ME 223 Assignment 9 Solutions

1. For an elliptical cross-section subjected to torsion T, as shown in the figure below

determine

i. the location of the point which experiences the maximum shear stress.
ii. the location of the point which experiences maximum shear stress as per the
strength of material theory.
iii. the value of maximum shear stress.
iv. the expression of the wrapping function 𝑤.
Solution:
Considering an elliptical cross-section as shown in the figure, the boundary equation of the
problem is:
𝑥2 𝑦2
+ =1
𝑎2 𝑏 2
Where 𝑎 and 𝑏 are the semi-major and semi-minor axes as shown in the figure.
Considering a stress function in the form
𝑥2 𝑦2
𝜙 = 𝐾 ( 2 + 2 − 1)
𝑎 𝑏

The stress function satisfies the boundary condition by vanishing on 𝑆. The governing equation
∇2 𝜙 = −2𝜇𝛼 will be satisfied only if the constant is chosen as:
𝑎2 𝑏 2 𝜇𝛼
𝐾=
𝑎2 + 𝑏 2
Because both the governing equation and the boundary conditions are satisfied, we have found the
solution to the torsion of the elliptical section.
The load-bearing torque can be given as:
2𝑎2 𝑏 2 𝜇𝛼 1 1
𝑇=− 2 2
( 2 ∬ 𝑥 2 𝑑𝑥𝑑𝑦 + 2 ∬ 𝑦 2 𝑑𝑥𝑑𝑦 − ∬ 𝑑𝑥𝑑𝑦)
𝑎 +𝑏 𝑎 𝑅 𝑏 𝑅 𝑅

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The integral in this expression has the following simple meaning and evaluation:
𝐴 = Area of section =∬𝑅 𝑑𝑥𝑑𝑦 = 𝜋𝑎𝑏
𝜋
𝐼𝑥 = Moment of inertia about 𝑥 − axis = ∬𝑅 𝑦 2 𝑑𝑥𝑑𝑦 = 4 𝑎𝑏 3
𝜋
𝐼𝑦 = Moment of inertia about 𝑦 − axis = ∬𝑅 𝑥 2 𝑑𝑥𝑑𝑦 = 4 𝑎3 𝑏

Substituting all these results into the expression of torsion, we will get
𝜋𝑎3 𝑏 3 𝜇𝛼
𝑇= 2
𝑎 + 𝑏2
Which can be cast in the form to determine the angle of twist in terms of applied loading
𝑇(𝑎2 + 𝑏 2 )
𝛼=
𝜋𝑎3 𝑏 3 𝜇
The shear stress resulting from the equation is given by:
2𝑎2 𝜇𝛼 2𝑇𝑦
𝜏𝑥𝑧 =− 2 𝑦 = −
𝑎 + 𝑏2 𝜋𝑎𝑏 3
2𝑏 2 𝜇𝛼 2𝑇𝑥
𝜏𝑦𝑧 = − 2 2
𝑥= − 3
𝑎 +𝑏 𝜋𝑎 𝑏
The strength of material theory suggests that the maximum stress should occur at the boundary
point; that is, at 𝑥 = ±𝑎 and 𝑦 = 0 (assuming 𝑎 > 𝑏). However, the membrane analogy would
argue for a boundary point closest to the center of the section where the membrane slope would be
the greatest. So, the resultant shear stress becomes:

2𝑇 𝑥 2 𝑦 2
𝜏= 2
√𝜏𝑥𝑧 + 2
𝜏𝑦𝑧 = √ +
𝜋𝑎𝑏 𝑎4 𝑏 4

For the case 𝑎 > 𝑏, the maximum value of 𝜏 occurs at 𝑥 = 0 and 𝑦 = ±𝑏 and is given by:
2𝑇
𝜏𝑚𝑎𝑥 =
𝜋𝑎𝑏 2
The maximum slope of the stress function (membrane) occurs at 𝑥 = 0 and 𝑦 = ±𝑏 (on the top
and the bottom of the section)
The stress relation yields a system that can be integrated to determine the displacement field
𝑇(𝑏 2 − 𝑎2 )
𝑤= 𝑥𝑦
𝜋𝑎3 𝑏 3 𝜇

