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Lightening holes are holes in structural components of machines and buildings used by a variety of engineering disciplines to make structures lighter. The edges of the hole may be
Lightening holes are often used in the aviation industry. This allows an aircraft to be as lightweight as possible, retaining the durability and airworthiness of the aircraft structure.
Lightening holes have been used on various architecture designs. During the 1980s and early 1990s, lightening holes were fashionable and somewhat seen as futuristic and were used in the likes of industrial units, car showrooms, shopping precincts, sports centres etc. Parsons House in London is a notable building that uses lightening holes since its renovation in 1988. Ringwood Health & Leisure Centre in Hampshire is another notable example.
Tests Of Beams Having Webs With Large Circular Lightening Holes
by L. Ross Levin,
The Strength And Stiffness Of Shear Webs With And Without Lightening Holes
by Paul Kuhn,
The Strength And Stiffness Of Shear Webs With Round Lightening Holes Having 45° Flanges
by Paul Kuhn,
Lightening holes are holes in structural components of machines and buildings used by a variety of engineering disciplines to make structures lighter. The edges of the hole may be flange
A flange is a protruded ridge, lip or rim (wheel), rim, either external or internal, that serves to increase shear strength, strength (as the flange of a steel beam (structure), beam such as an I-beam or a T-beam); for easy attachment/transfer o ...
d to increase the rigidity and strength of the component.
The holes can be circular, triangular, elliptical, or rectangular and should have rounded edges, but they should never have sharp corners, to avoid the risk of stress risers, and they must not be too close to the edge of a structural component.
Usage
Aviation
Lightening holes are often used in the aviation industry. This allows an aircraft to be as lightweight as possible, retaining the durability and airworthiness of the aircraft structure.
Maritime
Lightening holes have also been used in marine engineering to increase seaworthiness of the vessel.Motorsports
Lightening holes became a prominent feature ofmotor racing
An engine or motor is a machine designed to convert one or more forms of energy into mechanical energy.
Available energy sources include potential energy (e.g. energy of the Earth's gravitational field as exploited in hydroelectric power gene ...
in the 1920s and 1930s. Chassis members, suspension components, engine housings and even connecting rod
A connecting rod, also called a 'con rod', is the part of a reciprocating engine, piston engine which connects the piston to the crankshaft. Together with the crank (mechanism), crank, the connecting rod converts the reciprocating motion of the p ...
s were drilled with a range of holes, of sizes almost as large as the component.
Military
Lightening holes have been used in various military vehicles, aircraft, equipment and weaponry platforms. This allows equipment to be lighter in weight as well as increase the ruggedness and durability. They are usually made by drilling holes, pressed stamping or machining and can also save strategic materials and cost during wartime production.Architecture
Lightening holes have been used on various architecture designs. During the 1980s and early 1990s, lightening holes were fashionable and somewhat seen as futuristic and were used in the likes of industrial units, car showrooms, shopping precincts, sports centres etc. Parsons House in London is a notable building that uses lightening holes since its renovation in 1988. Ringwood Health & Leisure Centre in Hampshire is another notable example.
See also
* Honeycomb structure *Hollow structural section
A hollow structural section (HSS) is a type of metal profile with a hollow cross section. The term is used predominantly in the United States, or other countries which follow US construction or engineering terminology.
HSS members can be cir ...
* Isogrid
* Truss
A truss is an assembly of ''members'' such as Beam (structure), beams, connected by ''nodes'', that creates a rigid structure.
In engineering, a truss is a structure that "consists of two-force members only, where the members are organized so ...
References
External links
{{Commons category, Lightening holesTests Of Beams Having Webs With Large Circular Lightening Holes
by L. Ross Levin,
National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics
The National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA) was a United States federal agency that was founded on March 3, 1915, to undertake, promote, and institutionalize aeronautical research. On October 1, 1958, the agency was dissolved and its ...
The Strength And Stiffness Of Shear Webs With And Without Lightening Holes
by Paul Kuhn,
National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics
The National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA) was a United States federal agency that was founded on March 3, 1915, to undertake, promote, and institutionalize aeronautical research. On October 1, 1958, the agency was dissolved and its ...
The Strength And Stiffness Of Shear Webs With Round Lightening Holes Having 45° Flanges
by Paul Kuhn,
National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics
The National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA) was a United States federal agency that was founded on March 3, 1915, to undertake, promote, and institutionalize aeronautical research. On October 1, 1958, the agency was dissolved and its ...
Mechanical engineering
Civil engineering
Structural engineering
Aerospace engineering
Marine engineering
Military engineering