CALCULATION OF FACTORS LBKz AND ITS

SIGNIFICANCE FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF

LIGHT WEIGHT CONSTRUCTION
Aleksija DJURIC, Biljana MARKOVIC, Nikola VUCETIC, Srdjan PELKIC
Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, University of East Sarajevo, Vuka Karadzica 30, East Sarajevo, BiH
Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, University of East Sarajevo, Vuka Karadzica 30, East Sarajevo, BiH
Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, University of East Sarajevo, Vuka Karadzica 30, East Sarajevo, BiH
B.M.T. Engineering, Marsala Tita 228, Mostar, BiH
aleksijadjuric@gmail.com, biljana46m@gmail.com, vuceticnikola@yahoo.com, pelka1109@hotmail.com

Abstract The correct choice of materials is one of the most

important parameters for the development of lightweight
construction, so it is very important for the designer to know
value of factor LBKz, which depends on the material
mechanical characteristics, machine element cross-section,
its load, the way of support, as well as the density of the
material. The value of this factor shows how much a material
is suitable for usage in lightweight structures. Through this
work the principles of factors LBKz calculation, for different
types of material, for cross-sectional shapes, different types
of loads and support of parts will be presented.
Mathematical interpretation of the influence of factors LBKz
on mechanical parts mass function, which has exposed on
free stresses will be presented in this paper as well.
Keywords LW light weight construction, a factor LBKz,
material, strain.

I. INTRODUCTION
The material selection is present in every part of the
design process and directly affects the lifetime of the
product. The correct selection involves consideration of
various criteria and requirements such as manufacturing
and application of the product, but also demands of the
market [1]. For proper material selection in product
development [2], there are different methods to select the
optimal material [3].
Innovations in structural product design and
manufacturing processes essentially depend on the
properties of technical materials. The experience of
developed countries shows that the use of modern
materials and associated technologies generate very
significant advantages in the global market [4]. When it
comes to lightweight construction, the special attention
must be paid to the material selection, and therefore, the
calculation of LBKz (Leichtbaukennzahl) factor, which
shows how a material is suitable for use in lightweight
constructions, will be presented in this paper.
Lightweight constructions (LW) are result of the need
for sustainable design and product development. In this
way the weight of a single element or the overall
construction can be reduced and according to the
previously, the degree of utilization of the product can be
increased. A large number of experts consider this kind of

design a key point in terms of competitiveness on the

world market [5].
II. CRITERIA FOR MATERIAL SELECTION FOR
LIGHTWEIGHT CONSTRUCTION

General aspects of material selection are presented in

the paper [5]. Depending on the use, the materials may be
brand new (when they are used from the beginning in the
process of product development, also called the
introductory materials),
substitute materials or
replacement materials (when the material is replaced by
another material) and alternative materials ( when
materials behaviour in the production is known, or
materials which equal usage have already been presented
and proved in practice).
Lightweight design materials must meet a number of
requirements. Requirements related to the structure of
lightweight construction should preferably be fulfilled by
using lightweight materials of high stiffness and strength.
Weight reduction can be achieved by using lower density
materials [6]. Replacement of materials and application of
so-called lightweight materials requires from constructors
to review and adjust geometry in terms of production and
assembly.
As noted above, the density of the material is an
important parameter in the selection of materials for
lightweight construction and it represents the physical size
of the materials, which is determined from the equation:

mV

(1)

The linear thermal expansion (coefficient of linear

expansion) is physical parameter, that is also important
for the selection of materials. In addition to the physical
parameter, the important role in material selection process
also have mechanical characteristics (tensile strength,
yield strength, technical yield strength, modulus of
elasticity, Poisson coefficient and impact toughness).
In the process of material selection the price of
materials plays an important role, but in this paper we will
discuss only the material selection based on physical and
mechanical properties of materials in order to reduce
weight. The first effects of weight reduction are the

increase of the launching speed of mass mechanical

systems and reduction of energy consumption and rolling,
acceleration and climbing resistance. Surely the rational
use of material has a favourable impact on the ecology.
III. FACTOR LBKZ
Factor LBKz (form German Leichtbaukennzahl) has
been developed for simple and fast comparison of
materials that can be used for lightweight structures [7].
Factor LBKz is just one way that facilitates the material
selection and it is not decisive in decision-making.
This factor is dimensionless size which represents the
external (FG) to internal (FE) loads ratio:

LBKz FG FE

(2)

In this paper the calculation of LBKz factor for tension

and bending for three different cross-sections, shown in
Figure 1, will be presented.

