MECH 411 University of Balamand

N Fares Spring 2011 - Solution test 3 Page 1

1. (70 points) :
Consider a solid disk with thin fins extending
from the center as shown in the figures on the left.
Given:
• The inner disk radius is 1 cm, each
fin thickness is 0.6 cm and each fin length is 5 cm
• Torsional bars having these cross-sections
are made of Aluminum, G = 70 GPa shear modulus
• Torsional bar lengths are each 3 m
aL Estimate the torsional rigidity HG JêLL of
a typical section as a function of the number of fins 'n'
Note: The figures on the left show n=1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6
bL Determine the total rotation in degrees of the bar
across its ends when the
applied torque is 25 Nm and the number of fins is 5
cL What is the maximum stress and
where does it occur when the number of fins is 5
Neglect stress concentrations.
Note: Your answer must be in Nm, degrees or MPa HunitsL.

Answer:
a) G and L are known and we have to estimate J. J is estimated as the sum of J's of the rectangular fins with the
circular disk. Therefore:
1 1
J º 2
p R4 + n 3
bar length µ Hbar thicknessL3 º H1.571 + 0.36 nL 10-8 m4
fl ktorsion = G J ê L = 70 GPa µ H1.571 + 0.36 nL 10-8 m4 ë 3 m fl
ktorsion º 233.33 H1.5708 + 0.36 nL Nmêrd

(Note: For n=3, FEM gives J to be about 2.832 cm4 while above formula gives about 2.6508 cm4 - this is about
6.4% difference)
b) Total rotation is given by T / (G J/L), this gives:
total rotation = 25 Nm / (233.33 (1.5708 + 0.36 × 5) Nm/rd) º 0.0318 rd º 1.821°

c) Maximum stress (neglecting stress concentrations occurs either in the disk or in one of the rectangles (most
likely disk). We check both:
tmax circular = G R q = 70 Giga Pascal × 1 cm × 0.0318 / (3 m) º 7.42 MPa
tmax thin-walled piecewise uniform-thickness open sections = G hmax q = 70 GPa × 0.6 cm × 0.0318 / (3 m) º 4.45 MPa
Therefore the maximum stress is 7.42 MPa
(Note: FEM stresses are 7.59 MPa in the disk (º 2.24% errror)

2. (15 points) :

At approximately what depth in the ocean Hgwater º 1000 kg ë m3 ) can a steel spherical shell of radius 2 m and
thickness 2 cm (assume thin shell) go before it fails?
Note:
• Assume that the submersion depth is much larger than 3 m so that the pressure is nearly uniform on the outside
of the sphere.
• Assume that the shell fails by yielding with syd = 400 MPa
Answer:
The stress in the sphere is s = (1/2) p R / t
We have p º gwater g h where ‘h’ is the submerged depth
We also have s § syd
Setting equality in the above, syd = (1/2) gwater g h R / t and after carefully addressing the units, we find the
solution to be about 801.6 m
 MECH 411 University of Balamand
N Fares Spring 2011 - Solution test 3 Page 2

3. (15 points):
Consider a beam on an elastic foundation with length ‘L’, Young’s modulus ‘E’ and moment of inertia ‘I’ loaded
by a central point force ‘P’. Let ‘k’ be the stiffness per length of the ground modeled as an elastic foundation and
4 EI 1ê4
call Lch = 1/b = I k
M . Identify and justify the pattern of deformation when Lch ê L is very small (eg. Lch ê L =
0.1) and when Lch ê L is large (eg. Lch ê L = 10).
Note: You may sketch the deformation and explain why it has the pattern you sketched.
Answer:
1
Lch ê Lbeam = 10. Lch ê Lbeam = 1 Lch ê Lbeam =
2

-0.5 L 0.5 L -0.5 L 0.5 L -0.5 L 0.5 L

-1. PêHk Lbeam L -1.01 PêHk Lbeam L -1.18 PêHk Lbeam L

1 1 1
Lch ê Lbeam = Lch ê Lbeam = Lch ê Lbeam =
4 8 16

-0.5 L 0.5 L -0.5 L 0.5 L -0.5 L 0.5 L

-2.16 PêHk Lbeam L -4. PêHk Lbeam L -8. PêHk Lbeam L

• When Lch ê Lbeam is small, the ground is very stiff compared to the beam and the deformation will be more
localized near the load (ie. close to) because the beam will flex easily relative to the ground and the point load will
be spread over a relatively smaller part of the ground.
• When Lch ê Lbeam is large, the ground is very flexible compared to the beam and the deformation will cause the
beam to deform as a rigid body downward. The total deformation will have the point load be spread over the
whole beam and thus the max deformation is less then when Lch ê Lbeam is small.