Interfacial stress reduction and load capacity enhancement system

A system for reducing shear stress at a hollow cylindrical structural member interface comprising:

• a hollow cylindrical structural member having a sidewall, a first end and a second end, the sidewall having an outside surface and an inside surface, said member being subjected to a longitudinal compressive load that induces movement of the sidewall in a first direction;
• and
• a wedge means forcibly placed against the first end, said wedge means operable to create a transverse compressive force on the sidewall in the first direction, so as to reduce shear stress at the hollow structural member interface.

A method for reducing shear stress proximal to an interface of a hollow cylindrical structural member which comprises:

• applying a transverse compressive force in a first direction against a sidewall of a hollow cylindrical structural member subjected to a longitudinal compressive load, the longitudinal compressive load causing deflection of the sidewall in the first direction, so as to attenuate the tendency of the sidewall to deflect in the first direction and reduce a shear stress proximal to an interface of said structural member in contact with the longitudinal compressive load.

A method for reducing shear stress at an interface of a metal matrix composite hollow cylindrical structural member which comprises:

• applying a transverse compressive force in a first direction against a sidewall of a metal matrix composite hollow cylindrical structural member subjected to a longitudinal compressive load, the longitudinal compressive load causing deflection of the sidewall in the first direction, so as to attenuate the tendency of the sidewall to deflect in the first direction and reduce a shear stress proximal to an interface of said structural member in contact with the longitudinal compressive load.