The Elastic Stress Concentration Factors in Shouldered Shafts

Summary The photoelastic “stress freezing” technique has been employed to evaluate the elastic stress concentration factors associated with the fillet blend radius in a number of shouldered shafts. The full range of practical sizes of blend radius and depth of shoulder has been examined. Comprehensive results for the shaft subjected to torsion, pure bending and axial load are given in this (Part I) and in two subsequent papers (Parts II and III). The accuracy of the graphs of stress concentration factors is better than six per cent. Comparison has been made with the existing theoretical and experimental results for each mode of loading. The results of an investigation into die limiting value of the stress concentration factor (for a particular shoulder radius) as the depth of the shoulder is increased to infinity are included in Part III.