Theory of Stress Concentration for

Shear-Strained Prismatical Bodies With

H. NEUBER
Professor of Engineering Mechanics,
a n d Director of the L a b o r a t o r y for
Strength o f Materials,
Technical University,
Munich, G e r m a n y
Arbitrary Nonlinear Stress-Strain Law
Knowledge of stress concentration is very important for engineers in many practical
cases. But the stress-concentration factors for Hooke's law often cannot be used because
most technical materials have stress-strain laws deviating from Hooke's law. In the
second edition of his book "Kerbspannungslehre" the author gave a calculation method
for a special nonlinear deformation law. In the present paper a general theory for
arbitrary stress-strain laws is established which leads to a calculation method for the
real values of the concentrated stresses in the material.

In the second edition of his book "Kerbspannungs- angle influence indeed is insignificant, this relation can be used
lehre" (Springer, Berlin, 1958), in the following referred to as approximately for any deformation law and any notch angle.
KSL-2, the author investigated the behavior of stress and strain Further, it is shown that the geometrical mean valtie of the stress
concentrations in the case of deviations from Hooke's law for the and strain-concentration factors at any stress-strain law is equal to
range of greater deformations. In that work the problem of shear the Hookian stress-concentration factor.
distribution in prismatical bodies served as a suitable mechanical This theory, which for the present is derived for two-dimen-
model to encounter the mathematical difficulties. Extensive sional shear only, could be generalized with good approximation
calculations based on a special nonlinear deformation law re- to arbitrary two or three-dimensional states of stress by means
sulted in a relation between the "ideal" maximum stress TH for of one of the well-known theories of failure.
Hooke's law and the real maximum stress r as well as the nominal
stress TN for all notch shapes. The Basic Equations
In the meantime, a further exploration of the mathematical The complicated behavior of stress and strain concentration
circumstances seemed to be desirable in order to attain a general under any nonlinear deformation law can be studied by means of
calculation method applicable to arbitrary nonlinear deformation the shear flow in prismatic bodies. Fig. 1 shows a symmetrically
laws. Some hints were found in the fact that in the limit case of notched prismatic body which serves as a mechanical model.
strong stress concentration at small nominal stresses, i.e., very
The following notation is used:
great Hookian stress-concentration factors (SCF), there exists
an identical relationship for flat as well as deep notches. r = shear stress
In this paper the Hookian stress of the sharply curved notch y(r) = shear deformation
is denoted as "leading-function" N(r). A hypothesis is estab- G = shear modulus in Hookian range
lished by which the connection between real stress and nominal F = Gy = deformation function
stress as well as Hookian (elastic) SCF can be represented by a The general deformation law is
simple relation using the leading function. The relationship
found in this way is applicable without contradiction to arbitrary F = F(r) (1)
nonlinear deformation laws.
with the restricting condition
Herewith the problem is reduced to the determination of the
leading function corresponding to a given (e.g., measured) de- lim F(T) = r (la)
formation law. By means of geometrical conditions for ortho- r->-0
gonal nets, general relations for A'(r) are established in this
paper. For any deformation law F(T) the leading function is re-
ducible to the integration of a linear second-order differential
equation the coefficients of which are connected with F(R).
For the special nonlinear deformation law as used in KSL-2
the leading function is derived with exact consideration of the
notch-angle influence. In the case of arbitrary deformation law
the leading function of 0-deg notch is proved to be the geo-
metrical mean value of stress and deformation. As the notch-

Presented at the Tenth International Congress of Applied Me-

chanics, Stresa, Italy, August 31-September 7, 1960.
Discussion of this paper should be addressed to the Editorial De-
partment, ASME, United Engineering Center, 345 East 47th Street,
New York 17, N. Y., and will be accepted until January 10, 1962.
Discussion received after the closing date will be returned. Manu-
script received by ASME Applied Mechanics Division, September 26,
1960; revised draft, Feb. 22, 1961.