Fig. 2 Preview load the specimen to tension

Follows from the foregoing that the LBKz factor in

this case is calculated according to the following formula:

LBKz

Fig. 1 A cross sectional view of test specimens for the determination of

the LBKz factor

External load (FG) depends on the type of the load and

the geometry of the part, while the internal load (FE) is
the same for all cases and is determined on the basis of the
equation (3):

FE m g V
g A l
g

(3)

A. Determination of LBKz factor in case of tension

If the cross-section of the specimen shown in Figure 1
is loaded in a manner presented in Figure 2, then the
external load (FG) is determined on the basis of the
following relation:

FG / A ReH FG A ReH

ReH
g l

(5)

It can be concluded that factor LKBz in case of tension

does not depend on the cross section, but depends of yield
strength, density, gravity and length of specimens or parts.
B. Determination f LBKz factor in case of bending
If the cross-section of the specimen shown in Figure 1
is exposed to bending in the manner shown in Figure 3,
then the stress of the bending is calculated by the
following relation:

M max
1, 2 ReH
W

(4)

Fig. 3 Preview load the specimen to bending [8]

(6)

M max

FG l
4

(7)

The external load (FG) can be determined from (6) and

(7), and , finally, the factor LBKz factor can be
determined also, according to the expressions shown in
the table 1.
Also, it is very important to mention that, in some
cases, it is not possible to determine yield point stress
completely for some materials. Then, technical yield point
Error: Reference source not found is used for LBKz
factor calculation, respectively Error: Reference source
not found. If the material is brittle or if the yield point
stress to tensile strength ratio aims to 1, then stress during
maximum force or tensile strength Error: Reference
source not found or ReH Rm Error: Reference source
not found can be used for LBKz factor calculation.
Material that is more suitable for lightweight
constructions is material with higher LBKz factor.

that the aluminum alloy AlMg5 is more suitable for use in

lightweight structures, it was necessary to calculate the
value of LBKz factors for mentioned materials.
TABLE II I

VALUES OF FACTOR LBKZ FOR TWO MATERIALS

E295 AND ALMG5

Materials
Strain

TENSION

ENAW-AlMg5

E295
2

Rp0,2=295 [N/mm ]
=7860 [kg/m3]

H14, H24
Rp0,2=210 [N/mm2]
=2700 [kg/m3]

LBKz 3825,87

LBKz 7928, 42

LBKz 306, 07

LBKz 634, 27

LBKz 229, 55

LBKz 475, 71

h=100 [mm]

BENDING

Based on the diagram of bending moments (Figure 3),

in this case, the maximum of bending moment is
calculated in the following way [9]:

D=100
[mm]

k 65600 mm 2
TABLE I FORMS FOR ESTIMATE OF EXTERNAL LOAD
FACTOR LBKZ

Cross-section

External load
(FG)
2, 4 ReH A h
FG
3 l

(FG) AND

LBKz factor
LBKz

FG

1, 2 ReH A D

2 l

LBKz

FG

1, 2 ReH A k
2 l

LBKz

2, 4 ReH
l2
3 g
h

1, 2 ReH
l2
2 g
D

1, 2 ReH
l2
2 g
k

k D2 d 2

Values of factor LBKz were calculated for the two

materials (E295 and Aluminum alloy AlMg5) and they are
represented in Table 2. Length l for all cases is equal to 1
m. Material E295 is a typical representative of the general
structural steels that is commonly found in practice and
thus into construction elements, while aluminum alloy
AlMg5 is a typical material which intensity of
applications in lightweight structures is intensively
growing. In order to perform a comparison of these two
materials and to demonstrate a significant difference in
values of lightness factor, respectively to confirm the fact

D=100 [mm]
d=80 [mm]

