Abstract: In the mechanical process of tool utilization, abrasion or damage from counterforce on worked materials can often occur in differing degrees on the effective edge of the tool. In this paper, a trial application of the Finite Element Method ( FEM) is applied to the analysis of tongue-shaped edges that are often observed in large tools such as handaxes, picks, and choppers from many Paleolithic sites in the Baise( Bose) Basin. Through a three-dimensional computer modelling programme the mechanical analysis of 44 stone artifacts with tongue-shaped edges( from 13 sites) shows that stress distribution on these tools was not uniform with the maximum stresses occurred along the tongue-shaped edges. In the FEM model of longitudinal and transverse load simulation experiments, edges began to appear damaged when the load was raised to the threshold but without destroying of the non-edge body part; an observation supported with archaeological specimens. These research results also indicate that the stress value of longitudinal load is much lower than that of transverse load, and under both conditions of simulating tongue-shaped tools these shapes were shown to be more applicable to splitting and chopping behaviors. This work demonstrates the value in applying FEM to the study of stone tool function.

Key words: Bose heavy-duty tools; Tongue-shaped edges; Functional simulation; Finite element; Stress analysis