544 / d e c e m b e r 196 1 Transactions of the AS M E

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 i.e., the material satisfies Hooke's law in the case of small loading.
The first step in the region of nonlinear deformation laws was
realized in KSL-2 with regard to the special deformation law
F(r) =
[1 - (T/T*)]'/'
where r * represents a mathematical limitr-stress value which can
be chosen for good correspondence with experimental results in
the interesting range, Fig. 2.
r
The solution for the stress function can be represented in this
case by a superposition of two conformal mappings. The results
are applicable for materials with similar characteristic stress-
strain curves (for instance, some steels) but not for all metals.
(16) As isotropy is presumed, the main directions of shear stress and
shear deformation coincide along the stress lines. The latter may
be denoted by v = const ( stress function). Let u be the only
displacement, which goes in the direction of the axis of the prism
(warping of the cross section) so that the gradient of u yields the
shear deformation and the curves u = const are orthogonal to the
stress lines. dsu = hudu and dsv hvdv are the line elements,
Fig. 3.
From Fig. 4 there follows the condition of equilibrium

TK = C (2)
The shear deformation is equal to the gradient of the warping
function
du
7 = (3)

Corresponding to equation (1)

G
F = Gy = (4)
Fig. 2 Specioi deformation l a w as used in KSL-2

lines of constant warping For simplification the warping function is normalized by

G = C (5)
stress lines
and with equation (1) it follows that
(v=const.)
C
(6)

Geometrical Conditions
Considering the components of the line elements, Fig. 5, one
obtains
J ^ dx 1 dy
^ huu du
du he dv
(7)
1 dy J _ J!?.
sin <p =
hu du /t dv

Hence
dx
- hu cos ip (8)
du

dy
= ha sin <p (9)
du

dx
Fig. 3 Example of curvilinear co-ordinate system of stress lines and = hr sin ip (10)
lines of constant warping dv

Fig. 4 Forces on curvilinear element Fig. 5 Geometrical connection between components of line elements

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 dy_ ^ du dv dv du
= /lv cos ip (11)
dv dr dip dr dip

Differentiation of (8) and (9) with respect to v and (10) and (11) Substituting in (15) one obtains the two linear differential
with respect to u, and subtraction, yields equations
(dhu d<p\ (dK . dip \
0 AA
T2 dip
du
dr
TF'
-W
du A
TT- = Tdr"
F2 dip (19)
(12)
( D K + H _ COS ( B K _ H =
For u and v alone there follow by differentiation the two linear
sin ip
\ dv du / \ du " dv ) second-order differential equations
d
Therefrom follow the Lame equations
^ (zL
El
..." \, d2u
TF
F' dr V F dr J
J _ dK dip J_ = dip (20)
= ~ ( 1 3 ) d2v
hu du dv h dv du Tl A (El \
dv
F dr \ r f " Dt- /
From (6) and (2)

(14)
Solutions for Sharply Curved Notches
K =
F(T) Considering the neighborhood of a sharp notch with the flank
angle co as shown in Fig. 6, the stress function and warping func-
and with (13) one obtains tion can be represented by

(2
T
JL A. Ai 11 A
T2 du dv F2 dv du v = /(T) COS
n)

Only for materials with the special deformation law (16) will
these two coupled differential equations become linear. In this
case it is practical to introduce a parameter h by the relation:
u = M
w
sin I( ~ |
~ ( ] { T ) s i n
(21)

with
r = C with k = I - (15a)
h2 + k 2n = 1 - (22)
7T
Then follows from (16)
From (19) there follows
h
F = C : (156) T2
h2 - k <J' =
F " 5 '
and one gets the Cauchy-Riemann equations for In h and ip (23)
F 2 1
/' =
Q dip d dtp TF' 2n
- (In h) = (In h) - Jr (15c)
du dv dv du

This solution can be represented by means of two conformal

mappings as treated in KSL-2. V= const
In the general case equations (15) can be linearized by the
Tschapligin-Molenbroek transformation (known in gas dy-
namics). Considering the total differentials
dr dr ,
(IT = du -) dv
du dv
(16)
dip d<p
dip = du + dv
du dv

du du
du r + dip
dr dip
(17)
dv dv
dv = dr H dip
dr dip

it follows from the identity of (IT and dip in both systems that

dr A A. dr _L A i
du D dip dv D dip
(18)
dip A a" dip 1 du
du ~ D dr dv D dr

with Fig. 6 Example of stress lines in neighborhood of a notch

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 or from (20)
2 / T t y !
11
TF (27)
(24)

(ifUi)
-2 / F 2 y l
v = A h2"