LBKz 37, 65

LBKz 78, 02

According to the calculated values of factor LBKz, a

material that is more appropriate for use in lightweight
structures is the material which value of the factor is
higher, in certain cases. Therefore, it can be concluded
that the material with mark ENAW-ALMg5, respectively
aluminum alloy, is more favorable for use in lightweight
structures than structural steel E295, depending on the
function and purpose of part, of course.
It can be further noticed the following: if we observe
the full and hollow circular cross-section in Table 2., it
can be clearly noticed that the LBKz factor for hollow
circular cross section is considerably smaller, which
should mean that it is less favorable case, in case of
application in lightweight constructions. However, the
previous claim is not correct, which is concluded from the
facts that mass of a hollow circular cross-section is lower
for a constant density and constant length. This means
that the biggest deficiency of LBKz factor is that it
prevents comparison between different cross-sectional
shape, but is exclusively intended to compare different
types of materials, for the same cross-sectional shape.
Regardless of this conclusion and the deficiency, LBKz
factor has great significance, because it directly indicates
constructor to materials more suitable for use in
lightweight structures. How it affects the mass of
mechanical parts, it is theme of the next chapter.
IV. DEPENDENCE BETWEEN LIGHTNESS FACTOR LBKZ
AND MASS OF MECHANICAL PARTS

Mass of mechanical parts can be expressed in a

function of several groups of parameters and these are the
parameters that are associated with operating conditions,
parameters that depend on the cross-sectional shape,
parameters that are related to the type of material of
mechanical parts and parameters that define the boundary
conditions for calculating dimensions. Representation of
basic form of these functions of dependence between
parameters and weights, for elementary tension and
bending stresses, for the calculation of dimensions
according to the criterion of hardness, are represented in
Table 3 [10].
TABLE IIIII MASS FUNCTION OF MECHANICAL PARTS EXPOSED
TO TENSION AND BENDING, FOR THE CALCULATION OF
DIMENSIONS ACCORDING TO THE CRITERION OF HARDNESS

Dimensions calculation according to

the strength criteria

Strain

related to the shape of the cross-section does not affect

the weight of machine parts, as well LBKz factor, which
was confirmed by the relation (5). Also, form (10)
represents that the increase of LBKz factor reduces the
weight of machine parts.
If basic expression which determines LBKz factor of
constructions is observed again (2), and if the form (3) is
included in it, the following form is obtained:

LBKz

FG
F

FE m g

(9)

If the previous equation is multiplied by factor of

safety, then we can make a general conclusion which
confirms that for all cases of simple stresses, function of
the mass of the machine part has a shape defined by the
equation (10).
V. CONCLUSIONS

The paper deals with the basic formula for determining

factor LBKz of constructions, through examples of using
two different materials, which are used in lightweight
constructions. Besides, values of lightness factor for
different types of cross-section were analyzed and the
obtained results were discussed.
Cross
Material
Work
Boundary
Also, we analyzed the function of the mass of mechanical
Paramete
secti
type
condition
condition
rs
on
parts, which depends on the number of different groups of
s
s
parameters, including a group which is related to the type
of material.
From the exposed material, it can be concluded that
A
2/3
2/3 5/3
2/3
LBKz
factor, expressed as external (FG) to internal (FE)
m k1 F l 2/3
s
2/3
loads ratio, has its use value in solving construction
W
dilemmas related to the adequate material selection for
defined usage and function of part for the same crosssection. Also, it is shown that LBKz factor does not allow
comparison different cross-sections of part, so it does not
In case of straining [9]:
able construction decision-making on that basis.
R p 0,2
(8) Mass function of machine part, defined by expression
shown in table 3, can be obtained in other way by
If we calculate yield strength from form (5), and then, introducing LBKz factor as a representative of a group of
based on equality (9), include it in the form of mass parameters depending on material.
Therefore, when selecting material for a particular
function of mechanical parts, in case of straining, it is
group of mechanical parts, LBKz factor can help the
obtained:
constructor to quickly and efficiently make the right
F S
decisions, not only in case of lightweight constructions.
m
(9) Of course, it is very important to know all the other
g LBKz
materials characteristics, which must be at least slightly
Equation (9) represents dependence of fuction between better or similar to original material, especially in the
mass of mechanical parts on factor LBKz. With this selection of replacements or alternative materials.
Knowledge of the factors determining the value of
equation, first form from Table 2. is reduced to the simpler
form in which the mass of the mechanical parts is LBKz factor is crucial in the material selection for
expressed by three parameters: 1. parameter related to lightweight structures, which is one of the methods when
working conditions, 2. a parameter that determines the developing new products and finding optimal
boundary conditions for calculating dimensions and 3. constructors solutions which are important for providing
LBKz factor (taking into consideration the fact that the the required product lifecycle. Research in the application
force of gravity is constant). Based on previous, we can of LBKz factor is yet to be experience its fullest
conclude that a parameter that is related to the type of affirmation, especially in the LWD.
material is replaced by LBKz factor. A parameter that is
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