3/6/2018 Lug Analysis Calculator | MechaniCalc

Lug Analysis (Air Force Method)

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Instructions (/calculators/lifting-lug-analysis/instructions)

The Lug Analysis calculator allows for analysis of lifting lugs under axial, transverse, or oblique loading. This calculator
follows the Air Force Method (/reference/lug-analysis#air-force-method) as documented in the Stress Analysis Manual of
the Air Force Flight Dynamics Laboratory (FDL). See the instructions (/calculators/lifting-lug-analysis/instructions) within the
documentation (/calculators/) for more details on performing this analysis. See the reference section (/reference/lug-
analysis) for details on the methodology and the equations used.

Load Example

Clear All Data

Inputs
Input the details for the lug and hit 'Submit':

Applied Forces:

Axial Force, Fax:

25000 lbf

Transverse Force, Ftr:

1 lbf

Pin Inputs:

Pin Diameter, DP:

2.969 in

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Male (Inner) Lug Inputs:

Material:

Example Material 1

Create New (/calculators/materials/)

Bushing:

Include Bushing

Lug Width, w:

6.5 in

Lug Thickness, t2:

1.5 in

Hole Diameter, D:

3 in

Edge Distance, e:

3.25 in

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Female (Outer) Lug Inputs:

Include Female Lugs

The joint can optionally include an outer set of female lugs. If included, results will be calculated for female lugs and
double shear joint strength.

Calculate results:

Submit

Display Units
Display results in:

Custom (Edit (/auth/preferences))

US

SI

Results
The results of the lug analysis are detailed below. Refer to the lug analysis reference (/reference/lug-analysis) section for
details on how these results were derived.

Results Summary Properties Male Lug Results Female Lug Results Joint Strength

Male Lug Results

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Lug strengths in the axial and transverse directions are rst calculated. The lug strength in the applied force direction
(i.e. oblique loading) is then calculated, along with a Factor of Safety.

The table below gives a summary of the results. Full detailed calculations are provided in the following sections.

Lug Strength for Pure Axial Loading Pu.L.B 106,174 lbf

Lug Strength for Pure Transverse Loading Ptru.L.B 92,310 lbf
Lug Strength for Oblique Loading Pult 106,174 lbf

Total Applied Force Papp 25,000 lbf

Factor of Safety FS 4.25

Axial Loading
This section calculates the strength of the lug with a pure axial load applied (/reference/lug-analysis#air-force-axial-
lug).

Bearing Strength Under Axial Load

The ultimate bearing load (/reference/lug-analysis#air-force-bearing-strength-axial) accounts for bearing, shear-out,
and hoop tension. Before calculating the ultimate bearing load, the axial load coe cient and bearing e ciency factor
must be determined.

The axial load coe cient (/reference/lug-analysis#air-force-bearing-strength-axial) is determined from the gure
below. This coe cient is only valid for D/t ≤ 5, which applies in this case. From the plot, the coe cient is:

K axial = 1.55 (applies since D/t <= 5)

Reference Values

D/t = 2.00
e/D = 1.08
D = 3.000 in
e = 3.250 in
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t = 1.500 in

NOTE:  This plot was generated based on the Air Force Manual, Figure 9-2.

The bearing e ciency factor (/reference/lug-analysis#air-force-bearing-strength-axial) is determined from the gure

below. This coe cient is only valid for D/t > 5, which does not apply in this case. From the plot, the coe cient is:

K bear = 0.97 (does not apply since D/t <= 5)

Reference Values

D/t = 2.00
e/D = 1.08
D = 3.000 in
e = 3.250 in
t = 1.500 in

NOTE:  This plot was generated based on the Air Force Manual, Figure 9-3. The dotted lines in this gure were
generated by nding the surrounding D/t
  curves, and the solid blue line was generated by interpolating between the
surrounding curves.

Since D/t ≤ 5 , the axial load coe cient is used:

K = K axial = 1.55

The ultimate bearing load (/reference/lug-analysis#air-force-bearing-strength-axial) is calculated as:

a
∣ if e/D < 1.5
Pbru.L = K ⋅ min (S tu , 1.304S ty ) ⋅ Dt ⋅ ∣
D
= 106,174 lbf
∣1 otherwise

Reference Values
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Sty = 20,000 psi
Stu = 30,000 psi
D = 3.000 in
a = 1.750 in
e = 3.250 in
t = 1.500 in

Bushing Bearing Strength Under Axial Load

The ultimate bushing load (/reference/lug-analysis#air-force-bushing-bearing-axial) is calculated as:

Pu.B = 1.304S cy.B Dp t = 116,147 lbf

NOTE:  There was no bushing speci ed for this lug, so the bushing bearing strength was calculated using the
compressive yield strength of the lug body material, Example Material 1.

