Analytical modelling for static stress analysis of pin-loaded lugs with bush fitting

Pin-loaded connections are widely used in the industry. Connecting rods of reciprocating engines in automotive applications or pin-loaded lugs of landing gears and airframe structures can be cited as examples. These systems are subject to thermomechanical cyclic loadings and fatigue mechanisms are often observed. The calculation of stresses in the lug is crucial in view of a fatigue lifetime analysis. Analytical modelling may be very helpful in the early design stage, by allowing fast parametric studies and the identification of the most influent parameters on the response in stresses. In this paper, we propose analytical models for bush fitting and pin-loading conditions, leading to the complete calculation of the stress distribution in the lug. In each case, the analytical solutions are compared with finite element simulations. In the last part, we perform a sensitivity analysis as an application of the presented analytical tools. (C) 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.