On the nullification of stress-concentration factors by stress equalization

During a recent design study involving a critically stressed “tongue-and-groove” type compression joint of dissimilar materials, a novel technique was conceived for nullifying the effects of an otherwise high local stress-concentration factor. In principle, the nominal stresses in the tongue-and-groove portions of the joint are forced to be uniform. For idealizedfit conditions, the stress concentration in the fillet under this stress-equalized condition is theorized to approach unity (1.00). In the present paper, experimental verification is provided.