Calculation skills forgotten long ago… anyone have advice?

[dadid]

I would need to quickly and easily size a clamp and don't really know where to start.

This U-shaped steel structure is to be manufactured and shouldn't be too heavy.
It will need to handle a load that separates the legs with 2.5 tons.

- Where does the greatest moment occur? The knees?
- Where does the greatest stress occur? The knees?
- What would be a suitable material choice? I want to aim for about 8-10 kg without special solutions.

All kinds of wise solution-oriented suggestions are very welcome.

 

[mrmlz]

I have also forgotten exactly everything I've ever learned.

But you will get stress concentrations in your 90 degree corners, avoid that and bevel it instead.

 

[dadid]

I have also forgotten exactly everything I ever learned.

But you will get stress concentrations in your 90-degree corners, avoid that and chamfer them instead.

Yep. If I manufacture it from homogeneous aluminum, it will be milled with soft radii. If it is welded from VKR or equivalent, it will get reinforcing "ears" in the corners.