7.2.

5 NUMERICAL EXAMPLES
Example 7.1
A hollow aluminum tube of rectangular cross-section shown in Figure below, is subjected to a
torque of 56,500 m-N along its longitudinal axis. Determine the shearing stresses and the angle of
twist. Assume G = 27.6x109 N/m2.

0.5

t2=0.006

t3 0.25
t1 0.01
0.012
t4=0.006

Membrane Surface

B C
p q=Shear Flow
A D
All Dimensions in metre
Figure 7.10

Solution: The above figure shows the membrane surface ABCD

Now, the Applied torque =Mt = 2qA
56,500 = 2q(0.5x0.25)
56,500 = 0.25q
hence, q = 226000 N/m.
Now, the shearing stresses are
q 226000
1 =   18.833  10 6 N / m 2
t1 0.012
q 226000
2 =   37.667  10 6 N / m 2
t2 0.006
226000
3 =  22.6  10 6 N / m 2
0.01
Now, the angle of twist per unit length is
q ds
= 
2GA t
Therefore,

= 226000  0.25 0.5 0.25 

  (2) 
9
2x 27.6x10 x 0.125  0.012 0.006 0.01 

or  = 0.00696014 rad/m
Example 7.2
The figure below shows a two-cell tubular section as formed by a conventional airfoil shape, and
having one interior web. An external torque of 10,000 Nm is acting in a clockwise direction.
Determine the internal shear flow distribution. The cell areas
are as follows:
A1 = 680 cm2 A2 = 2000 cm2
The peripheral lengths are indicated in Figure
Solution:
dS
For Cell 1, a1 =  t
( including the web)
67 33
= 
0.06 0.09
therefore, a1 = 148.3
For Cell 2,
33 63 48 67
a2 =   
0.09 0.09 0.09 0.08

Therefore, a2 = 2409
For web,
33
a12 =  366
0.09
Now, for Cell 1,

1
2G = (a1q1  a12 q 2 )
A1
1
= (1483 q1  366 q 2 )
680

Therefore, 2G = 2.189q1 – 0.54q2 (i)

For Cell 2,
1
2G = (a2 q2  a12 q1 )
A2
1
= (2409 q 2  366 q1 )
2000

Therefore, 2G = 1.20q2 – 0.18q1 (ii)

Equating (i) and (ii), we get
2.18 q1 – 0.54q2 = 1.20q2 – 0.18q1
or 2.36q1 – 1.74q2 = 0
or q2 = 1.36q1
The torque due to shear flows should be equal to the applied torque
Hence, from Equation (a),
Mt = 2q1 A1 + 2q2 A2
10,000  100 = 2q1 x 680 + 2q2 x 2000
= 1360q1 + 4000q2
Substituting for q2, we get
10000  100 = 1360q1 + 4000  1.36q1
Therefore,
q1 = 147 N and q2 = 200 N

0.09cm
0.06cm
m
S=63c
S=48cm
S=33cm

m
67c Cell-2 q2
q1 S= 0.09cm
0.09cm
Cell-1 S=67cm

0.08cm
Figure 7.11

Example 7.3
A thin walled steel section shown in figure is subjected to a twisting moment T. Calculate the shear
stresses in the walls and the angle of twist per unit length of the box.

t q2
t
a
A2 2a
A1
t
q1
t 2a
Figure 7.12

Solution: Let A1 and A2 be the areas of the cells (1) and (2) respectively.
a 2
 A1 
2
A2  2a  2a   4a 2
For Cell (1),
ds
a1   (Including the web)
t
 a  2a 
a1   
 t 
For Cell (2),
ds
a2  
t
2a 2a 2a 2a
   
t t t t
 8a 
 a2   
 t 
For web,
 2a 
a12   
 t 
Now,
For Cell (1),
1
2G  a1q1  a12 q2 
A1
2  a  2a   2a  
 2 
q1   q2 
a  t  t  
2a
 2   q1  2q2 
 ta 2
2
 2G    2q1  2q2  (1)
 at
For Cell (2),
1
2G  a2 q2  a12 q1 
A2

1  8a 2a 
  t q 2  q1 
4a 2  t 
2a
 4q 2  q1 
4a 2 t
1
 2G  4q2  q1  (2)
2at
Equating (1) and (2), we get,
2
  2q1  2q 2   1 4q 2  q1 
at 2at
2
or   2q1  2q2   1 4q 2  q1 
 2
4
  2q1  2q 2   4q2  q1 

 4  2 8
 q1  q 2  4q 2  q1  0
 
 4  2  8 
   1 q1    4 q 2  0
   
 4  2     8  4 
  q1   q2  0
     
or 4  8   q1  8  4 q2
 5  8 
 q2   q1
 4  8 
But the torque due to shear flows should be equal to the applied torque.
i.e., T  2q1 A1  2q2 A2 (3)

Substituting the values of q 2 , A1 and A2 in (3), we get,

 a 2  5  8 
T  2q1    2 q1 .4a
2

 2   4  8 
 5  8 
 a 2 q1  8a 2  q1
 4  8 

T  

 a 2  2  12  16  q

   2 
1

 q1  2 2
  2T

a   12  16 
Now, from equation (1), we have,

2 
  2 2 2  2T  5  8    2T 
2G   2  2 2

at  
a   12  16  
 4  8  a   12  16   
Simplifying, we get the twist as   
 2  3T
 
 2Ga t   12  16 
3 2


Example 7.4
A thin walled box section having dimensions 2a  a  t is to be compared with a solid circular
section of diameter as shown in the figure. Determine the thickness t so that the two sections have:
(a) Same maximum shear stress for the same torque.
(b) The same stiffness.

