,:':, °<C i¢/', FI . . . . . .

' ' '~

R. & M. No. 3407

MINISTRY OF AVIATION

AERONAUTICAL RESEARCH COUNCIL

REPORTS AND MEMORANDA

Stress-Concentration Factors for Rounded

Rectangular Holes in Infinite Sheets
By A. J. 8OBEY, M.A.

LONDON: HER MAJESTY'S STATIONERY OFFICE

1965
pRICE 6s. 6d. NET
 Stress-Concentration Factors for Rounded
Rectangular Holes in Infinite Sheets
By A. J. SOBE¥, M.A.

COMMUNICATED BY THE DEPUTY CONTROLLER AIRCRAFT (RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT),

MINISTRY OF AVIATION

Reports and Memoranda No. 3407 *

November, i963
Summary.
Comprehensive numerical estimates of the stress concentration around unreinforced rounded rectangular
holes in infinite sheets are presented. Both tensile and shear loading are discussed.

L I S T OF C O N T E N T S
Section
1. Introduction
2. Summary of Numerical Investigations
2.1 Approximate mapping of holes
2.2 Smoothing of computed stresses
. Results
3.1 Tensile loading
3.2 Shear loading
4. Comparison with Previous Work
5. Conclusion
Symbols
References
Illustrations--Figs. 1 to 13
Detachable Abstract Cards

L I S T OF I L L U S T R A T I O N S
Figure
1. Typical profiles and notation
2. Variation of hoop stress around boundary for typical hole

Replaces R.A.E. Report No. Structures 292--A.R.C. 25 629.

 L I S T OF ILLUSTRATIONS--continued
Figure
3. Perturbation of stress distribution due to small irregularities in the mapped profile
of the hole
. Hoop-stress variation in various biaxial loading conditions
5. Variation of maximum hoop stress with (b/p) for constant (a/p) for [1, O; O] tensile
loading
. Variation of maximum hoop stress with (a/p) for constant (b/p) for [1, O; O] tensile
loading
, Variation of maximum hoop stress with (b/p) for constant (a/p) for [1, ½; O] loading
8. Variation of maximum hoop stress with (a/p) for constant (b/p) for [1, ½; O] loading
9. Variation of maximum hoop stress with (a/p) and (b/p) for [1, 1 ; O] loading
10. Stress-concentration factors for rounded squares and rounded slots in tension
11. Maximum hoop stress for shear loading
12. Extreme profi!es in shear
13. Wittrick profiles

1. Introduction.
The introduction of a hole in a stressed elastic sheet causes a redistribution of the stress field.
This effect is greatest on the boundary of the hole and diminishes with distance until, in regions
remote from the hole, it is negligible. Around the boundary of the hole the variation of edge or hoop
stress may be considerable and the largest values of the stress are associated with regions of large
curvature (i.e. corners). The value of the maximum hoop stress is an important design parameter
and its estimation is, in general, very difficult.
The exceptional case of the ellipse (and circle) has been analysed b y Inglis i who used the results
to provide an empirical estimate of the peak stress for a general hole. In default of more accurate
information, his concept of an 'equivalent ellipse' has been found useful. Cox ~ has confirmed the
hypothesis for a family of polygonal holes with rounded, but not cKcular arc, corners. He showed
also that for deep narrow grooves the equivalent ellipse is very useful.
More accurate methods of stress estimation applicable to practical holes (such as those depicted in
Fig. 1) are required. A general procedure for the solution of such problems has been presented by the
author 3 using the complex-variable methods of Mushkhelishvili ~. In this analysis the given hole is
replaced by one differing only slightly in profile from the given one and which admits of exact
analysis. This approximate profile can be made as close as desired to the given one by taking a
sufficiently large number of terms in the mapping function s, so that the stresses can be derived
wkh sufficient accuracy. This procedure has been applied in this report to a family of rounded
rectangular holes (Fig. 1) in sheets subjected to biaxial stress or shear.

