.

The outline of a quarter of

a long ellipse

The under-stressed convex corner could be chamfered or a

second quarter ellipse could be blended into the first.

5
We can retain a shoulder if it is required in the machine assembly while
reducing stress concentration by adopting geometries that reduce the
stiffness of the shoulder.
Note that here a hole is used, which obviously appears to be a little too
large and not in good locations.
Note also that here and some of the previous slides, advantage has been
made of the planes of symmetry in the straps, to reduce the number of
elements by factor of 4, and to remove the error inducing effect of
having a fixed and unchanging end face.

6
Welded and Bolted bases.
Good and poor examples of web
and hold-down bolt placements
For you to consider ….

7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
 a) b) c)
MR P Orlov, Mir publishing, Moscow, has the above figure in one of his books. We have a triangulated
frame above and a cantilever beam below it. In a) the cantilever beam is of the same section as those
making up the frame, its highest tress is about 10 000 times the stresses in the frame. In b) the
diameter of the cantilever beam is increased so that its maximum stress is the same as that in the
frame. Finally in c) the diameter is increased so that the deflection is the same as that in the frame.

Please note what happened to the mass increase of the cantilever beam, X 64 X 120. But But
15
mass may not be the whole consideration, because you may not have the room for a frame.
 A
L Brackets Thick & Thin

There are in-out forces at the

hole A on the 100 mm leg.
This generates a bending
moment on this leg.

It can be resisted by a couple

(two forces) at holes on the
60 mm leg

Unfortunately bending moments tend to create the

largest stresses and deflection in parts that we make
using the sort of materials and sections we find useful.

Consequently we try to get rid of the bending moment

in the 100 mm leg by ‘triangulating’, ie adding a web that
goes from the load to the reaction in straight line.

16
The web welded to one side of
the narrow bracket deals with
the biggest bending moment,
about the X axis

but not the lesser moment

about the Y axis. X

Of course the deflection about

Y may be tolerable to you, but
it will require a relatively
heavier bracket, now for
satellites and FSAE cars that is
not good enough !

Y
17
Now if the boss is not going to sack you, could
consider a web that removes both moments about X
and Y axes at the same time.

I have added bosses (very thick washers welded in

place) at the bolt locations, because no matter what
you do the highest stresses will be almost certainly
around the bolt holes. These bosses are optional if
you can tolerate distortion around the bolt holes

Note this web is aligned with all the forces and

reactions and has cut-outs intended to provide
access with nuts, washers and tools.

This solution may seem a little over the top but in

many situations it is the design of choice.

18
But the forces of evil will not rest …

The not so smart graduate from the other

university, will insist that two webs will be
better than one and with sufficient holes
access is not denied to real toolies.

19
20
21
22
23
24