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CIVIL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT

FLEX Course Material

Introduce torsion applied
to helical springs.
Apply combined shear
stress due to force and
torsion to derive the
formula for shear stress
and deformation
helical springs.
on
MECHANICS OF
DEFORMABLE
Solve problems involving
statically indeterminate
problems applied to
helical springs.
BODIES

TORSION: HELICAL
SPRINGS

ENGR. FRANZ D. SANTOS

FACULTY, COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING
CIVIL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT
 HELICAL SPRINGS
❑ Close-coiled helical springs are composed of a wire of
round rod of diameter d wound into a helix of mean
radius R with n number of turns.
❑ When it is subjected to an axial load P, it experiences
shear stress from direct shear force and torsional
moment.

T = PR
P R
P

𝑷 𝟏𝟔𝑻 𝟒𝑷 𝟏𝟔𝑷𝑹
𝝉𝒎𝒂𝒙 =𝝅 + 𝝉𝒎𝒂𝒙 = +
𝒅 𝟐 𝝅𝒅𝟑 𝝅𝒅 𝟐 𝝅𝒅𝟑
𝟒
Light Spring Equation
𝟏𝟔𝑷𝑹 𝒅
𝝉𝒎𝒂𝒙 = 𝟑
(𝟏 + )
𝝅𝒅 𝟒𝑹
Note: General Formula applicable to Light Spring where the ratio d/4R is small.

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 HELICAL SPRINGS
HEAVY SPRING EQUATION:
For heavy springs and considering the curvature of the
spring, A.M. Wahl Formula is used:

T = PR
P R
P

𝟏𝟔𝑷𝑹 𝟒𝒎 − 𝟏 𝟎. 𝟔𝟏𝟓
𝝉𝒎𝒂𝒙 = 𝟑
( + )
𝝅𝒅 𝟒𝒎 − 𝟒 𝒎

Where:
𝒎 = 𝒔𝒑𝒓𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒊𝒏𝒅𝒆𝒙
𝟒𝒎 − 𝟏
= 𝑾𝒂𝒉𝒍 𝑭𝒂𝒄𝒕𝒐𝒓
𝟐𝑹 𝑫 𝟒𝒎 − 𝟒
𝒎= =
𝒅 𝒅
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 HELICAL SPRINGS
SPRING ELONGATION (DEFORMATION):
For one coil of the spring, consider that the load
causes the spring to deflect vertically by an amount dy.
Angle of twist of one coil:

P 𝑻𝑳
𝜽=
𝑱𝑮
d 𝑻𝑳
𝒅𝒚 = ∗𝑹 Note: 𝑻 = 𝐏𝐑
𝑱𝑮
dy 𝜽
(𝑷𝑹)𝑳
R 𝒅𝒚 = ∗𝑹
𝑱𝑮

𝒅𝒚 Since we are considering one coil only

𝒕𝒂𝒏 𝜽 =
𝑹 𝑳 = 𝟐𝝅𝑹
For very small values of theta: 𝒕𝒂𝒏𝜽 = 𝒔𝒊𝒏𝜽 = 𝜽 𝝅 𝟒
𝑱= 𝒅
𝟑𝟐
The equation becomes:

(𝑷𝑹)(𝟐𝝅𝑹)
𝒅𝒚 = 𝝅 𝟒 ∗𝑹
( 𝒅 )𝑮
𝟑𝟐

𝟔𝟒𝑷𝑹𝟑 𝟔𝟒𝑷𝑹𝟑 𝒏
𝒅𝒚 =
𝑮𝒅𝟒
ELONGATION PER COIL 𝜹=
𝑮𝒅𝟒
For total elongation, multiply the
elongation per coil by the number of
turns (n), that is 𝜹 = 𝒏 ∗ 𝒅𝒚

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 HELICAL SPRINGS
SPRING CONSTANT (k):
❑ Property of the spring that defines the resistance of it to
deformation.
Spring stiffness is given by the ratio Recall the total deformation in
of the Force and deformation: the spring:

𝑷 𝟔𝟒𝑷𝑹𝟑 𝒏
𝒌= 𝜹=
𝜹 𝑮𝒅𝟒
𝑮𝒅𝟒
𝒌=
𝟔𝟒𝑹𝟑 𝒏

SPRING SYSTEMS
Spring in Series
For two or more springs with spring
laid in series, the resulting spring
constant k is given by:
Spring in Parallel
For two or more springs with spring
laid in parallel, the resulting spring
constant k is given by:

1 1 1 1
= + + ⋯+ 𝒌 = 𝒌1 + 𝒌2 + ⋯ + 𝒌𝒏
𝒌 𝒌1 𝒌2 𝒌𝒏

SPRINGS IN SERIES SPRINGS IN PARALLEL

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SAMPLE PROBLEMS
PROBLEM 1
Determine the maximum shearing stress and
elongation in a helical steel spring composed
of 20 turns of 20-mm-diameter wire on a
mean radius of 80 mm when the spring is
supporting a load of 2 kN. Assume heavy
spring and use G = 83 GPa.

PROBLEM 2
A helical spring is made by wrapping steel wire
20 mm in diameter around a forming cylinder
150 mm in ф. Compute the number of turns
required to permit an elongation of 100 mm
without exceeding a shearing stress of 140
MPa. Use general equation for helical spring
and G = 83 GPa.

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SAMPLE PROBLEMS

PROBLEM 3
Two steel springs arranged in series as shown in
figure P-4 supports a load P. The upper spring has 12
turns of 25-mm-diameter wire on a mean radius of
100 mm. The lower spring consists of 10 turns of 20-
mm diameter wire on a mean radius of 75 mm. If the
maximum shearing stress in either spring must not
exceed 200 MPa, compute the maximum value of P
and the total elongation of the assembly. Use Heavy
Spring Equation and G = 83 GPa. Compute also the
equivalent spring constant by dividing the load by the
total elongation.

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SAMPLE PROBLEMS

PROBLEM 4
A rigid bar, hinged at one end, is supported by
two identical springs as shown below. Each
spring consists of 20 turns of 10-mm wire
having a mean diameter of 150 mm. Compute
the maximum shearing stress in the springs,
using light spring equation. Neglect the mass
of the rigid bar.

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