Console with Opening

Abstract

The subject of this chapter is a console with opening under a point load. The square console is supported at the right-hand vertical edge and loaded on top of the free left-hand edge. The square opening at the centre of the console obstructs the transfer of the load to the supported edge. Therefore, the exercise is transformed into a free square wall with opening under two equilibrating compressive diagonal loads, one at the top left-hand corner and one at the bottom right-hand corner. The coarsest stringer-panel model possible has just one panel each above, below, to the left and to the right of the opening. These four panels have an aspect ratio of 2. Due to indeterminacy, many equilibrium states are possible, of which two are presented. The first SPM solution is in close agreement with the stresses and trajectories from a finite element analysis. As expected, zero-force SPM members occur near the two load-free corners. Two corresponding strut-and-tie models are depicted. The second SPM solution deviates substantially from the stresses and trajectories obtained from FEA: large member forces occur near the load-free corners, which will require substantial redistribution of stresses. This also holds true for the two corresponding strut-and-tie models derived from the second SPM solution.