CEE 501

Assignment 1 Solution

Autumn 2013

Exercises (not turned in)

Problems
1. Derive a governing equation for 1D elasticity including temperature effects (i.e., allow for thermal
strains of the form T (x) = T (x), in which T (x) is the temperature and is the (constant) coefficient
of thermal expansion). Follow a procedure similar to that used in class to obtain a single equation
expressing equilibrium in terms of the displacement, u(x). Apply your expression to determine the
stress distribution in a fixed-end rod (i.e., u(0) = u(L) = 0) subjected to:
(a) A uniform temperature increase, T0 .
(b) A linear temperature gradient, T (x) = T1 (1

x
L)

+ T2 Lx .

Solution:
(a) Equilibrium: Ad/dx + b(x) = 0
(b) Kinematics: = du/dx = e + T (x)
(c) Constitutive: e = /E
Substitute (b) into (c) to get = E(du/dx T (x)). Substitute this into (a) to get the desired
governing equation:
AE [u (x) T (x)] + b(x) = 0
Now lets try this out on some simple problems: Use the governing equation for 1D elasticity including
temperature effects to determine the stress distribution in a fixed-end rod (i.e., u(0) = u(L) = 0)
subjected to:
(a) A uniform temperature increase, T0 .
(b) A linear temperature gradient, T (x) = T1 (1

x
L)

+ T2 Lx .

Solution:
For case (a), b(x) = T (x) = 0, and so u(x) = ax + b. For the given boundary conditions, a = b = 0
and so u(x) = 0. This makes physical sense, since with constrained ends no movement can occur.
To compute the stress, we need to use the appropriate relation between stress and the displacement
gradient:


du
(x) = E
T (x)
dx
In the present case, u (x) = 0, and so this implies that = ET0 . For case (b), the procedure is
similar, but with a bit more going on:
i
h

AE u (x) (T2 T1 ) = 0
L
The solution to this equation can be obtained by integrating twice:
u(x) = ax + b +

(T2 T1 ) x2
2L

Enforcing the boundary conditions enables us to determine a and b, and the final result is
u(x) =

(T2 T1 ) x(x L)
2L

CEE 501

Solution (continued):
The corresponding stress can be evaluated as above:


du
T (x)
(x) = E
dx

x
E
x
=
(T2 T1 ) (2x L) E T1 (1 ) + T2
2L
L
L
E
(T1 + T2 )
=
2L
Note that even though the displacement is parabolic, the stress is again constant. This same result
could be obtained by allowing the thermal expansion to occur without restraint, followed by the
application of a compressive end load to enforce the zero-displacement boundary conditions.
2. Use the 1-dimensional governing equation derived in class to:
(a) determine the displacement, u(x), and the maximum stress for the rebar/pile loaded axially as
shown below.
RL
RL
RL
x
dx =
(b) verify for your solution that 0 AE [u (x)]2 dx+ 0 b(x)u(x) dx = 0. Recall that 0 cos2 2L
RL
2 x
sin 2L dx = L/2
0

b( x) = b0 sin x
2L

A,E,L

Solution:
x
= 0, with u(0) = 0, (L) = 0 u (L) = 0.
We need to solve AEu (x) + b0 sin 2L
Straightforward integration leads to
u(x) = c1 x + c2 +

x
4b0 L2
sin
AE 2
2L

The boundary conditions are satisfied by taking c1 = c2 = 0. The corresponding maximum

stress is (0):
2b0 L
max = (0) = Eu (0) =
A
RL
RL
2

As an extra step, lets verify that 0 AE [u (x)] dx + 0 b(x)u(x) dx = 0. To this end we

need the derivative of u:
x
2b0 L
cos
u (x) =
AE
2L
The integral expressions in question thus become

4b0 L
AE

2 Z

AE cos2

x
dx +
2L



h
x
x i 4b0 L2
sin
b0 sin
dx = 0
2L AE 2
2L

A bit of algebra shows that the constants in each integral match, and since
RL
2 x
0 sin 2L dx = L/2, the equality holds.

RL
0

cos2

x
2L

dx =

3. (*)Consider a 1D elastic body with fixed ends (i.e., u(a) = u(b) = 0) subjected to a load distribution
b1 (x) resulting in a displacement u1 (x). For the same elastic body, a different load distribution b2 (x)
gives rise to a different displacement, u2 (x).

