Mitigation Polynomials for Stress Concentration Factor around Circular Hole in Rectangular Plate under In-Plane Loading

Abstract

Minimizing stress concentration in structures arising due to irregularities is a major engineering concern. Various techniques are available for mitigation of stress concentration. Area reduction method by introduction of auxiliary holes in the vicinity is one of the established method. Present work provides formulation in the form of mitigation polynomials for size of auxiliary hole and its position for maximum mitigation of stress concentration factor. Formulation in the form of polynomials is arrived at by carrying out parametric finite element analysis of plate with circular hole and auxiliary holes of different size and at different positions. Different cases are analyzed to arrive at the order of mitigation polynomial.  Results obtained have been validated experimentally by using two dimensional photo elasticity method. The proposed mitigation polynomials can be used to place optimum size of auxiliary hole at optimum position in the vicinity of circular hole for a particular value of stress concentration factor.