Fundamentals of Engineering Materials

Mechanical Behaviour
Tutorial 1:Elastic Behaviour
Rajesh Prasad
September 24, 2020

Problem 1: Elastic stresses and strains

The cable of crane has a cross-section of of 100 mm2 . It is used to lift a weight of 500 kg. The free
length of the cable is 5 m.
(a) What is the stress in the cable?
(b) How much will it extend if it is made of steel (Young’s modulus = 200 GPa)?
(c) How much will it extend if it is made of polypropylene (Young’s modulus 1 GPa)

Problem 2: Modulus-Density Chart Use the modulus-density to find, from among the mate-
rials that appear on it:
(a) the material with the highest density
(b) the metal with the lowest modulus
(c) the polymer with the highest density
(d) the approximate ratio of the modulus of woods measured parallel to the grain and perpendic-
ular to the grain
(e) the approximate range of modulus of elastomers
(f) the range of modulus of CFRP (carbon fibre-reinforced plastic)

Problem 3: Relationship between Young’s and bulk modulus

Consider a cubic element of material with Young’s modulus E and Poisson’s ratio ⌫ loaded with
normal stresses 1 , 2 and 3 as shown below.

1
(a)Show that the normal strains are given by
1
"1 = [ 1 ⌫( 2 + 3 )]
E
1
"2 = [ 2 ⌫( 3 + 1 )]
E
1
"3 = [ 3 ⌫( 1 + 2 )]
E
(b) Show that the dilatation (change in volume divided by initial volume) is given by

V
= = "1 + " 2 + "3
V
(c) Find the dilation for uniaxial tensile stress 1 = (i.e. 2 = 2 = 0. For what value of
Poission’s ratio is the volume conserved?
(d) Find the dilatation for a volume element subjected to hydrostatic pressure, i.e., 1 = 2 =
3 = p. Hence derive the formula relating the bulk modulus, K, to Young’s modulus, E and
Poisson’s ratio ⌫.
Problem 4: Constrained Modulus A mounting block made of butyl rubber of modulus =
0.0015 GPa is designed to cushion a sensitive device against shock loading. It consists of a cube
of the rubber of side length L = 40 mm located in a slot in a rigid plate, exactly as shown in the
figure below.

The slot and cube have the same cross-sectional dimensions, and the surrounding material is much
sti↵er, so the strain in one direction is constrained to be zero. A vertical compressive load F is
applied, and the downward deflection of the top of the block is d. The maximum expected value
of F is 50 N. Find the sti↵ness of the cube (F/d) in this constrained condition, assuming ⌫ = 0.5.
Hence find the maximum deflection d of the top face of the block. What would this deflection be
without any constraint?

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