Stress singularities in swept cantilever plates

The finite-element method is used to study stress singularities in swept cantilever plates for the examples of triangular plates and delta wings. It is shown that the singularities at the corners where the fixed and free edges of the cantilever plate meet play an important role in determining the stress-variation pattern along the fixed edge of a transversely loaded plate. The strength of the singularity at the corner is shown to depend mainly on the sweep of the plate and the obtuseness of the angle of the free trailing edge13; makes with the fixed edge. The stresses can show a 'boundary layer'13; effect if the angles are acute. As the angles become more obtuse, the13; peak-stress strength increases and the peak stresses move to the13; corner and remain there.