Assuming plane stress conditions, find the point at which maximum von

Mises stress occurs, and determine the magnitude of this maximum stress.
Following the structural tutorial provided in ANSYS, the square plate with a
central hole is modelled. Steps done for ANSYS are:
1. Create areas: 1 rectangle and 1 circle
2. Subtract areas
3. Set preferences
4. Define material properties
5. Define element types and options
6. Define real constants
7. Mesh area
8. Apply displacement constraints
9. Apply loads
10.Solve
11.Plot von Mises stress
Different mesh size was used in order to achieve the best results. As the
mesh size becomes finer, the stress value approximated will be closer to
the actual value. However, it is not feasible to choose the smallest mesh
size due to time taken for tedious calculations. Mesh size chosen are
indicated in the table below. Mesh size of 0.5 is ultimately chosen as the
difference is in the 3 rd order. A graph is also plotted to show that it reaches
plateau at around mesh size of 0.5.
Mesh Size
20
10
5
2.5
1
0.5
Table 1: Mesh size vs SMX

SMX
735.495
760.757
775.663
782.874
786.8
787.426

Solution number
5
4
3
1
2
5

790
780
770
760
750
SMX

740
730
720
710
700
20

18

16

14

12

10

Mesh Size

Figure 1: SMX vs Mesh size

(i) Optimize the shape of the central hole for minimum total plate area,
without exceeding by more than 5% the maximum von Mises stress value
determined earlier.
From Table above,
105% of the max von Mises stress = 1.05*787.426 = 826.7973 N/m 2
Firstly, the radius of the central hole is varied to determine the maximum
radius before exceeding 5% the maximum von Mises stress value
determined earlier. Circle with a radius of 23.5mm is determined to be the
maximum area with a maximum stress of 813.894Pa.
Radius
25
24
23.5
Area circle = 0.25r2 =

SMX
858.413
828.054
813.894
434 mm2

Solution number
7
8
9

In order to determine the best shape with the lowest stress but the same
area, the area calculated from the circle is being kept constant.
Test for square of same area,
a = 434 = 20.83 mm
Length
SMX
20.83
1931.77

Solution number
10

Stress calculated is much higher due to the sharp edges. Implementing

fillet at the edges may be able to reduce the maximum stress.
Test for square with fillet of 5mm at edge,
Length
SMX

Solution Number

20.83
1017.75
12
Even with fillet at the edges, the maximum stress still exceeded that of
the circle. This showed that square is not a good shape to reduce stress
given the same area. A diamond shape is tested next.
Test for diamond of same area,
Area = 0.5*a*a
Length
SMX
29.46
4151.17

Solution Number
11

Test for triangle with fillet of 3mm,

Length
SMX
29.46
3937.22

Solution Number
13

As with the square, diamond was unable to provide a lesser maximum

stress value. Next consideration would be an ellipse. However, the ratio of
the semi-major and semi-minor would have an effect on the stress value.
A primary test was conducted with the length of the semi-major being
twice that of the semi-minor.
Test for ellipse of same area,
Length
SMX
a=33.24, b=16.62
430.736

Solution Number
14

For the same area, ellipse produced the lowest maximum stress value.
Next option would be to obtain the biggest area of ellipse possible by
varying the length a and b. Assuming independent relationship between a
and b, separate tests were carried out. Below is a table summarising all
the results obtained.
Length a

Length b

SMX

49.85
58.17
53.185
51.52
16.62
16.62
16.62

16.62
16.62
16.62
16.62
33.24
20.775
19.94

657.421
3709.62
1015.44
804.691
1676.01
863.122
822.275

Solution
Number
15
17
19
21
16
18
20

After obtaining the best value of length a and b, a combination of both is

being tested out. This is with the assumption that both length a and b are
independent of each other and would provide the optimal area without
exceeding the stress value.
Length a
Length b
SMX
Solution
Number
51.52
19.94
523.49
22
The test result obtained proved that the hypothesis was incorrect. Length
a and b have a dependent relationship and an iteration was done to
determine the optimal area size. Keeping length a constant and increasing
length b, the results obtained are summarised in the table below.

Length a

Length b

SMX

53.185
19.94
695.482
53.185
21.61
696.42
53.185
23.27
809.587
2
Area of ellipse = ab = 3888mm
Total % area increase = 3888/1736 = 2.23

Solution
Number
23
24
25

For parts (ii) and (iii) below, P2 is not present.

(ii) Without changing the shape and size of the original central hole, create
stress relieving holes to reduce as much of the maximum von Mises stress
as possible.
Without P2, a new maximum stress of 946.425Pa as shown by solution 26
According to readings, circular holes has the biggest effect in reducing
stress concentration and various studies on stress mitigation for infinite
plate with central hole have shown that diameter and distance stress relief
holes are decided with reference to the central hole. Two separate tests
were conducted for holes located at the X axis and the Y axis.
X/D =
D1 /
D
0.4
(18)
0.5
(22.5
)

1 (45)
SMX
932.9
8
1213.
51

P2Sol
n
1
2

X/D = 0.9 (40.5)

D1 / SMX
P2Sol
D
n
0.4
933.6 3
19
0.5
923.7 4
17
0.6
(27)
0.7
(31.5
)

Y/D =
D2 /
D
0.1
(4.5)
0.2
(9)
0.3
(13.5
)
0.4
(18)
0.5
(22.5
)

1 (45)
SMX

911.8
48
1689.
04

Y/D = 0.9 (40.5)

D2 / SMX
P2Sol
D
n

946.6
19
953.1
95

12

0.2

11

0.3

1005.
25
1307.
46

9
10

P2So
ln
7

P2Sol
n

959.2
96
1078.
81

X/D = 0.8 (36)

D1 / SMX
D
0.4
950.0
52
0.5
964.8
44

Y/D = 1.1 (49.5)

D2 / SMX
P2So
D
ln

13
14

0.3

936.9
96
924.7
26

15
16

After combining the optimal position from both results, a maximum stress
value of 930.069Pa was obtained as shown in p2soln 17.
Judging by the location where the maximum stress occurred, D1 was
reduced slightly. The optimal position where the maximum stress occurs
should be when it just transitions from above the central hole to hole
number 1.
By decreasing D1 slightly from 13.5 to 13, maximum stress value
decreased significantly to 886.045Pa as shown in p2soln23
Further reduction of D1 to 13.07 allowed a drop in stress value to
885.354Pa in p2soln24
A light blue patch was observed slightly above hole number 1. As a low
stress concentration area, it provides an opportunity to locate another
stress relief hole. Initial measurements done with a ruler provided the
following measurements of X: 30 Y:50
A small hole with radius of 5mm was used as a primary test which yielded
a maximum stress value of 882.634Pa seen in p2soln25.
An attempt to increase D1 to 13.2, further resulted in a stress value of
881.195Pa captured in p2soln26.
(iii) Now by using stress relieving holes as well as optimizing the shape of
the central hole, minimize the total plate area while maintaining a
maximum von Mises stress value of that obtained earlier.