Strip Yield Analysis on Coalescence of Plastic Zones for Multiple Cracks in a Riveted Stiffened Sheet

Abstract

The coalescence conditions of plastic zones are calculated for multiple cracks in a riveted stiffened sheet using a strip yield model. The multiple cracks and their plastic zones are treated as a fictitious crack, and algebraic equations are formulated on compatibility of displacements, no stress singularity at the fictitious crack tips, and zero displacement at the coalesced points of plastic zones. These equations are iteratively solved, and critical values of remote stress, fastener forces, plastic zone sizes, and crack tip opening displacements are calculated. Some numerical results are presented for two cracks in a sheet with and without stiffeners.