Strength of materials CUPE 213 R.

Chiweshe@2017

Chapter 1 Summary
1.1 A Short Review of the Methods of Statics

Important points
 Mechanics of materials is the study of the relationship between the external loads applied to a body and
the stress and strain caused by the internal loads within the body
 External forces can be applied to a body as distributed or concentrated surface loading or as body forces
that sets throughout the volume of the body
 Linear distributed loadings produce a resultant force having a magnitude equal to the area under the load
diagram, and having a location that passes though the centroid of this area.
 A support produces a force in a particular direction on its attached member if it prevents translation of
the member in that direction, and it prevents a couple moment if it prevents rotation.
 The equations of equilibrium ∑F = 0 and ∑M = 0 must be satisfied in order to prevent a body from
translating with accelerated motion and from rotation.
 When applying the equations of equilibrium, it is important to first draw the free body diagram for the
body in order to account for all the terms in the equations
 The method of sections is used to determine the internal resultant loading acting on the surface of the
sectioned body. In general, these resultants consist of a normal force, shear force, torsional moment and
bending moment.

Procedure for Analysis

The resultant internal loadings at a point located on the section of a body can be obtained using the method of
sections. This requires the following steps:
Support reactions
First decide which segment of the body is to be considered. If the segment has a support or connection to
another body, then before the body is sectioned, it is necessary to determine the reactions acting on the chosen
segment. To do this, draw the free body diagram of the entre body and then apply the necessary equilibrium
equations.
Free-body diagram
 Keep all external distributed loadings, couple mements, torques and forces in their exact locations,
before passing and imaginary section through the body at the point where the resultant internal loadings
are to be determined.
 Draw the free-body diagram with resultants normally placed at the geometric centre or centroid of the
sectioned area.

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Strength of materials CUPE 213 R. Chiweshe@2017

 Establish the x, y, z coordinate axes with origin at the centroid and show the resultant internal loadings
acting along the axes.
Apply equations of equilibrium

1.2 Stress in axially loaded beams

The force per unit area, or intensity of the forces distributed over a given section, is called the stress on that
section and is denoted by the Greek letter σ (sigma). The stress in a member of cross-sectional area A subjected
to an axial load P is therefore obtained by dividing the magnitude P of the load by the area A:

or …..1
We should also note that the magnitude P of the resultant of the internal forces distributed over the cross section
by the area A of the cross section; it represents, therefore, the average value of the stress over the cross section,
rather than the stress at a specific point of the cross section.

Figure 1

Since SI metric units are used in this discussion, with P expressed in newtons (N) and A in square meters (m2),
the stress s will be expressed in N/m2. This unit is called a pascal (Pa). However, one finds that the pascal is an
exceedingly small quantity and that, in practice, multiples of this unit must be used, namely, the kilopascal
(kPa), the megapascal (MPa), and the gigapascal (GPa).

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Strength of materials CUPE 213 R. Chiweshe@2017

Members in loaded beams are expected to carry a load below the maximum allowable stress. If loaded above
the maximum allowable stress/safe load, the loaded member fails.

1.3 Shear stress

A very different type of stress is obtained when transverse forces P and P’ are applied to a member AB as
shown below,

Figure 2
These elementary internal forces are called shearing forces, and the magnitude P of their resultant is the shear in
the section. Dividing the shear force P by the area A of the cross section, we obtain the average shearing stress
in the section.

…….2
Shearing stresses are commonly found in bolts, pins, and rivets used to connect various
structural members and machine components.

1.4 Bearing stress

Bolts, pins, and rivets create stresses in the members they connect, along the bearing surface, or surface of
contact. The bearing stress is obtained by dividing the load P by the area of the rectangle representing the
projection of the bolt on the plate section.

……..3

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Strength of materials CUPE 213 R. Chiweshe@2017

Figure 3

1.5 Stress on an Oblique Plane Under Axial Loading

Transverse forces exerted on bolts and pins cause shearing stresses in those connections and normal stresses in
the members under load. A relation was observed between axial forces and normal stresses on one hand, and
transverse forces and shearing stresses on the other, was because stresses were being determined only on planes
perpendicular to the axis of the member or connection. Transverse forces exerted on a bolt or a pin cause both
normal and shearing stresses on planes which are not perpendicular to the axis of the bolt or pin.

