Mechanical Properties of Solids

Rigid Body
• Rigid Body: In physics, a rigid body is an
idealization of a solid body in which
deformation is neglected. In other words, the
distance between any two given points of
a rigid body remains constant in time
regardless of external forces exerted on it.
• But in reality, bodies can be stretched,
compressed and bent. This means that solid
bodies are not perfectly rigid.
 Forces Concerned
• Deforming force:- A force acting on a body
which produces change in its shape of body
instead of its state of rest or uniform motion
of the body.

• Body does not accelerate.

 Elasticity and Plasticity
• The property of a body, by virtue of which it tends to regain its
original size and shape when the applied force is removed, is known
as elasticity and the deformation caused is known as elastic
deformation.eg Rubber Bands.

• If you apply force to a lump of putty or mud, they have no gross

tendency to regain their previous shape, and they get permanently
deformed. Such substances are called plastic and this property is
called Plasticity. Putty and mud are close to ideal plastics.

• Ideal Elastic Materials are difficult (impossible) but mud and putty
are very nearly ideal Plastic materials.
Elastic Materials
Plastic materials
 Reason for Elasticity and Plasticity
Spring Ball Analogy
• For solids all the atoms are bonded to each other by inter-
atomic (or inter-molecular) forces can be assumed as they
are connected by springs. Normally each atom vibrates
slowly about its equilibrium position.

• When a force is applied the on the solid these interatomic

(intermolecular) distances change and exert a restoring
force just like a spring.

• This restoring force drives the body to regain its original

shape. This sums up for Elastic properties of matter. But as
nothing is ideal there remains a small deformation and is
the reason for plasticity.
Spring Ball Analogy for Solids
 Stress
• Restoring force per unit area developed inside
the body, when deforming force acts it is
called Stress.
• S.I Unit of stress = N/m2 or Pascal (Pa)
• Types of stress:-
1)Normal Stress and 2) Tangential Stress
Normal Stress:
Compressive Stress: when there is
decrease in dimension
Tensile Stress: there is increase in
dimension
Tangential Stress:
When deforming force acts tangential
to the surface of body. Causes Shear
Strain.

a) Compressive normal Stress

b) Tensile Normal Stress
c) C)Shear Stress
 Strain
• Strain:- The ratio of change in dimension to
the original dimension is called strain
• OR Fractional change in dimension is called
Strain.
• Unit: Unitless
• Strain = Change in Dimension/Original
Dimension
 Types of Strain
• Longitudinal Strain: Change in Length/Original
Length
• Shear Strain: Displacement of Face/ Height of
face (It is the tangent of the angle by which
the body gets distorted due to shear stress)
• Volumetric Strain: Change in Volume/Original
volume
 Hooke’s Law
• For small deformations the stress and strain are
proportional to each other. This is known as
Hooke’s law.
• Thus, Stress/strain = k
where k is the proportionality constant and is
known as modulus of elasticity.
• Hooke’s law is an empirical law and is found to be
valid for most materials. However, there are some
materials which do not exhibit this linear
relationship
 Modulus Of Elasticity:

• Young’s Modulus (Y) = Longitudinal

Stress/Longitudinal Strain

• Modulus of rigidity or Shear Modulus (ƞ) =

Tangential Stress/Shear Strain

• Bulk Modulus (K) = Normal Stress/ Volumetric

Strain
 Modulus Of Elasticity:
• Compressibility : The reciprocal of bulk
modulus of a material is called its
compressibility.

• Compressibility = 1/K
Stress-Strain Curve( for a metal)
• Proportionality limit(A) – The stress at the
limit of proportionality point P is known as
proportionality limit.

• Elastic limit or Yield point - the point till which

force can be applied to a wire so that on
unloading it return to its original length is
called the elastic limit. The corresponding
Stress in called yield strength (σy) of the
material.
• Beyond this point any increase in stress will
cause much greater increase in strain and also
even if all forces are removed the body will
not regain its original shape.

• There will always be a permanent deformation

after Yield point and it is called Permanent
Set.
• Ultimate Tensile Strength(UTS) (Point D) is the
Maximum Stress that the material can take
without breaking.
• Beyond this point even a reduced stress can
cause Fracture.
• Point E is the Fracture point.
• If point D and point E are close the material is
called Brittle and if they are close the material
is called Ductile.
• If force is removed at point D it does not
break.
FAQ: What if Force is greater than what Force is
at UTS?
• The material snaps without warning.

FAQ: Why does the material break at a stress

lower than the Ultimate Tensile Stress?
• In this experiment we exert force and divide
by initial area to find stress. But as the length
increase and matter cant be created the area
decrease.
• So, actually the Stress at Breaking point is
greater than Ultimate Tensile Stress but we
plot graph using area of initial condition as
finding area at each point is a tough job.
• So the original stress always increases till the
breaking point.
 Poisson’s ratio
• The ratio of lateral strain to longitudinal strain
is called Poisson’s ratio.
• Poisons ratio = Fractional change in area per
unit Fractional change in Length
• Poisson’s ration =
(ΔArea/Area) / (Δlength/Length)
 Applications of elasticity
• 1. Metallic part of machinery is never subjected
to a stress beyond the elastic limit of material.
• 2. Metallic rope used in cranes to lift heavy
weight are decided on the elastic limit of
material.
• 3. In designing beam to support load (in
construction of roofs and bridges)
• 4. Preference of hollow shaft than solid shaft
• 5. Calculating the maximum height of a mountain