Published online by Cambridge University Press: 07 June 2016
General expressions are obtained for the stress distribution in a flat plate end-loaded by equal principal stresses and containing a circular hole reinforced by an annular plate. The reinforcement is placed on one side of the plate only so that the other side remains flush. It is shown that the effect of an asymmetrically placed reinforcement is to induce, in the plate and rein-forcement, bending stresses which are not negligible compared with the externally applied direct stress. From particular examples it is found that reinforcements having practical dimensions can give rise to stress concentrations in the same order of magnitude as those in a similarly loaded plate containing an unreinforced hole. For practical purposes, data have been obtained which enable the designer to determine quickly the stress distributions associated with reinforcements and plates having a reasonably wide range of dimensions.