2a

a t . a
 Figure 7.13
Solution: (a) For the box section, we have
T  2qA
 2. .t. A
T  2. .t.2a  a
T
  2 (a )
4a t
Now, For solid circular section, we have
T 

Ip r
Where Ip = Polar moment of inertia
T 
 
 a 4   a 
   
 32   2 
32T 2
or 4 
a a
 16T 
   3  (b )
 a 
Equating (a) and (b), we get
T 16T
 3  64 a 2 tT  a 3T
4a t a
2

a
t 
64
(b) The stiffness of the box section is given by
q ds

2GA  t
T
Here T = 2qA q 
2A
T  a 2a a 2a 
     
4GA2  t t t t 
6aT

4GA 2 t
6aT

 
4G 2a 2 t
2

6aT
  (c )
16 a 4 Gt
The stiffness of the Solid Circular Section is
 T T 32T
   (d )
GI p  a  Ga 4
4
G 
 32 
Equating (c) and (d), we get
6aT 32T

16a Gt Ga 4
4

6a 32

16t 
6a
t 
16  32
3  a 
t   
4  64 

Example 7.5
A two-cell tube as shown in the figure is subjected to a torque of 10 kN-m. Determine the Shear
Stress in each part and angle of twist per metre length. Take modulus of rigidity of the material as
83 kN/mm2.

125
5 2.5
q2
2.5
150

Mt
q1 2.5

12 5

100

All dimensions in mm
Figure 7.14
Solution: For Cell 1
Area of the Cell = A1= 150  100  15000 mm 2
ds
a1   (including web)
t
150 100 150 100
   
5 5 2.5 5
 130
For Cell 2
1
Area of the cell = A2   150  125 2  75 2
2
= 7500mm2
ds
 a2   (including web)
t
150 125 125
  
2.5 2.5 2.5
a2  160
For the web,
150
a12   60
2.5
For Cell (1)
1
2G  a1q1  a12 q2 
A1
1
 2G  130 q1  60 q2  (a )
15000
For Cell (2)
1
2G  a2 q2  a12q1 
A2
1
 160 q2  60 q1  (b )
7500
Equating (a) and (b), we get
1 1
(130 q1  60 q2 )  160 q2  60 q1 
15000 7500
Solving, q1  1.52 q2 (c )
Now, the torque due to shear flows should be equal to the applied torque.
i.e., M t  2q1 A1  2q2 A2

10  106  2q1 (15000 )  2q2 (7500 ) (d )

Substituting (c) in (d), we get
10  106  2  15000 (1.52q2 )  2q2 (7500 )
 q2  165 .02 N
 q1  1.52  165 .02  250 .83 N
Shear flow in the web = q3  q1  q2   250.83  165.02

 q3  85.81N
q1 250 .83
 1    50.17 N / mm 2
t1 5
q 165 .02
2  2   66.01N / mm 2
t2 2.5
q3 85.81
3    34.32 N / mm 2
t3 2.5
Now, the twist  is computed by substituting the values of q1 and q2 in equation (a)
1
i.e., 2G  130  250 .83  60  165 .02
15000
1 22706 .7
    1.824  10 5 radians/ mm length
15000 83  1000
or   1.04 degrees/m length

Example 7.6
A tubular section having three cells as shown in the figure is subjected to a torque of 113 kN-m.
Determine the shear stresses developed in the walls of the section.

254 254

q2 0.8 q3
q4 q5 q6
12

254
7

0.8 (3)
(1) (2)
1.3 1.0
0.6
q1
q2 q3
All dimensions in mm
Figure 7.15

Solution: Let q1 , q2 , q3 , q4 , q5 , q6 be the shear flows in the various walls of the tube as shown in the
figure. A1 , A2 , and A3 be the areas of the three cells.

 A1  127 2  25322 mm 2
2
A2  254  254  64516 mm2
A3  64516 mm 2
Now, From the figure,
q1 = q2 + q4
q2 = q3 + q5
q3 = q6
or q1   1t1   2 t 2   4 t 4
q 2   2 t 2   3t 3   5 t 5
(1)
q3   3t 3   6 t 6
Where  1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 and 6 are the Shear Stresses in the various walls of the tube.
Now, The applied torque is
M t  2 A1 q1  2 A2 q 2  2 A3 q3
 2 A1 1t1  A2 2 t 2  A3 3t 3 

i.e., 113 10 6  225322 1  0.8  64516 2  0.8  64516  0.8

 1  3.397  2   3   3718 (2)

Now, considering the rotations of the cells and S1 , S 2 , S 3 ,S 4 , S 5 and S 6 as the length of cell walls,
We have,
 1 S1   4 S 4  2GA1
  4 S 4  2 2 S 2   5 S 5  2GA2 (3)
  5 S 5  2 3 S 3   6 S 6  2GA3
Here S1    127   398 mm
S 2  S3  S 4  S5  S 6  254 mm
(3) can be written as
398 1  254 S 4  25322 G
 254 2  2  254   2  254 5  64516 G (4)
 254 2  2  254   3  254 6  64516 G
Now, Solving (1), (2) and (4) we get
 1  40.4N / mm2
 2  55.2N / mm2
 3  48.9 N / mm 2

 4  12.7N / mm2
 6  36.6 N / mm 2