BOUNDARY-ELEMENT CONTACT MECHANICS ANALYSIS OF PIN-LOADED LUGS

In this paper, the boundary element method (BEM) for two-dimensional contact mechanics analysis is employed to obtain the elastic stresses in a straight-shank symmetric attachment lug subjected to single pin-loading in the direction of 0-degrees, 22.5-degrees and 45-degrees from the symmetric lug axis. Several lug geometries are considered and the effects of friction and the different conditions of fit between the pin and the lug are investigated. Some results for the contact stress distribution around the periphery of the pin-hole are presented, as are numerical values for the stress concentration factor obtained for the cases considered. Where possible, the BEM results are compared with those available in the open literature and the agreement between them is excellent. The BEM study shows that for a given lug configuration and direction of loading, the normalized stresses, and hence the stress concentration factor, depend only on the friction condition and the extent of the contact area between the lug and the pin. It is shown further that if this contact area is also fixed, the stress concentration factor varies linearly with the coefficient of friction for the range of values considered.