Analytical Study on the Effect of Geometric Variations and Defense Holes on Stress Concentration in Steel Plates

Abstract

The primary objective of this study is to optimize mechanical stress distribution and mitigate stress concentration phenomena around holes in steel plates, a major factor contributing to localized structural failure. This research focuses on conducting a comparative analysis between the effects of circular holes and longitudinal slots on the stress concentration factor (K_t), while evaluating the effectiveness of implementing "defense holes" to reduce stress intensity.

The study adopts a numerical simulation methodology using Autodesk Inventor. A steel plate with dimensions of (200 ×100 ×5 mm) was modeled. The research was executed in two stages: the first investigated the impact of varying hole diameters (20, 25, 30 mm) on stress values, safety factors, and displacements. The second stage involved modifying the circular hole into a longitudinal slot with varying dimensions, followed by the strategic addition of two defense holes to analyze their efficiency in redistributing stress trajectories.

The results demonstrated that utilizing longitudinal slots effectively decrease stress concentration. Furthermore, the integration of two defense holes adjacent to the longitudinal slot contributed to a 4.18% improvement in the safety factor. This enhancement stems from the reduction of the stress concentration factor in the critical zone, thereby strengthening the design's load-bearing capacity without necessitating increased material thickness or altered mechanical properties.