Lesson No.

4 in Machine Design 1 Week 4

 Lesson No. 4 in Machine Design 1 - FAILURE PREDICTION AND PREVENTION1

A. Stress Concentration Factors and Notch Sensitivity of materials.

When one can predict how and where and when failure will occur, then the anticipated failure of
the part will be prevented, which, of course, is the main objective of a designer. These failure
predictions have basis generally accepted by the engineering community and are presented as
theories of failure. The microeffects that occur within the material as a result of the application
of external force mostly are exponential in nature, such that no single equation are in use to
obtain them. There are available useful tables and charts whose values have been obtained from
photoelastic studies which can aid us in predicting the maximum stress at the identified ponit
where the stress raiser/s are located. These are called stress concentration factors.

Stress Concentration factors came about due to failures encountered in parts which actually
occurred or started at some points which are commonly called stress raisers. These stress raisers
were identified as an abrupt changes in cross section on the part. In some instance it may be a
surface mark or a scratch on the surface of the part.
Stress concentration is a highly localized effect. If the material is ductile and the load static, the
design load may cause yielding in the critical location in the material. This yielding can involve
strain strengthening of the material and an increase in yield strength at the small critical notch
location. When the loads are static and the material is ductile, that part can carry the loads
satisfactorily with no general yielding. Where the load is static and the material is certain to be
ductile, the designer may set the stress-concentration factor K f (for axial∨bending)
¿ K fs ( for torsion∨shear ) to unity.
Definitions:
theoretical axial stress∈a notched specimen
Kt=
nominal axial stress∈a notched −free specimen
theoretical shear stress∈a notched specimen
K ts =
nominal shear stress∈a notched−free specimen

Maximum actual axial stress∈a notched specimen

Kf =
nominal Axial Stress∈a notched −free specimen

Maximum actual Shear stress∈a notched specimen

K fs =
Nominal Shear stress∈a notched−free specimen
And, K f =1+q ( K t−1 ) K fs =1+ q( K ts−1)
Where
K t =theoretical stress concentration factor for axial load ( may be bending∨tension )
K ts=theoretical concentration factor for shear ∨torsion .
K f = Actual bending or axial stress at the point where the stress-raiser is located, assuming
a nominal axial stress of 1.
K fs = Actual torsion or shear stress at the point where the stress-raiser is located, assuming
a nominal shear stress of 1.
q = notch sensitivity characteristic of a material.

Theoretical Stress Concentrations K t and K ts are quantities determined by photoelastic analyses

and are mostly greater than the anticipated near-to-actual values of K f and K fs , respectively . K f
and K fs takes into consideration the notch sensitivity of a material.

Stress concentration factors are applied to the nominal stresses for the
following cases:

Brittle Materials:
1. Static Loading, one-dimensional state of stress: use K f =1
2. Static loading, two- or three-dimensional state of stresses: Use values of
K f =1+q ( K t−1 ) . Apply the stress concentration factor on both the principal stresses
σ 1 ∧σ 2.
3. Variable Loading, one-dimensional state of stress: Use full values of K f =K t or K fs =K tsfrom
tables and charts.

Page 1 of 10
Lesson No. 4 in Machine Design 1 Week 4

Note: some authority do not recommend the use of brittle materials for variable loading. Such
design would entail large factor of safety and hence uneconomical.
Ductile Materials.
1. Static Loading, One -dimensional state of stress: K =1

2. Static loading, Two- dimensional state of Stresses: K = 1

3. Static Loading, three-dimensional state of stress where yielding is prevented: Apply

K f = 1 + q( K t −1 ¿ or K fs =1+ qs ( K ts −1 )to the principal stresses, where q is the notch
sensitivity particular to the material at hand.

4. Variable Loading: Use values of K f =1+q ( K t−1 ) ∨K fs +q s .¿

K t , K ts , q and q s are taken from tables and charts. When the assumption is that
there will be no plastic yielding (or work strengthening) of the material, the stress
concentration factor is applied both to the amplitude and midrange stresses. Otherwise
it is applied to the amplitude stress only.
Note:
Some designers use the full value of K t and K ts (or the theoretical concentration
factor) if there is uncertainty about the notch sensitivity data of the material at hand.
Table Values of Theoretical Stress Concentration under different Geometric
configurations and Loading4

Page 2 of 10
Lesson No. 4 in Machine Design 1 Week 4

Page 3 of 10
Lesson No. 4 in Machine Design 1 Week 4

Page 4 of 10
Lesson No. 4 in Machine Design 1 Week 4

Page 5 of 10
Lesson No. 4 in Machine Design 1 Week 4

Page 6 of 10
Lesson No. 4 in Machine Design 1 Week 4

Page 7 of 10
Lesson No. 4 in Machine Design 1 Week 4

Page 8 of 10
Lesson No. 4 in Machine Design 1 Week 4

Notch Sensitivity Factors.

Notch sensitivities for specific materials are obtained experimentally. Published experimental values are
limited, but some values are available for steels and aluminum. Trends for notch sensitivity as a function

Page 9 of 10
Lesson No. 4 in Machine Design 1 Week 4

of notch radius and ultimate strength are shown in the figure below for reversed bending or axial loading,
and for reversed torsion. In using these charts it is well to know that the actual test results from which the
curves were derived exhibit a large amount of scatter. Because of this scatter it is always safe to use
K f =K t if there is any doubt about the true value of q. Also, note that q is not far from unity for large
notch radii.

Prepared by: RBMAGAY, M. Engr.

Page 10 of 10