For any deformation law found experimentally, these linear with

differential equations can be integrated by means of known
numerical or graphical methods. / , = - { ! + [ ! - (T/T*) (28)
&T
However, solutions in closed form can be derived also.
Further, in the same way as before, we have
Solutions in Closed Form 2)1 + 1 1
2n + l
(o) For Hooke's Law (F = r) x = - h 2
"
2n + 1
2
u = -AT " sin ( ^ j 1+2)1-
l-2n
AK
(25) + h 2
"
1 - 2n
V = AT
Mi) .4
2)1 + 1-1
(29)

From y =
2II + 1
d.c dx du dx dv 1-2)1"
l-2n
+ Ak / A- \ 2n
2
" / 1 - 2ft \
dr du dr du d r ' + A 2"
1 - 2 n
d.c dx du + dx dt>
Fig. 8 gives the case n = '/ 3 as an example,
dip du dip dv dip'
(c) For the General Case:
_ j>/7. =
* ) F = F(T) and o> = 0
dr dtp
For a) = 0, i.e., 2n 1, the following general integral of equa-
we find, with regard to (8) -s- (11): tions (19) exists
2n+l
AC 2n (2,1 + 1 \
n I tp ) u sin <p
In + 1 V 2n V T
(26) (30)
2n+l
AC 2n COS A
y = v COS tp
2n + 1 F

Fig. 7 shows the case n l / 3 as an example, Here it follows that

(b) For fhe Special Deformation L a w :
x AC Sln
= W

(31)
/ l + cos 2<p r d.V \
= A C { 2TF + ] F (F( R,W 1

Fig. 7 Stress lines and stress distribution at a 60-deg notch for Hooke's Fig. 8 Stress lines and stress distribution at a 60-deg notch for special
law deformation law (lb)

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 Leading Function N(T)

B Real Deformation
Law FIT)

Fig. 10 Method of leading function

Fig. 9 Stress lines and stress distribution at a zero degree notch for
deformation law F = r + X-tM with X = 4.4 X 1 0 - 4 and M = 10 or for F < R F < N < r (36a)
According to (lo) for small stress values F goes to r, therefore also
In Fig. 9 this case is represented for the stress-strain law
lim {jV(r)} = T (37)
F = r + XT** ( X , N constants). t->-0
and in consequence
Relation Between Maximum Stress for Any Deformation
Law and That for Hooke's Law lim
Ttl0
{ N ( T N ) } = T V (38)
As explained before, the theory for sharp notches gives the
stress distribution and therefore also the maximum stress for and it follows from (35)
Hooke's law and for any deformation law. Hence within the lim {Ar(r)} = AHRN = T (39)
same boundary problem and at the same nominal stress TN the 0
maximum stress for Hooke's law can be regarded as a function
This relation is very useful for the determination of A r (r). If
of the maximum stress for a certain deformation law.
Th remains finite, the value of a n goes to infinity for very small
Fig. 10 explains the functional connection between Hookian
values of the nominal stress M- Therefore N(T) is identical with
stress, real stress, and real strain. For technical materials with
the Hookian stress for sharply curved notches.
F(T) > T the real strain is greater than the Hookian, but the real
Equation (35) satisfies the following conditions:
stress smaller than the Hookian. If the stress-concentration fac-
tor is introduced by the definition 1 In the region of small stresses the set (35) gives the relation
for Hooke's law as must be guaranteed by (la).
T/TN - AA (32) 2 In correspondence with (39) it is exact for sharply curved
and the strain-concentration factor by the definition notches.
3 In consistence with physical results it holds
F(r)/F( r) = ae (33)
F(T) > N(T) > T > T or F < N < TH < T
then it follows for F > r :
4 For A = 1 it follows that N(T)
B = N(T ); i.e., r = rN. N

This means that if there is no stress concentration the stress

ae> a > a,, (34)
value must be equal to the nominal stress for all deformation
laws.
respectively for F < r :
Fig. 10 shows an example. The deformation function Gy =
CCe < aH < <xa (34a)
F(T) and the leading function N(T) are plotted versus the stress r .
From this fact it is obvious that there exists a function, which is Starting from the nominal stress TN one gets the corresponding
neither stress nor strain, but a certain combination of both with the value of N(T ); this multiplied by A gives the value
N A -N(R ) H B N

quality, that its concentration factor has the same value for all stress-and with the N(T)-curve the corresponding real maximum stress
strain laws and therefore is equal to the Hookian SCF. Tmax. The deformation y m n x related herewith can be found by
N(T) may be this function, which may be called "leading func- means of the stress-deformation curve F(T); cf. the arrows in
tion," then it is defined by Fig. 10.