2. Summary of Numerical Investigations.

The shape of the hole is defined by the ratios a/o and b/p (Fig. 1), which range over the values
0, ~, ½, 1, 2, 5, 10 and 20. The symbol [fi,f2 ; q] is used to denote the'loading conditions at infinity
2
where f l and f2 are tensions applied along and normal to the a-side and q is the applied shear. Thus
[0, 1; 0] is a unit tensile loading tending to open the slot of Fig. lb. All holes are examined for
[1, 0; 0], [0, 1; 0] and [0, 0; 1] loadings separately.

2.1. Approximate Mapping of Holes.

The mapping of these profiles is accomplished using 40-term mapping-functions of polynomial
type s although for a/p or b/p of 20 more terms are necessary. A typical profile, which corresponds
to a = 5p, b = 20 is presented in detail. The use of a finite number of terms in the mapping function
represents imperfectly the required curvature distribution. The variation of curvature for the
example realized by a 40-term mapping-function is shown in Fig. 3 using as abscissa the variable 0
(which is the argument of the auxiliary variable of Ref. 3 and whose variation with position on the
boundary is shown in Fig. 2). It is noteworthy that about 30 ~o of the working range of 0 corresponds
to points within the quadrant and illustrates the natural weighting of the corner region implicit
in the mapping technique used.

2.2. Smoothing of Computed Stresses.

Owing to the induced oscillation of the local curvature about the nominal corner value, the
stress distributions are in error. Where, within the quadrant, the local curvature is high, so is the local
stress and vice versa. The stress distributions for the three basic loadings all contain an oscillatory
variation. This perturbation of stress is due to errors in the local curvature and is exactly in phase
with the perturbation of curvature. The computed stresses (Fig. 3, solid line) can be smoothed
(Fig. 3, dotted line) and the inferred maximum of the stress variation, which would correspond to a
perfectly represented profile, can be quoted with confidence.
If the local curvature is perturbed from an approximately constant value by a sinusoidal component
of small amplitude and wavelength the influence of this component on the stress field can be regarded
as local. Thus the perturbation can be interpreted as affecting the local stress field in exactly the
same way as it would affect a constant stress field and this factor is known. (See Section 3.2 of
Ref. 2 or Appendix I of Ref. 3.) Hence the stress for an ideal, unperturbed profile can be deduced.
In practice (Fig. 3) graphical methods are quite satisfactory for smoothing the results.
In the remainder of this report all reference to computed stress implies that the perturbation
error has been smoothed out.

3. Results.
3.1. Tensile Loading.
Hoop-stress distributions are presented in Fig. 4 for the representative example (a/p = 5, b/p = 2)
in various biaxial loading conditions. These are converted into stress-concentration factors using the
usual critical stress combination 5, 6, 7, 8.

Q = [ % 2 + ¢t2 _ %cr~ + 3~-~] 1/°~ .

Along the boundary of the hole Q = et so that the stress-concentration factor is

F = [et]m~ on boundary
[Q]
For the various biaxial cases of Fig. 4 the following values of the stress-concentration factor apply:
4.30 in [0, 1; 0]
5.03 in [1, 2; 0]
4.68 in [1, 1; 0]
3.96 in [2, 1 ; 0]
and 3 . 0 9 i n [1, 0; 0]
The corresponding value for shear [0, 0; 1] is 4.37. This example serves to illustrate the effects of
applying biaxial tension to a typical profile.
On the basis o f the equivalent ellipse, the stress-concentration factor for a profile in [1, 0; 0]
loading should vary linearly with (1 + b/p) 112,but only for the slot (a = 0) is the relationship effectively
linear. Fig. 5 shows how the variation changes for different values of a/p and in Fig. 6 the results
are cross-plotted for constant values of b/p. The limiting case of a slot (a/D-+oo, b/p-+O) in [1, 0; 0]
loading appears to have a stress-concentration factor of 2.
Figs. 7 to 9 present variations of maximum hoop stress in 1 :-~-and 1:1 biaxial loading conditions.
In the former case, the maximum hoop stress is ~¢/3/2 times the stress-concentration factor whilst
in the latter the two factors are identical. In Fig. 10 the rounded square in tension is compared with
the slot in [0, 1 ; 0] and [1, 0; 0] and is seen to be approximately midway between these cases.Note that
for the square in uniaxial tension there is a minimum stress-concentration factor of about 2- 81 which
corresponds to a value of a/p of about 1/3 and represents a slight improvement over the circular
hole.
3.2. Shear Loading.
In Fig. 11 the variation of hoop stress with a/p and b/p is shown for the sheet in shear. For small
b/p the peak stress rises steadily with increasing a/p but as b/p increases, to about 10; this trend is
checked and reversed and it is possible to improve on the performance of the slot. (See Fig. 12) For
values of b/p of 20 and above this diminution in stress is notable and some relief of stress by the
introduction of a 'side' is apparent.

