Stress and strain magnification effects in structural joints under shock loading

摘要

It has been known for more than a century that structures with stress concentrations often fail prematurely when subjected to shock loading. This paper examines two cases of geometric discontinuities in presence of sudden loading associated with a stress wave traveling through the joint. Both static and dynamic responses are considered. Elastic as well as elastoplastic material properties are modeled for the purpose of identifying causes, which may help failure initiation. The examples discussed serve to illustrate why a rapid loading is more likely to cause failure than slow loading.