N(T)/N(TN) = AH (35) Determination of the Leading Function

Considering Fig. 10 it is obvious t h a t for the same stress the The curvature of the
1 notch base is 1 TF' dr
dK
possible values of N must satisfy the conditions of inequality: (40)
KK bv u = 0 C F dv u = 0
V = V0

F(T) > N(T) > T (36) P

This term must have the same value for Hooke's law; i.e., with

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 1.0
, _ T _ (t) and , = ( l ) * = [-L.J

and for the general case with 0.B

v = }{T) 0.6
w h e r e / i s a solution of (24) with the conditions
lim /(t) = lim g(r) OA
t->0 >0
0.2

and (for simplification) A = C = 1.

- ( t )

I t follows t h a t 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1.0 1.2 1.4 N/rj. F

r"T"
Fig. 11 Leading function for l a w F(T) = r/( 1 r'/r*8)1/ for various
2n notch angles
TF'
2n+l
N(T) = (41)
2 nFf
Hyperbolas
or with regard to (23)

2n
2n+l
N(T) = (41a)

Solutions for Leading Function N(V) in Closed Form

(a) Hooke's Law:

F{T) = r f
Fig. 12 D i a g r a m for determination of real stress from nominal stress
I t follows from (41) or (41a) that a n d Hookian SCF by means of hyperbolas [cf. equation (44)]

N(T) = r (42) and therefore

as must be.
N(T) = [T-F(T)]'/' (44)
(b) Special Deformation Law:

F(T) = r / ( l - rVr*)v' Hence the leading function is the geometrical mean value of stress and
deformation, and there exists a simple method to determine the
We have
real maximum stress in zero-degree notches for any deformation
law, Fig. 12. Since the notchrangle influence can he neglected, this
2n rule holds also for any notch angle (the notch angle is considered
already at the determination of ct B ).

with
Relation Between Stress and Strain Concentration
h = ^ {1 + [1 - ( t / t * ) s ] 1 / i } and fc From equations (33) and (44) it follows that
ZT
[rmaIF(rma,)]'A = OLh[TnF(TN)]1'* (45)
The leading function is

N(T) -

[' - (r-)T' i ( ( i + ! [ - ( ? ) T ) P + ( ( i - K 1 - G O T " J (43)

As can be seen in Fig. 11 the notch-angle influence is so small Introducing stress and strain-concentration factors for any
that the curve for w = 0 can be used for all values of w. stress-strain law by the definitions

(c) General Case: Oiff Tmax/Tjy (46)

I t follows for co = 0 (i.e., 2n = 1) that
( = F(T^)/F(TN) (47)
, 1 1
/ = 7' f = 7 one obtains from (45) the simple rule

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 and r x of the plane state of stress generally possible in the
(aat)'^ = a (48) notch base, is calculated bv

This means: "The geometrical mean value of the slress and strain- <5"t = (<rS ~ <r,<ru + <V + 3 t V ) ' / ! (49)
concentration factors (at any stress-strain law) is equal to the This relation is used for the evaluation of a comparison nominal
Hookian stress-concentration factor." stress 0\v from the separate nominal stresses as well as for the
This rule may become really important for further stress- evaluation of the comparison stress <x from the separate notch
concentration research work. stresses valid for Hooke's laiv. Hence one obtains for the Hookian
SCF the value
Transition to Arbitrary States of Stress in Notches oc = <r H/<r;V (50)
For the foregoing formulation the two-dimensional state of For the determination of the real stress equations (32), (33),
shear stress served as a mechanical model to encounter the (35), and (44) can be used if r is replaced by t r / \ / 3 and F by
mathematical difficulties. The results and especially the method
of the leading function, however, may be generalized for arbitrary
loading states in notches by means of one of the well-known ^ = F*/V3, respectively, r, v by OX/\/Z, F(TN) by
theories of failure. We use the distortion-energy theory. Here-
with the working or comparison stress tr, which leads to the same
energy to distort the element as the three components <rx, o y , V~3investigations
Further ' of this question are intended.

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