Peterson's Stress Concentration Factors

PREFACE FOR THE THIRD EDITION

Computational methods, primarily the finite element method, continue to be used to calculate stress concentration factors in practice. Improvements in software, such as automated mesh generation and refinement, ease the task of these calculations. Many computational solutions have been used to check the accuracy of traditional stress concentration factors in recent years. Results of these comparisons have been incorporated throughout this third edition.

Since the previous edition, new stress concentration factors have become available such as for orthotropic panels and cylinders, thick members, and for geometric discontinuities in tubes and hollow structures with crossbores. Recently developed stress concentration factors for countersunk holes are included in this edition. These can be useful in the study of riveted structural components.

The results of several studies of the minimum length of an element for which the stress concentration factors are valid have been incorporated in the text. These computational investigations have shown that stress concentration factors applied to very short elements can be alarmingly inaccurate.

We appreciate the support for the preparation of this new addition by the University of Virginia Center for Applied Biomechanics. The figures and charts for this edition were skillfully prepared by Wei Wei Ding. The third edition owes much to Yasmina Abdelilah, who keyed in the new material, as well as Viv Bellur and Joel Grasmeyer, who helped update the index.

The continued professional advice of our Wiley editor, Bob Argentieri, is much appreciated. Critical to this work has been the assistance of Barbara Pilkey.

The errors identified in the previous edition have been corrected. Although this edition has been carefully checked for typographic problems, it is difficult to eliminate all of them. An errata list and discussion forum is available through our web site: www.stressconcentrationfactors.com. Readers can contact Deborah Pilkey through that site. Please inform her of errors you find in this volume. Suggestions for changes and stress concentration factors for future editions are