CEE 501

(a) Show that

Z

u1 (x)b2 (x) dx =

u2 (x)b1 (x) dx
0

(Hint: use the arbitrary work expressions for each loading case, and choose q(x) to be the displacement arising from the opposite loading case. Subtract the equations, and you will have the
desired result, which is a simple case of Bettis reciprocal theorem.)
Solution:
As outlined in class, we consider the weak form expressions arising from b1 (x) with q(x) = u2
and from b2 (x) with q(x) = u1 :
Z

AE

AE

u1 (x)u2 (x) dx +

u2 (x)u1 (x) dx +

b1 (x)u2 (x) dx

b2 (x)u1 (x) dx

0
L
0

Subtracting these two expressions and noting that u2 (x)u1 (x) = u1 (x)u2 (x) leads to the
desired result.
The problem statement assumes implicitly that there are fixed-end boundary conditions. In
the event that this is not the case, then the result would have to be extended to include
the work from load set 1s end force(s) moving through load set 2s end displacements, and
vice-versa. This would give a relation something like the following:
Z

u1 (x)b2 (x) dx + P2 (L)u1 (L) P2 (0)u1 (0) =

Z

L
0

u2 (x)b1 (x) dx + P1 (L)u2 (L) P1 (0)u2 (0)

(b) Consider the case in which b2 (x) corresponds to a unit load applied at a point x = . Show that
the displacement at point x = due to the loading b1 (x) can be calculated from the following
expression:
Z L
1 (x)2 (x)
u1 () = A
dx
E
0
This is a simple case of the unit load method, which enables one to compute displacements at
particular locations in structures by applying a unit load at the point in question (and more
generally in the direction of interest), and then integrating/summing the product of the internal
forces caused by the unit load (2 in the present case) and the internal forces induced by the
originally applied load (1 in the present case).
Solution:
From our virtual work expression and the relation in (a) we have:
Z

b1 (x)u2 (x) dx =

b2 (x)u1 (x) dx = A

2 (x)u1 (x) dx

We can replace u1 (x) with 1 /E to get the desired right hand side of the relation. To get
the left hand side, we note that the middle integral represents the work done by b2 moving
through the displacements u1 . Because b2 corresponds to a unit load acting at the point
x = , the integral collapses to the simple value 1 u1 ().
(c) Show that because the strain and stress are constant throughout a truss member in a structural
system, the following relation holds for any given truss member:
A

F1 F2
1 (x)2 (x)
dx =
E
(AE/L)

CEE 501

4
in which F1 and F2 are the axial forces caused by loadings 1 and 2, respectively.
Solution:
For a truss member, b(x) = 0, and so u(x) = c1 x + c2 , which implies = c1 , a constant.
Constant strain implies constant stress, and so we can identify the member force as F = A
and so = F/A. Substituting into the relation given we have
A

F1 F2
1 (x)2 (x)
dx = A 2
E
A E

dx =

F1 F2
AE
L

(d) Use the unit load method to compute the vertical displacement at the top of the very simple truss
shown, assuming A = 2 in2 and E = 10, 000 ksi for each member, and noting that for a truss
system
Z
X  F1 F2 
1 (x)2 (x)
A
dx
E
(AE/L) i
truss
memberi

12.000 ft

20 k

12.000 ft

Solution:
The traditional way of handling problems of this type is to build a simple table as follows
(great for spreadsheets):
Member
a
b

AE/L
(2in2 )(10,000ksi)

12 2ft
2
(2in )(10,000ksi)
12ft

F1 (k)

20 2

F2 (k)

F1 F2 /(AE/L) (in)

-20

1
P

-0.144
= y = 0.144

Note that the table provides a clear means of identifying which member(s) contribute most
to the displacement in question. This could be used to guide a designer in increasing the
area of particular members where it would be most effective.
4. Construct the system stiffness for the simple spring-based configuration shown.
1

ka
kc

kd

3
2

kb

4
5

CEE 501

Solution:
Following a procedure similar to that used in class leads directly to the following
ka
0

