Three-dimensional elastic stress fields in finite thickness plate with a hole

The problems considered here are the finite width plates in different thickness with through-thickness hole subjected to a uniaxial tension. Detailed three-dimensional finite element computations were performed to investigate the stress fields in finite thickness plate with a hole, and the relations of the stress concentration factors with the plate thickness and the diameter of hole were revealed. The size of the constraint area and the constraint degree were also analyzed. The out-of-plane stress constraint factor tends to the maximum on the mid-plane and approaches to zero on the free plane, and the size of the three-dimensional effect region is about the half of the plate thickness. Stress concentration factors (SCF) distribute ununiformly through the plate thickness. The value and location of maximum SCF depend on the plate thickness. Both the SCF in the middle plane and the maximum SCF are greater than the one under plane stress or plane strain states, so it is unsafe to suppose a tensioned plate with finite thickness as one undergone plane stress or plane strain. The Sternberg's approximate solution for 3D stress distributions and SCF in an infinite plate of arbitrary thickness with a circular hole is only suitable for thinner plate.