Dynamic stress concentrations for an axially loaded strut at discontinuities due to an elliptical hole or double circular notches

Numerical modeling, simulation, and analysis of axial struts with geometrical discontinuities subjected to dynamic loading conditions is the focus of this paper. Understanding how geometrical discontinuities influence the stress distribution within a structural member is critical for design applications. Furthermore, understanding how axial struts perform under dynamic loading conditions is critical in the design of automobiles, airplanes, and a large number of potentially dynamically loaded structures. A large amount of research investigating static loading conditions of struts with geometrical discontinuities has been conducted. With the development of finite element (FE) codes, numerical dynamic analyses can be completed much easier and at much lower costs than would occur for experimental methods. In this research, FE simulations were conducted on struts with centrally located elliptical discontinuities. A good correlation was found between the results from these simulations and experiments conducted using the photolaserelastic technique. Based on these correlations, models of struts with circular notches located at the sides of the strut were simulated under the same loading condition. The stress distributions of the models were studied to determine the maximum stress state for each geometric configuration. This information was used to determine the dynamic stress concentration factor for each configuration. Three-dimensional surface plots were constructed illustrating how the numerically determined dynamic stress concentration factor varies with strut and discontinuity geometry. Design equations are presented that relate the dynamic stress concentration factor to non-dimensional geometric parameters. These equations are a useful tool for engineers involved in automotive and aerospace component design.