Three-dimensional stress analysis of a plate weakened by an inclined diamond hole under various loading conditions

Three-dimensional (3D) elastic stress distributions in the vicinity of the sharp corners of an inclined diamond hole in a plate are investigated. A detailed 3D finite element model under different loading conditions is analyzed to study the intensity of different fracture modes due to the thickness effect. The stress results are compared with those provided by a recent theory which reduces the 3D governing equations of elasticity to a differential equation system, which includes a bi-harmonic equation and a harmonic equation. They provide the solution of the corresponding in-plane and out-of-plane notch problem, respectively, and have to be concurrently satisfied. Comparing numerical results and theoretical stress distributions, a good agreement is found.