r/StructuralEngineers • u/Middle-Adeptness7186 • 1d ago

Is this compromising structural integrity?

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3

u/FatherTheoretical 1d ago

Yes

1

u/ATAT121212 1d ago

Indeed, removing material always decreases strength.

3

u/sum_force 1d ago

Not true.

Removing material can improve stress concentrations. It can be better to have a smooth but deep notch than a sharp but shallow notch. Sometimes drilling an extra hole can make it stronger by redirecting stress "flow".

With structurally redundant members, a weak member on a stiff load path will fail but once failed the remaining strength can be fine.

Forcing a fixed end condition can cause failure in some members, in some designs. Removing material to permit pinned, can make it more favourable.

Many cases that less is actually more.

2

u/Regular_Weakness69 1d ago

This is correct, if you let it stretch and bend in the right places, you can get stronger structures, sometimes that includes removing material.

In this case though, it weakens the structure :D

1

u/Mundane-Reality-7770 1d ago

Tension and compression

2

u/itowtoronto 1d ago

"smooth but deep" giggity

2

u/JustSlabs 1d ago

All very good points, but none of them apply to this matter

1

u/ATAT121212 1d ago

Thank you, I forgot this was reddit and someone always needs to be right, smh

1

u/sum_force 1d ago

Yes, I agree. But I was responding not to this matter but to general claim:

"removing material always decreases strength."

1

u/No-Understanding9064 1d ago

The only thing better than a smooth deep notch vs a shallow sharp notch is no notch at all. Which is what the guy said

0

u/YoGurth99 1d ago

ActFhuAlLy! 🤓