TECHNICAL HANDBOOK

Fokker Aerostructures B.V. TH 3.261

The Netherlands issue date: 100208 issue no: 004

4 INTERACTION EQUATIONS

For the interaction equations given in Table I and Table II the denominator of each stress or loading
ratio is the allowable value of that particular stress or loading. The numerator always represents the
allowable value for a combination of stresses or loadings.

5 DETERMINATION OF RF

The reserve factor is the factor by which the external loading can be increased till the applicable failure
criterion is reached. For combined loading, this means that all loading types must be increased
realistically till failure. In many cases, it is assumed that if the external loading changes all types of
loading change by the same factor. Writing an interaction equation in terms of stress or load ratios R,
the value of RF for an interaction equation of the type

R1m + R2n + R1 ⋅ R2 + R3p = 1

is determined by solving

(RF ⋅ R1 )m + (RF ⋅ R2 )n + (RF ⋅ R1 ) ⋅ (RF ⋅ R2 ) + (RF ⋅ R3 ) p = 1

In a number of cases this can be done analytically, see Table III. If an analytical solution is not
possible, the value of RF can be obtained by means of numeric iteration, or interpolation.

If one or more of the separate loadings do not increase when the external loading increases, the
application of this equation to calculate RF can become too conservative. Less conservative is
multiplying the applicable stress or load ratio by 1, instead of by RF in the above given equation. If, for
instance, the loading represented by R1 does not increase when the external loading is increased (e.g. a
bolt pre-tension), the reserve factor can be calculated from

(R1 )m + (RF ⋅ R2 )n + (R1 ) ⋅ (RF ⋅ R2 ) + (RF ⋅ R3 ) p = 1

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 TECHNICAL HANDBOOK
Fokker Aerostructures B.V. TH 3.261
The Netherlands issue date: 100208 issue no: 004

Table I Interaction equations with respect to fracture (ref. 1)

Type of loading Interaction equation Remarks
Bending-tension N 
m See Fig. 3, 4 and 5 for α,
Mb
For symmetrical +  t  = 1 σ na is given in TH 3.232
sections M b,br  Nt 

σ na
m = 1 + 4α ⋅ β 2 with β = 1
2
σB
Bending about both M bx M by
principal axes + =1
M bx,br M by,br
Bending-torsion 2 2
 Mb   
  +  Mw =1
M   
 b,br   Mw
Transverse loading
causing bending
and shear stress

2 2 l a l l
 σb   τ  <4 <4 < 6.5 < 13
  +   = 1 h h h h
 σB   τB 
σ B , σ b : bending stress
at extreme fibre
τ : see Fig. 1
Compressive and 2 2 2
 σx   σy  σx⋅σ y  τ 
tensile stress under   +   + +   = 1
2
90o combined with  σB   σB  σB  τB 
shear stress
Compressive or 2 2 2
 σx   σy  σx⋅ σ y  τ 
tensile stress under   +   - +   = 1
2
90o combined with  σB   σB  σB  τB 
shear stress σx σy
to avoid > 1 or > 1 use cut-off at
σB σB
σx σy
≤ 1 or ≤1
σB σB
Thick-walled cylinders
Torsion-bending- 2 2 2
Mw  Mb   N d 
axial compression 


 +   = 1 -
M   N d,kr 
Mw  b,br  
Torsion-axial 2 2
Mw N 
tension   +  t  = 1
 
Mw  NB 
Remark: For all stresses and loadings in table I positive values shall be used.

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Fokker Aerostructures B.V. TH 3.261
The Netherlands issue date: 100208 issue no: 004

τ = average shear stress

= P / Area of member(s) in loading direction
Fig. 1

Table II Interaction equations with respect to stability (ref. 2, 3)

Type of loading Interaction equation Remarks
Compression – Shear m n Flat rectangular
 σd   
  + τ  =1 unstiffened plates
σ  τ 
 d ,kr   kr  ( 0.25 ≤ a / b ≤ 4.0 ) with
2 simply supported edges.
b a a
a where m = −0.073 ⋅   + 0.34 ⋅ + 0.733
b b
2
a a
n = 0.3037 ⋅   − 0.928 ⋅ + 2.625
b b
Tension – Shear Flat rectangular
unstiffened plates
2 ( 0.25 ≤ a / b ≤ 4.0 ) with
 τ  σ
  − 0.2 ⋅ t = 1 simply supported edges.
b
a  τ kr  σ kr

Bending – Shear Flat rectangular

2 2
 τ   Mb  unstiffened plates

τ

 +  =1
( 0.5 ≤ a / b ≤ 1.0 ) with
b M 
a  kr   b,kr  simply supported edges.

