Application of the hole-drilling method for the evaluation of residual stresses near rounded ends

The experimental measurement of residual stresses by the hole-drilling method is a versatile technique due to its great simplicity. The technique consists of drilling on a material surface and measuring the relieved deformation on the surface by means of strain gauge rosettes. The most widespread method to obtain residual stresses from relieved deformation is the integral method and is found in the ASTM E837-13a standard. The procedure is standardised for very specific conditions, which are based on the application of the technique on a large flat-plate. To apply this technique to situations outside the standard scope, it is necessary to perform studies that validate its applicability. One of these situations is to evaluate the stresses introduced in hot- or cold-rolled profiles, where the residual stresses are concentrated on the rounded corners generated by rolling operations. In this study, a numerical simulation by finite elements has been carried out to obtain the relieved deformations for the case of drilling near rounded ends. The results show that the hole-drilling technique is applicable for the case of rounded ends; however, there is a significant deviation from the flat-plate condition which can be minimised by considering new matrices for the specific rounding radius and thickness of the analysed workpiece.