4.15 Beam AB is supported as shown in Fig. P4.15.

Tie
rod (1) is attached at B and C with double shear pin
connections while the pin at A is attached with a single
shear connection. The pins at A, B, and C each have an
ultimate shear strength of 54 ksi, and tie rod (1) has a
yield strength of 36 ksi. A concentrated load of P = 16
kips is applied to the beam as shown. A factor of safety
of 3.0 is required for all components. Determine:
(a) the minimum required diameter for tie rod (1).
(b) the minimum required diameter for the double shear
pins at B and C.
(c) the minimum required diameter for the single shear
pin at A.

Fig. P4.15

Solution
Tie rod (1) is a two-force member that is oriented at 
with respect to the horizontal axis:
8.5 ft
tan    0.7083   35.3112
12 ft

From a FBD of beam AB, the following equilibrium

equations can be written:
Fx  Ax  F1 cos35.3112  0 (a)
Fy  Ay  F1 sin 35.3112  P  0 (b)
 10 in. 
M A  ( F1 cos35.3112) 
 12 in./ft 
( F1 sin 35.3112)(12 ft)  P(8 ft)  0 (c)

From Eq. (c):

(16 kips)(8 ft)
F1   16.8062 kips
(cos35.3112)  0.833333 ft   (sin35.3112)(12 ft)
Substitute F1 into Eq. (a) to obtain Ax:
Ax   F1 cos35.3112  (16.8062 kips)cos35.3112  13.7143 kips
and substitute F1 into Eq. (b) to obtain Ay:
Ay  P  F1 sin 35.3112  16 kips  (16.8062 kips)sin 35.3112  6.2857 kips
The resultant pin force at A is found from Ax and Ay:
A Ax2  Ay2  (13.7143 kips)2  (6.2857 kips)2  15.0861 kips

(a) The allowable normal stress for tie rod (1) is

 36 ksi
 allow  Y   12.0 ksi
FS 3.0

Excerpts from this work may be reproduced by instructors for distribution on a not-for-profit basis for testing or instructional purposes only
to students enrolled in courses for which the textbook has been adopted. Any other reproduction or translation of this work beyond that
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The minimum cross-sectional area required for the tie rod is
F 16.8062 kips
Amin  1   1.400518 in.2
 allow 12 ksi
Therefore, the minimum tie rod diameter is

d12  1.400518 in.2  d1  1.335363 in.  1.335 in. Ans.
4

(b) The allowable shear stress for the pins at A, B, and C is

 54 ksi
 allow  U   18 ksi
FS 3.0
The double-shear pin connection at B and C must support a load of F1 =16.8062 kips . The shear area
AV required for these pins is
F 16.8062 kips
AV  1   0.933679 in.2
 allow 18 ksi
The pin diameter can be computed from

2
(2 surfaces) d pin  0.933679 in.2  d pin  0.7710 in.  0.771 in. Ans.
4

(c) The pin at A is a single shear connection; therefore, AV = Apin. The shear area AV required for this pin
is
A 15.0861 kips
AV    0.838119 in.2
 allow 18 ksi
The pin diameter can be computed from

2
(1 surface) d pin  0.838119 in.2  d pin  1.0330 in.  1.033 in. Ans.
4

Excerpts from this work may be reproduced by instructors for distribution on a not-for-profit basis for testing or instructional purposes only
to students enrolled in courses for which the textbook has been adopted. Any other reproduction or translation of this work beyond that
permitted by Sections 107 or 108 of the 1976 United States Copyright Act without the permission of the copyright owner is unlawful.