Numerical analysis of plate thickness effect on residual stress distribution around a cold expanded hole

The process of cold expansion creates compressive stresses around the mounting hole, which can help to reduce stress concentrations during the loading of a structure. A numerical simulation using the finite element method was conducted to analyse the effect of cold expansion on perforated plates of different thicknesses. The simulation considered the thickness of the plate and the tapered mandrel and examined the induced residual stresses. The results showed that the magnitude of the circumferential residual stresses varied depending on the thickness of the plate and that the extent of the zone of compressive stresses was strongly affected by the plate thickness. These findings are particularly relevant to the optimisation of the cold expansion process, as the optimal parameters for a particular plate thickness may not be optimal for some other thickness. Therefore, the results of this study can guide the optimisation of the cold expansion process for different plate thicknesses.