Approximate Stress Functions for Triangular Wedges

The variational method is used to determine expressions for approximate stress functions for determining the effect of a third boundary to an infinite triangular wedge. The approximate function is a solution of a Euler-Lagrange total differential equation of the variational calculus with the constants of integration determined from the condition of least work. The approximate function yields zero stresses on the sloping faces of the wedge but furnishes correction stresses on the third boundary.