Remark: For all stresses and loadings in table II positive values shall be used.

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 TECHNICAL HANDBOOK
Fokker Aerostructures B.V. TH 3.261
The Netherlands issue date: 100208 issue no: 004

Table III analytical solution of RF if all separate loads increase by the same factor.
Interaction equation RF
R1 + R2m = 1 RF ⋅ R1 + (RF ⋅ R2 )m - 1 = 0

1
R1 + R2 = 1 RF =
R1 + R2

1
R12 + R22 = 1 RF =
R12 + R22

1
R12 + R22 + R1 ⋅ R2 + R32 = 1 RF =
R12 + R22 + R1 ⋅ R2 + R32

1
RF0 =
R12 + R22 − R1 ⋅ R2 + R32
R12 + R22 − R1 ⋅ R2 + R32 = 1
 1 1 
and if RF0 ⋅ R1 ≥ 1 or RF0 ⋅ R2 ≥ 1 : RF = min , 
R1 ≤ 1 or R2 ≤ 1  R1 R2 
if RF0 ⋅ R1 < 1 and RF0 ⋅ R2 < 1 : RF = RF0
see also Fig. 2
1
R12 + R22 = (1 − R3 )2 RF =
R3 + R12 + R22
Remark: For all stresses and loadings in table III positive values shall be used.

1.2
R3=0
1.0
R 3 = 0.4
0.8

0.6 R 3 = 0.5

0.4

0.2
R 3 = 0.6
R 2 0.0
-0.2
R 3 = 0.8
-0.4

-0.6

-0.8

-1.0

-1.2
-1.2 -1.0 -0.8 -0.6 -0.4 -0.2 0.0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1.0 1.2
R1

Fig. 2 Interaction curve for R12 + R22 − R1 ⋅ R2 + R32 = 1 .

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 TECHNICAL HANDBOOK
Fokker Aerostructures B.V. TH 3.261
The Netherlands issue date: 100208 issue no: 004

6 EXAMPLE

A tube having D = 20 mm and d = 2 mm is loaded by combined torsion, bending and compression.

M w = 64000 Nmm
M b = 60000 Nmm
N d = 7000 N

Allowable bending moment: M b,br = 263000 Nmm

Allowable torsional moment: M w = 282000 Nmm

Allowable compression load: N kr = 29300 N

6.1 Proportional load increase

Mw 64000
R1 = = = 0.227
Mw 282000

Mb 60000
R2 = = = 0.228
M b.br 263000

Nd 7000
R3 = = = 0.239
N kr 29300

2 2 2
M   Mb   
The allowable loading condition follows from  w  +   = 1 - N d  .
M   N 
Mw  b,br   d ,kr 
When all loadings increase with the same factor, RF according to Table III becomes:

1 1
RF = = = 1.78
R3 + R12 + R 22 0.239 + 0.227 2 + 0.228 2

6.2 Only bending moment and compressive load can increase

If M w remains constant, the reserve factor follows from:

2 2 2
 Mw    
  +  RF ⋅ M b  =  1 - RF ⋅ N d 
   M  
 Mw  b ,br   N d ,kr 

0.227 2 + (0.228 ⋅ RF )2 = (1 − 0.239 ⋅ RF )2

RF = 2.03

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Fokker Aerostructures B.V. TH 3.261
The Netherlands issue date: 100208 issue no: 004

Fig. 3

Fig. 4
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Fokker Aerostructures B.V. TH 3.261
The Netherlands issue date: 100208 issue no: 004

d
x x
b

Fig. 5

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