Bearing Stress

The stress exerted on a material due to the contact pressure created while interacting with another object is called bearing stress.

Consider two plates connected by a bolt. The bolt applies an internal force onto one of the plates. This internal force is equivalent yet opposite to the force that the plate exerts back onto the bolt.

Here, the internal force is not singular but a result of numerous smaller forces that are distributed across the interior surface of the half-cylinder.

Due to the intricacy of the smaller forces and the corresponding stresses, an average nominal stress, known as bearing stress is often used for simplification.

The bearing stress is calculated by dividing the internal force by the area of the rectangle that represents the projection of the bolt on the plate section. This area is the product of the thickness of the plate and the diameter of the bolt.

The concept of bearing stress is pivotal in ensuring safe and efficient structural designs and hence enhances the lifespan of the structure.