Reference Values

Bushing: Example Material 1

Scy.B = 20,000 psi
DP = 2.969 in
t = 1.500 in

Net-Section Strength Under Axial Load

The net-section ultimate load (/reference/lug-analysis#air-force-net-section-axial) accounts for tension failure across
the net section. It depends on the net tension stress coe cient determined from the plot below:

Kn = 0.78

Reference Values

D/w = 0.46
Sty / Stu = 0.67

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3/6/2018 Lug Analysis Calculator | MechaniCalc

Stu / (E⋅εu) = 0.029

NOTE:  This plot was generated based on the Air Force Manual, Figure 9-4 (b), (c), and (d). The dotted lines in this
gure were generated by interpolating within each of the three Air Force Manual gures based on the ratio
S / (E⋅ε )
tu u . The solid line was generated by interpolating between the gures based on the ratio ty tu. S /S
The net-section ultimate load (/reference/lug-analysis#air-force-net-section-axial) is calculated as:

Pnu.L = K n ⋅ min (S tu , 1.304S ty ) ⋅ (w − D) ⋅ t = 107,195 lbf

Reference Values

Sty = 20,000 psi
Stu = 30,000 psi
D = 3.000 in
w = 6.500 in
t = 1.500 in

Design Strength Under Axial Load

The design ultimate load (/reference/lug-analysis#air-force-net-section-axial) for an axially loaded lug is the minimum
of the ultimate bearing load, the ultimate bushing load, and the ultimate net-section load:

Pu.L.B = min (Pbru.L , Pu.B , Pnu.L ) = 106,174 lbf

Reference Values

Pbru.L = 106,174 lbf
Pu.B = 116,147 lbf
Pnu.L = 107,195 lbf

Transverse Loading
This section calculates the strength of the lug with a pure transverse load applied (/reference/lug-analysis#air-force-
transverse-lug).

Lug Strength Under Transverse Load

The ultimate transverse load (/reference/lug-analysis#air-force-lug-strength-transverse) is dependent on the
transverse ultimate and yield load coe cients determined from the plot below:

K try = 0.79 transverse yield load coe cient

K tru = 0.79 transverse ultimate load coe cient

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Reference Values

heff / D = 0.67
heff = 2.020 in
D = 3.000 in

NOTE:  This plot was generated based on the Air Force Manual, Figure 9-8.

The ultimate transverse load (/reference/lug-analysis#air-force-lug-strength-transverse) is calculated as:

∣K S tu Dt if S tu ≤ 1.304S ty
92,310 lbf
tru
Ptru.L = ∣ =
∣ 1.304K try S ty Dt otherwise

Reference Values

Sty = 20,000 psi
Stu = 30,000 psi
D = 3.000 in
t = 1.500 in

Bushing Bearing Strength Under Transverse Load

The bearing strength for the bushing in a transversely loaded lug is the same as for an axially loaded lug:

Ptru.B = Pu.B = 116,147 lbf

Design Strength Under Transverse Load

The design ultimate load for a transversely loaded lug is the minimum of the ultimate lug load and the ultimate
bushing load:

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Ptru.L.B = min (Ptru.L , Ptru.B ) =

92,310 lbf

Reference Values

Ptru.L = 92,310 lbf
Ptru.B = 116,147 lbf

Oblique Loading
This section calculates the strength of the lug under oblique loading (/reference/lug-analysis#air-force-oblique-lug)
(combined axial and transverse loading). Note that pure axial loading and pure transverse loading are special cases of
oblique loading where only one load component is non-zero.

Applied Forces
The forces applied to the lug are:

Pax = 25,000 lbf axial force

Ptr = 1.000 lbf transverse force
Papp = 25,000 lbf total applied force
α = 0.0 deg applied force angle

Lug Strength for Pure Axial and Transverse Loading

The lug strengths for pure loading in the axial and transverse directions are:

Pu.L.B = 106,174 lbf lug strength for pure axial loading

Ptru.L.B = 92,310 lbf lug strength for pure transverse loading

Lug Strength for Oblique Loading

Lug strength for oblique loading (/reference/lug-analysis#air-force-oblique-lug) is de ned by an interaction equation
that accounts for the interaction between the axial and transverse loading and strength. The interaction equation for
lug strength is:

1.6 1.6
Pax.ult Ptr.ult
( ) + ( ) = 1
Pu.L.B Ptru.L.B

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The failure locus of the plot to the left is de ned by the interaction equation above. The axes of the plot are load
ratios, which relate the applied load to the lug strength.

The current point on the plot is de ned by the load ratios in the axial and transverse directions:

Pax
Rax = = 0.235 axial load ratio
Pu.L.B

Ptr
Rtr = = 0.000 transverse load ratio
Ptru.L.B

The load line in the plot extends from the origin through the current point and intersects with the failure locus. The
critical point is the point at which the load line intersects the failure locus. This point gives the load ratios at which the
lug fails.

Pax.ult
Rax.ult = = 1.000 ultimate axial load ratio
Pu.L.B

Ptr.ult
Rtr.ult = = 0.000 ultimate transverse load ratio
Ptru.L.B

The lug strength components for oblique loading in the applied direction are:

0.625

⎛ ⎞
1
Pax.ult = ⎜
⎜
⎟
⎟
= 106,174 lbf axial strength component
1.6 1.6
1 tan (α)
⎝ ( ) + ( ) ⎠
P u.L.B P tru.L.B

Ptr.ult = Pax.ult ⋅ tan (α) = 4.247 lbf transverse strength component

Reference Values

Pu.L.B = 106,174 lbf
Ptru.L.B = 92,310 lbf

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α = 0.0 deg

The lug strength for oblique loading in the applied direction is:

−−−−−−−−−−−
Pult = √P
2
ax.ult
+ P
2
tr.ult
= 106,174 lbf

Reference Values

Pax.ult = 106,174 lbf
Ptr.ult = 4.247 lbf

The Factor of Safety (FS) (/reference/strength-of-materials#allowable-stress-design) is:

Pult
FS = = 4.25
Papp

Reference Values

Pult = 106,174 lbf
Papp = 25,000 lbf

Download Report
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Download Report

Download Inputs File

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Download Inputs File

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