Third Edition

CHAPTER MECHANICS OF

1 MATERIALS

Ferdinand P. Beer
E. Russell Johnston, Jr.
Introduction –
Concept of Stress
John T. DeWolf

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Mechanics

• Mechanics is a branch of the physical sciences that is

concerned with the state of rest or motion of bodies that are
subjected to the action of forces.

• In general, this subject can be subdivided into three

branches: rigid-body mechanics, deformable-body
mechanics (mechanics of materials), and fluid
mechanics.

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Rigid Body. A rigid body can be considered as a combination of a

large number of particles in which all the particles remain at a fixed
distance from one another, both before and after applying a load.

This model is important because the body’s shape does not change
when a load is applied, and so we do not have to consider the type
of material from which the body is made. In most cases the actual
deformations occurring in structures, machines, mechanisms, and
the like are relatively small, and the rigid-body assumption is
suitable for analysis.
Rigid-body mechanics is divided into two areas: statics and
dynamics.
Statics - study of forces on rigid body when it is at rest or moving
with constant velocity
Dynamics - study of forces on rigid body when it is in motion.

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Mechanics of Materials/Solid Mechanics is a branch of mechanics that studies

the internal effects of stress and strain in a solid body that is subjected to
external loads.

Strength of materials, also called mechanics of materials, is a subject which

deals with the behavior of solid objects subject to stresses and strains.

Stress is associated with the strength of the material, from which the body is
made, while strain is a measure of the deformation of the body.

In addition to this, mechanics of materials includes the study of the body’s

stability when a body such as a column is subjected to compressive loading.

Strength ---------capacity of a structure to resist loads-------Maximum load

Stiffness --------ability to resist changes in shape--------allowable
deformation
Stability ----------ability to resist buckling under compressive stresses-----
stable or not while in service

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Why do we study Mechanics of Materials?

Anyone concerned with the strength and physical performance of
natural/man-made structures should study Mechanics of Materials

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Importance of Studying Strength of Materials

The principal objective of mechanics of materials is to
determine the stresses, strains, and displacements in structures
and their components due to the loads acting on them. If we
can find these quantities for all values of the loads up to the
loads that cause failure, we will have a complete picture of the
mechanical behavior of these structures.
Mechanics of materials provides the future engineer with the
means of analyzing and designing various machines and load
bearing structures.
A thorough understanding of the fundamentals of this subject
is of vital importance because many of the formulas and rules
of design cited in engineering codes are based upon the
principles of this subject.

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Review of Statics

• The structure is designed to

support a 30 kN load
• The structure consists of a
boom and rod joined by pins
(zero moment connections) at
the junctions and supports
• Perform a static analysis to
determine the internal force in
each structural member and the
reaction forces at the supports

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Structure Free-Body Diagram

• Structure is detached from supports and
the loads and reaction forces are indicated
• Conditions for static equilibrium:
 M C  0  Ax 0.6 m   30 kN 0.8 m 
Ax  40 kN
 Fx  0 Ax  C x
C x   Ax  40 kN
 Fy  0  Ay  C y  30 kN  0
Ay  C y  30 kN

• Ay and Cy can not be determined from

these equations

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Component Free-Body Diagram

• In addition to the complete structure, each
component must satisfy the conditions for
static equilibrium
• Consider a free-body diagram for the boom:
 M B  0   Ay 0.8 m 
Ay  0
substitute into the structure equilibrium
equation
C y  30 kN

• Results:
A  40 kN  Cx  40 kN  C y  30 kN 

Reaction forces are directed along boom

and rod

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Stress Analysis
Can the structure safely support the 30 kN
load?
• From a statics analysis
FAB = 40 kN (compression)
FBC = 50 kN (tension)

• At any section through member BC, the

internal force is 50 kN with a force intensity
or stress of
dBC = 20 mm P 50 103 N
 BC    159 MPa
A 31410-6 m 2

• From the material properties for steel, the

allowable stress is
 all  165 MPa
• Conclusion: the strength of member BC is
adequate

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Design
• Design of new structures requires selection of
appropriate materials and component dimensions
to meet performance requirements
• For reasons based on cost, weight, availability,
etc., the choice is made to construct the rod from
aluminum all= 100 MPa). What is an
appropriate choice for the rod diameter?
P P 50 103 N
 all  A   500 10 6 m 2
A  all 100 106 Pa
d2
A
4

d
4A


4 500 10 6 m 2   2.52 102 m  25.2 mm
 

• An aluminum rod 26 mm or more in diameter is

adequate
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Axial Loading: Normal Stress

• The resultant of the internal forces for an axially
loaded member is normal to a section cut
perpendicular to the member axis.

• The force intensity on that section is defined as

the normal stress.
F P
  lim  ave 
A0 A A

• The normal stress at a particular point may not be

equal to the average stress but the resultant of the
stress distribution must satisfy
P   ave A   dF    dA
A

• The detailed distribution of stress is statically

indeterminate, i.e., can not be found from statics
alone.

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Centric & Eccentric Loading

• A uniform distribution of stress in a section
infers that the line of action for the resultant of
the internal forces passes through the centroid
of the section.

• A uniform distribution of stress is only

possible if the concentrated loads on the end
sections of two-force members are applied at
the section centroids. This is referred to as
centric loading.

• If a two-force member is eccentrically loaded,

then the resultant of the stress distribution in a
section must yield an axial force and a
moment.