Figure 4
Resolving P into components F and V, respectively normal and tangential to the section, we have:

…….4

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Strength of materials CUPE 213 R. Chiweshe@2017

The force F represents the resultant of normal forces distributed over the section, and the force V the resultant
of shearing forces. The average values of the corresponding normal and shearing stresses are obtained by
dividing, respectively, F and V by the area Aθ of the section:

..….5

Substituting for F and V and observing from that Ao = Aθ cosθ, or Ao = A0/cosθ,

………6
The normal stress is maximum when θ = 0, thus;

……..7
The shear stress is zero for θ = 0 and θ = 90 , but is maximum at θ = 45
0 0

………8

At θ = 450, the normal stress is equal to the maximum shear stress, thus

……..9

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Strength of materials CUPE 213 R. Chiweshe@2017

Figure 5

1.6 Class discussions

1) Determine reactions at A and D

8kN 8kN

6m 2m 2m

A D

B C

2) Determine reactions at B, C and D

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Strength of materials CUPE 213 R. Chiweshe@2017

1.7 Problems involving structures

a) Consider the structure shown in Fig. 1.1, which was designed to support a 30-kN load. It consists of a
boom AB with a 30 3 50-mm rectangular cross section and of a rod BC with a 20-mm-diameter circular
cross section. The boom and the rod are connected by a pin at B and are supported by pins and brackets
at A and C, respectively. Determine:
i. the reactions at A and C
ii. the force in AB and BC.

Figure 6

b) As an example above, let us specify the supports and connections at A, B, and C. As shown in below, the
20-mmdiameter rod BC has flat ends of 20 x 40-mm rectangular cross section, while boom AB has a 30
x 50-mm rectangular cross section and is fitted with a clevis at end B. Both members are connected at B
by a pin from which the 30-kN load is suspended by means of a U-shaped bracket. Boom AB is
supported at A by a pin fitted into a double bracket, while rod BC is connected at C to a single bracket.
All pins are 25 mm in diameter. Determine,
i. Normal stress in AB and BC
ii. Shearing stress in various components
iii. Bearing stress and A, B and C, for all members

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Strength of materials CUPE 213 R. Chiweshe@2017

Figure 7

c) Each of the four vertical links has an 8x36-mm uniform rectangular cross section and each of the four
pins has a 16-mm diameter. Determine the maximum value of the average normal stress in the links
connecting (a) points B and D, (b) points C and E.

Figure 8
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Strength of materials CUPE 213 R. Chiweshe@2017

1.8 Further study Questions

1.1 A 25mm square cross-section bar of length 300mm carries an axial compressive load of 50kN. Determine
the stress set up in the bar and its change of length when the load is applied. For the bar material E = 200
GN/m2. [80 MN/m2; 0.12mm.]

1.2 A steel tube, 25 mm outside diameter and 12mm inside diameter, cames an axial tensile load of 40 kN.
What will be the stress in the bar? What further increase in load is possible if the stress in the bar is limited to
225 MN/m2? [106 MN/m2; 45 kN]

1.3 Define the terms shear stress and shear strain, illustrating your answer by means of a simple sketch. Two
circular bars, one of brass and the other of steel, are to be loaded by a shear load of 30 kN. Determine the
necessary diameter of the bars (a) in single shear, (b) in double shear, if the shear stress in the two materials
must not exceed 50 MN/m2 and 100 MN/m2 respectively.
[27.6, 19.5, 19.5,
13.8mm]

1.4 Two fork end pieces are to be joined together by a single steel pin of 25mm diameter and they are required
to transmit 50 kN. Determine the minimum cross-sectional area of material required in one branch of either fork
if the stress in the fork material is not to exceed 180 MN/m2. What will be the maximum shear stress in the pin?
[1.39 x 10-4m2; 50.9MN/m2.]

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