[K] = k a

0
0

kb
k b
0
0

ka + kb + kc
k c
0

kc + kd
k d

d
k

5. Determine the deflection at each node and the force in each spring for the two simple systems below.
1

2
k = 20 lbs/in

3
k = 10 lbs/in

2
k = 20 lbs/in

40 lbs

3
k = 10 lbs/in

40 lbs

k = 30 lbs/in
4
k = 30 lbs/in

Solution:
For the first configuration the stiffness can be expressed as:

20 + 10
10
0
[K] = 10
10 + 30 30 lbs/in
0
30
30
Inverting this matrix and multiplying by the load vector P T = {0, 0, 40} lbs gives the
following displacements:

2
6
in
{u} =

7.33
From here we can calculate the force in each spring:
fa
fb
fc

= k a (u2 u1 ) = 20lbs/in(2 0) = 40lbs

= k b (u3 u2 ) = 10lbs/in(6 2 ) = 40lbs

= k c (u4 u3 ) = 30lbs/in(7.33 6 ) = 40lbs

These member forces are consistent with what one can observe by inspection for this problem.
The second configuration is statically indeterminate, but the approach is the same, with
displacements coming out as


1.455
{u} =
in
0.364
The member forces are f a = 29.1lbs, f b = 10.9lbs, f c = 10.9lbs. The negative signs
imply compression.

CEE 501

6. (*) Consider the simple spring structure shown below, noting that spring a is made of material that
has the nonlinear constitutive behavior shown.
fa

Fy

kb

ka

(a) Determine the force at joint 2 necessary to just cause spring a to yield.
Solution:
With both springs acting elastically, the 1 1 system stiffness is simply k a + k b . For a given
applied load, P2 , the corresponding displacement can be determined directly as follows:
(k a + k b )2 = P2 2 =

P2
(k a + k b )

The force in member a can be determined from the displaced shape to be:
f a = k a (2 0) = P2

ka
(k a + k b )

In effect the force is shared between the members in proportion to each members stiffness.
Yield occurs when the force in member a reaches Fy , so we have


kb
(k a + k b )
ka
= Fy 1 + a
Py = Fy
Fy = Py a
(k + k b )
ka
k
(b) Calculate 2 for the case in which P2 is 20% above first yield (i.e., 1.2 times the load you
determined in part (a)).
Solution:
Once spring a has yielded, the system stiffness is k b . This is the stiffness that will be
available to deal with any load beyond the yield load Py . The plastic displacement, p2 ,
accumulated beyond the yield displacement will be
k b p2 = 0.2Py p2 = 0.2Py /k b
Substituting in for Py and combining with the initial elastic displacement, we get:
2

= e2 + p2


kb
= Fy /k + 0.2Fy 1 + a /k b
k



a
k
Fy
1 + 0.2 1 + b
=
ka
k
a

(c) Determine the plastic deformation in spring a due to the overload.

Solution:
We essentially did this as part of the previous step:
p2 = 0.2Py /k b = 0.2Fy

(k a + k b )
ka kb

CEE 501

(d) Calculate the residual displacement of joint 2 and the residual forces in members a and b following
the removal of the load.
Solution:
Due to the plastic deformation in spring a, its natural length has increased. The modified
force-displacement relation for spring a is thus of the form
f a = k a (j i p )
In other words, if the subsequent elongation in the spring equals the change in its natural
length, there will be no force. Using this modified force-displacement relation in the overall
system equilibrium equation has the following result:
P2

= f2a + f2b
= k a (2 0 p2 ) + k b (2 0)
= (k a + k b )2 k a p2

Since the load has been removed, we have P2 = 0, and so the residual displacement must
be given by r2 = k a p2 /(k a + k b ) = 0.2Fy /k b . The residual forces in springs a and b must
be equal to preserve equilibrium. It is straightforward to determine that f a = f b = k b r2 .
Substituting the appropriate results from above, we get simply f a = f b = 0.2Fy . The
figure below illustrates the load-unload cycle for the system. A figure like this can be used
to do the analysis graphically.
P2
1.2P2y
P2y

kb

ka+kb

ka+kb

r2

Note also that this final part of the problem could have been handled directly using the
member misfit approach with 0 = p2 .