PROPERTIES OF FLUIDS 0 19

Top view

1-23
1.109 The rate of twist a of a shaft of any
shape may be found by using
Prandtl's soap-film analogy. A
soap film is attached to a sharp
edge having the shape of the
outside boundary of the shaft
cross section (a rectangle here, as
shown in Fig. 1-24). Air pressure
is increased under the film so that
it forms an elevated curved
surface above the boundary. Then
=

4c

M.,Ap
(radians
length)

rGV
where Ap = gage air pressure under the
soap film, Mx = torque transmitted by
actual shaft, G = shear modulus
of actual shaft, and V =
volume of air under the soap
film and above the cross
section formed by the sharp
edge. For the case at hand, Ap
= 0.4 lb/ft2 gage and V = 0.5
ire. The angle 0 along the long
edge of the cross section is
measured optically to be 30.
For a torque of 600 lb ft on a
shaft having G = 10 x 106
lb/in2, what angle of twist does
this analogy predict?
a=

Al,,A
p

4aGV
To get a, consider a unit
length of the long side of the
shaft cross section away from
the ends (see Fig. 1-24c). For
equilibrium of the film in the
vertical direction
(remembering there are two
surfaces on each side) (-4)
[(cr)(L)(cos 0)] + pA = 0, (4)[(cr)()(cos 30)] + (0.4)
[(0.5)(1)/144] = 0, a =
0.00481 lb/ft;

(600)(0.
(4)
(0.0048
a=

1)[(10
x 106)
(144)]
(0.5/17
28)

= 0.0299 r ad

Soap
film
0.5 in

Soap

film

0.5
in
-

1-17 Sin -1
-

Edge of
the shaft

Fig. 1-24(b)

Fig. 1-24(a)
Fig. 1-24(c)

Close
d end

1.110 In using Prandtl's soap-film analogy (see Prob. 1.109), we wish to check the mechanism for measuring the
pressure Ap under the soap film. Accordingly, we use a circular cross section (Fig. 1-25) for which we have an
accurate theory for determining the rate of twist a. The surface tension for the soap film is 0.1460 N/m and
volume V under the film is measured to be 0.001120 m3. Compute Ap from consideration of the soap film and
from solid mechanics using the equation given in Prob. 1.109 and the well-known formula from strength of
materials

_ Mx
GJ
where J, the polar moment of inertia, is nr412. Compare the results.