Finite-element method for the analysis of surface stress concentration factor and relative stress gradient for machined surfaces

Abstract. Surface topography is an important parameter for evaluating the quality of surface machining, and the stress concentrations produced at notches can have a profound effect on the fatigue life of notched components. The stress concentration factor (SCF, Kt) and relative stress gradient (RSG, χ) are important parameters used to quantitatively characterize stress concentration. In this study, a finite-element (FE) method was used to evaluate the surface SCF and RSG and determine the effect of microscopic surface topography on machined surfaces. An FE simulation of the static tension test of V-notched round-bar specimens was performed, and the stress due to the local surface topography was investigated. The FE method was used to analyze the stress concentration of round-bar specimens with Kt=1, and the reliability of the results was verified using a perturbation method. The FE method was used to calculate the surface SCF and RSG with high accuracy. The surface SCF and RSG values increased with the surface roughness, and the local maximum values of the surface SCF and RSG were at the bottom of the local topography. Therefore, the SCF and RSG could be estimated based on a linear relationship involving average roughness.