4. Comparison with Previous Work.

Approximations to the rounded-square profile based on the Schwarz-Christoffel transformation
of the sharp-cornered square have been presented many times ~, 5, 6, 7. In the range of a/p considered,
only two approximations corresponding to the first two and first three terms respectively of the
square transformation are obtained. In both cases the profile differs considerably in local curvature
variation from the ideal profile of Fig. lc so that the stress distributions are not very accurate
(Figs. 10, 12). The local curvature in the neighbourhood of the stress concentration is smaller than
the nominal corner value, which tends to reduce the estimated stress-concentration factor.
Wittrick 5 has introduced a 3-term transformation of the 'rounded-square' of the form
z = R + + -7}

where aa and a s are real constants so chosen that the curvature at the 45 ° point is correct and also
that there is zero curvature at the mid-points of the sides. (Fig. 13). For small a/p the profile is a
poor estimate of the rounded square of Fig. lc and the estimated stresses are in error. As a/p decreases
the Wittrick profile becomes less and less comparable with Fig. lc as the centre of curvature at the
corner moves outside the square. {For alp of 100, the centre of curvature at the corner has co-ordinates
of about 1.1 ( a + p).} This incutting of the corner (Fig. 10) increases the loading on the corner and
so raises the apparent stress concentration which compensates for the previous effect. For alp of
about 20 the results for the Wittrick profile are superficially accurate due to these errors being
approximately equal and opposke.

5. Conclusion.
Detailed stress-concentration factors for the unreinforced rounded-rectangular hole in an infinite
sheet in tension or shear have been evaluated and comprehensive charts presented from which the
peak stress f o r any hole of this type may be interpolated.
 SYMBOLS

a, b Geometric parameters specifying the rounded rectangle (Fig. 1)

P Radius of curvature of the quadrants forming corners of the rounded rectangle

A,A Tensions applied to the sheet at a great distance from the hole in the a and b
directions

q T h e shear stress applied to the sheet at a great distance from the ~hole

0 An auxiliary parameter from Ref. 3

Stresses associated with arbitrary directions n and t at a point in the sheet

3" T h e corresponding shear stress

Q A stress combination (see Section 3.1)

F A stress-concentration factor

~4} a8 Mapping coefficients associated with Wittrick's profile (See Section 4)

REFERENCES
No. Author(s) Title, etc.
1 C.E. Inglis . . . . Stresses in a plate due to the presence of cracks and sharp
corners.
Trans. Inst. Naval Arch., Vol. 55, p. 219. 1913.
2 H . L . Cox .... Four studies in the theory of stress concentration.
A.R.C.R. & M. 2704. January, 1950.
3 A.J. Sobey . . . . . . The estimation of stresses around unreinforced holes in infinite
elastic sheets.
A.R.C.R. & M. 3354. October, 1962.
4. N . I . Muskhelishvili .... Some basic problems of the mathematical theory of elasticity.
3rd edition, Moscow-Leningrad. 1949. (Translated by J. R. M.
Radok. Noordhoff. 1953.)
5 W . H . Wittrick . . . . . . Stress concentrations for a family of uniformly reinforced
square holes with rounded corners.
Aero. Quart., Vol. 13, p. 223. 1962.
6 D . S . Houghton and A. Rothwell .. The stresses around some unreinforced cutouts under various
loading conditions.
Coll. Aero. Rep. 146. A.R.C. 22 769. March, 1961.
7 G . N . Savin . . . . . . . . Concentration of stress around holes.
Moscow-Leningrad. 1951. (Translated by E. Gros and edited
by W. Johnson. Pergamon. 1961.)
8 S.P. Timoshenko and J. N. Goodier Theory of elasticity.
2nd2edition, McGraw-Hill. 1951.