• The stress distributions in eccentrically loaded

members cannot be uniform or symmetric.
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Shearing Stress
• Forces P and P’ are applied transversely to the
member AB.
• Corresponding internal forces act in the plane
of section C and are called shearing forces.
• The resultant of the internal shear force
distribution is defined as the shear of the section
and is equal to the load P.
• The corresponding average shear stress is,
P
 ave 
A
• Shear stress distribution varies from zero at the
member surfaces to maximum values that may be
much larger than the average value.
• The shear stress distribution cannot be assumed to
be uniform.
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Shearing Stress Examples

Single Shear Double Shear

P F P F
 ave    ave  
A A A 2A

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Bearing Stress in Connections

• Bolts, rivets, and pins create

stresses on the points of contact
or bearing surfaces of the
members they connect.

• The resultant of the force

distribution on the surface is
equal and opposite to the force
exerted on the pin.

• Corresponding average force

intensity is called the bearing
stress,
P P
b  
A td

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Stress Analysis & Design Example

• Would like to determine the

stresses in the members and
connections of the structure
shown.

• From a statics analysis:

FAB = 40 kN (compression)
FBC = 50 kN (tension)

• Must consider maximum

normal stresses in AB and
BC, and the shearing stress
and bearing stress at each
pinned connection

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Rod & Boom Normal Stresses

• The rod is in tension with an axial force of 50 kN.

• At the rod center, the average normal stress in the

circular cross-section (A = 314x10-6m2) is BC = +159
MPa.

• At the flattened rod ends, the smallest cross-sectional

area occurs at the pin centerline,
A  20 mm 40 mm  25 mm   300 10 6 m 2

P 50 103 N
 BC,end    167 MPa
A 300 10 6 m 2

• The boom is in compression with an axial force of 40

kN and average normal stress of –26.7 MPa.

• The minimum area sections at the boom ends are

unstressed since the boom is in compression.

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Pin Shearing Stresses

• The cross-sectional area for pins at A, B,
and C,
2
 25 mm  6 2
A  r  
2
  49110 m
 2 

• The force on the pin at C is equal to the

force exerted by the rod BC,
P 50 103 N
 C , ave    6 2
 102 MPa
A 49110 m

• The pin at A is in double shear with a

total force equal to the force exerted by
the boom AB,
P 20 kN
 A, ave    6 2
 40.7 MPa
A 49110 m

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Pin Shearing Stresses

• Divide the pin at B into sections to determine
the section with the largest shear force,
PE  15 kN
PG  25 kN (largest)

• Evaluate the corresponding average

shearing stress,
PG 25 kN
 B, ave    50.9 MPa
A 491106 m 2

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Pin Bearing Stresses

• To determine the bearing stress at A in the boom AB,

we have t = 30 mm and d = 25 mm,
P 40 kN
b    53.3 MPa
td 30 mm 25 mm 

• To determine the bearing stress at A in the bracket,

we have t = 2(25 mm) = 50 mm and d = 25 mm,
P 40 kN
b    32.0 MPa
td 50 mm 25 mm 

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Stress in Two Force Members

• Axial forces on a two force

member result in only normal
stresses on a plane cut
perpendicular to the member axis.

• Transverse forces on bolts and

pins result in only shear stresses
on the plane perpendicular to bolt
or pin axis.

• Will show that either axial or

transverse forces may produce both
normal and shear stresses with respect
to a plane other than one cut
perpendicular to the member axis.

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Stress on an Oblique Plane

• Pass a section through the member forming
an angle q with the normal plane.

• From equilibrium conditions, the

distributed forces (stresses) on the plane
must be equivalent to the force P.

• Resolve P into components normal and

tangential to the oblique section,
F  P cosq V  P sinq

• The average normal and shear stresses on

the oblique plane are
F P cosq P
   cos2 q
Aq A0 A0
cosq
V P sinq P
   sinq cosq
Aq A0 A0
cosq
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Maximum Stresses
• Normal and shearing stresses on an oblique
plane
P P
 cos2 q  sinq cosq
A0 A0

• The maximum normal stress occurs when the

reference plane is perpendicular to the member
axis,
P
m    0
A0

• The maximum shear stress occurs for a plane at

+ 45o with respect to the axis,
P P
m  sin 45 cos 45   
A0 2 A0

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Deformations produced by internal forces

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Types of Internal Forces

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Types of Internal Forces and Stresses

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Stress Under General Loadings

• A member subjected to a general
combination of loads is cut into
two segments by a plane passing
through Q

• The distribution of internal stress

components may be defined as,
F x
 x  lim
A0 A

V yx Vzx
 xy  lim  xz  lim
A0 A A0 A

• For equilibrium, an equal and

opposite internal force and stress
distribution must be exerted on
the other segment of the member.

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State of Stress
• Stress components are defined for the planes
cut parallel to the x, y and z axes. For
equilibrium, equal and opposite stresses are
exerted on the hidden planes.
• The combination of forces generated by the
stresses must satisfy the conditions for
equilibrium:
 Fx   Fy   Fz  0
Mx  M y  Mz  0
• Consider the moments about the z axis:
 M z  0   xy Aa   yx Aa
 xy   yx
similarly,  yz   zy and  yz   zy

• It follows that only 6 components of stress are

required to define the complete state of stress
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Factor of Safety

Structural members or machines Factor of safety considerations:

must be designed such that the • uncertainty in material properties
working stresses are less than the • uncertainty of loadings
ultimate strength of the material. • uncertainty of analyses
• number of loading cycles
FS  Factor of safety
• types of failure
u ultimate stress
FS   • maintenance requirements and
 all allowable stress
deterioration effects
• importance of member to structures
integrity
• risk to life and property
• influence on machine function

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