Application of a Sixth Order Generalized Stress Function for Determining Limit Loads for Plates with Triangular Penetration Patterns

Abstract

The capability to obtain limit load solutions of plates with triangular penetration patterns using fourth order functions to represent the collapse surface has been presented in previous papers. These papers describe how equivalent solid plate elastic-perfectly plastic finite element capabilities are generated and demonstrate how such capabilities can be used to great advantage in the analysis of tubesheets in large heat exchanger applications. However, these papers have pointed out that although the fourth order functions can produce sufficient accuracy for many practical applications, there are situations where improvements in the accuracy of in-plane and transverse shear are desirable. This paper investigates the use of a sixth order function to represent the collapse surface for improved accuracy of the in-plane response. Explicit elastic-perfectly plastic finite element solutions are obtained for unit cells representing an infinite array of circular penetrations arranged in an equilateral triangular array. These cells are used to create a numerical representation of the complete collapse surfaces for a number of ligament efficiencies (h/P where h is the minimum ligament width and P is the distance between hole centers). Each collapse surface is then fit to a sixth order function that satisfies the periodicity of the hole pattern. Sixth-order collapse functions were developed for h/P values between .05 and .50. Accuracy of the sixth order and the fourth order functions are compared. It was found that the sixth order function is indeed more accurate, reducing the error from 12.2% for the fourth order function to less than 3% for the sixth order function.