Statics and Strength of Materials Formula Sheet

12/12/94 A. Ruina

Not given here are the conditions under which the formulae are accurate or useful.

Basic Statics

Stress, strain, and Hookes Law

Stress

Free Body Diagram

The FBD is a picture of any system for which you would like to apply mechanics equations and
of all the external forces and torques which act on the system.

Normal:

Strain

= P /A

= /L0 =

Hookes Law

LL0
L0

= E
[ = /E + T ]

Action & Reaction

tran = long

If
A
feels force
F and couple
M from
then
B
feels force
F
F and couple
M
M from
(With F and F
F acting on the same line of action.)

B.
A.

Shear:

Force and Moment Balance

= Pk /A

change of
formerly right angle

= G
2G =

E
1+

These equations apply to every FBD in equilibrium:

z X
}|

Stress and deformation of some things

M oment Balance about pt C

F orce Balance

z X}|

F = 0

M /C = 0

All external
forces

All external
torques

The torque M /C of a force depends on the reference point C. But, for a body in
equilibrium, and for any point C, the sum of all the torques relative to point C must
add to zero ).

Dotting the force balance equation with a unit vector gives a scalar equation,
e.g. {

F} i = 0

Geometry

P = A

= /L

Tension

Equilibrium

M /C } = 0

Torsion

T =

net moment about axis in direction through C = 0.

The moment of a force is unchanged if the force is slid along its line of action.

For many purposes the words moment, torque, and couple have the same meaning.

Two-force body. If a body in equilibrium has only two forces acting on it then the
two forces must be equal and opposite and have a common line of action.

Three-force body. If a body in equilibrium has only three forces acting on it then the
three forces must be coplanar and have lines of action that intersect at one point.

truss: A collection of weightless two-force bodies connected with hinges (2D) or ball
and socket joints (3D).
Method of joints. Draw free body diagrams of each of the joints in a truss.

Method of sections. Draw free body diagrams of various regions of a truss. Try to
make the FBD cuts for the sections go through only three bars with unknown forces
(2D).

Caution: Machine and frame components are often not two-force bodies.

Hydrostatics: p = gh,

Bending
and
Shear in
Beams

M =

dM = V ,
dx
V =

Pressure
Vessels

A=

J=

I=

(c2 c2 )
1
2

2ct

2 dA

y 2 dA

y dA = A0 y
0

P
Pyi Ai
A0 y
0
i i

dA

pAgas = Asolid

M y
I
VQ
It

pr
(sphere)
2t

l =

pr
(cylinder)
2t

c =

pr
(cylinder)
t

clamped-free

clamped-clamped

clamped-pinned

Lef f = 2L

Lef f = L/2

Lef f = .7L

Mohrs Circle
Rotating the surface of interest an angle in physical space corresponds to a rotation of 2 on
the Mohrs circle in the same direction.
rectangle

1 +2
=
2

bh

(c4 c4 )
2
1
2

2c3 t

(c4 c4 )
4
2
1

c3 t

bh3 /12

center

center

center

1 2
=
2

=
C

x + y

2
(x C)2 + xy

x y
2

2
2
+ xy

2
x y

Miscellaneous

Ai

Lef f = L

tan 2 =

(Ii + d2 Ai )
i

d2 u = 1 =

dx2

pinned-pinned

C =
Ai

u00 =

2
Critical buckling load = Pcrit = EI .
L2
ef f

R =

dA

Q=

dA

R
y dA
R

y =

Composite

thin-wall
annulus
(approx)

dV = w
dx

Buckling

p dA

annulus
(circle: c1 = 0)

u00 = M
EI

= y/ = y

y dA

T
J

tx = M Q/I

Cross Section Geometry

R

= TL
JG

= /L

Definition

dA

Fx = 0.

Some Statics Facts and Definitions

F =

= PL
AE
[ = P L + LT ]
AE

Dotting the moment balance equation with a unit vector gives a scalar equation,
e.g. {

Results

2
b( h y 2 )
4
2

Power in a shaft:

Saint Venants Principle: Far from the region of loading, the stresses in a structure
would only change slightly if a load system were replaced with any other load system
having the same net force and moment.

P = T .