6
 i ~0 85 80 75 70 55 60 55 50 5

IL'_ __
I I
r
I [
{ I
{ I
f i
I I

,J
J 2~ l

(G) R O U N D E D RECTANGLE.

I
I [!,O;O]LOADJNG.

.,,j
(b) ROUNDED SLOT. ,,~ ~ ~ : / ~ ~
i

N B. ~T~B$ ,~ / / \
_~_P__ ~O~T~

d
l

I
i I
-~'T,
I
_I
I 2c~ I
D-d
L// [o,o;I],OAO,Nq
I"
(~ROUNDED SQUARE.

FIO. la to c. Typical profiles FIO. 2. Variation of hoop stress around boundary

and notation. for typical hole.
 9 I

/
,

/ ~"-[,o~ol
O0

j F N x . j ~

L 'f;

gO ° G3 ° O= 80° I u

~o° 3° ° <~Ro~ ~,G~) 9°. so°

i-,
Fie. 3. Perturbation of stress distributions due to FIG. 4. Hoop-stress variation in various biaxial loading
small irregularities in the mapped profile of the hole. conditions.
 , /

-- - II .t. ~1= I "- E P-o-~ -

I
i
I
j
\ , = i: F~2~ ~,~ i
I

\ I

'\
E
in
{D
tz Ill
0
0
I
IZ

D.
\ -----<_
O
O
-r

X
5

~~
Q

2 ~ b/e Jp 2o
J
I

2 (, +'re) ~ 4, ~. s

Fro. 5. Variation of maximum hoop stress with (b/p) for constant FIC. 6. Variation of maximum hoop stress with (a/p) for constant
(a/p) for [1, 0; 0] loading. (b/p) for [1, 0; 0] loading.
 4z~,a
I
ttttttttt
i

- C" ~.~,h -
i

-~_ . . . . . .
)=
"7 . . . . .

L0
0~
tx
tX %
g o
1"

2 S ~/p IO 2¢3
I * i i i
T s
, ~ (,+b/e)i
0+ /o)~
FIG. 7. Variation of maximum hoop stress with (b/p) for constant FIG. 8. Variation of maximum hoop stress with (a/p) for constant
(a/p) for [1, ½; 0] loading'. (b/p) for [1, ½; 0] loading.
o

tttttlfttt,-.-- I
4z=l

/
/
-L_ )=
I

~1~ OO
T WITH
; O] LOADING
/
LII

g
i/)
1
b-
~0
n
0
0]:: ×
<
,.-,

0
tu 5 ---
N 13

/
,/
/ ~ ~ F R O M SCHWARZ - CH~ISTOFN~I_
TRAN! iFORMATION OF ~,(:2~UARE

SLOT WITH [0, 1,0] L.OADING

I0 a 5 b/e ,o ~o
2 S 20
°Is°'~ I p i i
t (,+ °'/e'Y oR (,+ ~'/p)~ zk S t 2 , I _bb,'_'t~ 3 4

Fro. 9. Variation of maximum hoop stress with (a/p) and (b/p) Fie. 10. Stress-concentration factors for rounded squares and
for [1, 1; O] loading. rounded slots in tension.
 16 16

14

ROUNDED SQUARE

I@
i¢IAX. MAX.
HO01: HOG¢
FROb4 $ C14WARZ-C~RI$TOg¢ F-L
TRANSFORMATIQM OF 5QUAI~E/

WITTRICK RF-GTAN~L~.
PROPlI..~_.. (FROM FICa.
H)

.~5 -5 I 2 2- alp ro aO

O+/e) ~ i *"

FIG. 11. Maximum hoop stress for shear loading. Fro. 12. Extreme profiles in shear.
 RADIUS OF" QUR~.~,TURE AT CO~NF,.I~
=O.OI x SEMI-SIDE. \,
\\

~AE)IUS 0~" C U R V A ~
=0"8 ~ SEMI-SIDE.

Fro. 13. Wittrick profiles.

13
(91390) \¥t. 66/2301 K5 4/65 I-Iw,
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