3/15/2021

Normal and Shear Strain

Normal Strain
Forces and moments cause deformations.
These dimensional and shape changes are
quantified as strains.
The rod AB has an initial length of Lo. Due
After a deformation point B moves to B’. The
length Lo becomes L’.
The elongation or shortening of a line per
unit length is called normal strain. The
average strain for the line AB is defined as

If point B moves towards A, AB becomes 0 and a limit value

for Є is found. This value is the normal strain in point A.

The normal strain is dimensionless. This strain can also be given in percentage. For an
elongation this value is positive, for shortening it is negative.

If the normal strain and the initial length is known, the

elongation and the final length can be calculated.

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Shear Strain

The change of the angle between two

perpendicular lines in deformed body
is defined as shear strain.

After a shear deformation shown in the

figure, the lines b and c are displaced and
the new angle in point A is θ‘.
The shear strain is defined with the change
of this angle between these perpendicular
lines :

The shear strain is is expressed in radians. It is positive if the angle becomes smaller and
negative if it increases.

Cartesian Strain Components

The dimensions and angles before and after the deformation for point A

New dimensions

New angles

Normal strain causes dimension and volume changes.

Shear strain causes changes in the angles

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The square shaped plate is deformed into the dashed shape. AC and BD remain
horizontal and have the same length. Determine
a) The normal strain along the side AB
b) The shear strain in point A