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 2. For the triangular cross-section subjected to torsion T, as shown in the figure below
determine

i. the location of the point which experiences the maximum shear stress.
ii. the value of maximum shear stress.
iii. the expression of the wrapping function 𝑤.
Solution:
Considering the torsion of a cylinder with an equilateral triangular section shown in the figure.
Assuming the boundary equation needs to be satisfied, the stress function is assumed to have the
form

𝜙 = 𝐾(𝑥 − √3𝑦 + 2𝑎)(𝑥 + √3𝑦 + 2𝑎)(𝑥 − 𝑎)

The stress function vanishes on each side of the triangular section. It is found that the function
satisfies the governing equation ∇2 𝜙 = −2𝜇𝛼 if the constant is taken as:
𝜇𝛼
𝐾=−
6𝑎
All conditions on the problem are now satisfied, and we need to evaluate the solution for the
equilateral triangular case. The torque can be calculated through a lengthy integration which will
give the result
27 3
𝑇= 𝜇𝛼𝑎4 = 𝜇𝛼𝐼𝑃
5√3 5

Where 𝐼𝑃 = 3√3 𝑎4 is the polar moment of inertia of the cross-section about the centroid.
The stress can be obtained for the above stress function:
𝜇𝛼
𝜏𝑥𝑧 = (𝑥 − 𝑎)𝑦
𝑎

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 𝜇𝛼 2
𝜏𝑦𝑧 = (𝑥 + 2𝑎𝑥 − 𝑦 2 )
2𝑎
The stress component 𝜏𝑥𝑧 vanishes along the edge 𝑥 = 𝑎 as required by the boundary condition
of the problem, and this can be argued by the membrane analogy. This component also vanishes
along 𝑥 − axis. The maximum stress always occurs on the boundary and the section symmetry
implies that each boundary has an identical stress distribution. For convenience, we choose side
𝑥 = 𝑎, and because 𝜏𝑥𝑧 = 0 on this edge, the resultant stress is given by:
𝜇𝛼
𝜏 = 𝜏𝑦𝑧 (𝑎, 𝑦) = (3𝑎2 − 𝑦 2 )
2𝑎
The maximum value of this expression gives

3 5√3𝑇
𝜏𝑚𝑎𝑥 = 𝜏𝑦𝑧 (𝑎, 0) = 𝜇𝛼𝑎 =
2 18𝑎3
With the membrane analogy, it is evident that the maximum stress occurs at the midpoint of each
boundary side. The wrapping function is obtained by integrating the relations
𝜕𝑤
𝜏𝑥𝑧 = 𝜇 ( − 𝛼𝑦)
𝜕𝑥
𝜕𝑤
𝜏𝑦𝑧 = 𝜇 ( + 𝛼𝑥)
𝜕𝑦
Finally, we will obtain
𝛼
𝑤= 𝑦(3𝑥 2 − 𝑦 2 )
6𝑎

3. For the hollow elliptical cross-section subjected to torsion T, as shown in the figure below
determine

i. the location of the point which experiences the maximum shear stress.
ii. the expression of the wrapping function 𝑤.

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Solution:
Consider a torsion of a bar with the hollow elliptical section as shown in the figure. The inner
boundary is simply a scaled ellipse similar to that of the outer boundary. The solution to the hollow
elliptical section can be obtained by simply removing the inner core from the solid section. The
stress function is assumed to have the form:
𝑎2 𝑏 2 𝜇𝛼 𝑥 2 𝑦 2
𝜙= ( + − 1)
𝑎2 + 𝑏 2 𝑎2 𝑏 2

This form satisfies the governing equation, boundary condition, and the multiply-connected
condition. The constant value of the stress function on the inner boundary is found to be
𝑎2 𝑏 2 𝜇𝛼 2
𝜙𝑖 = − (𝑘 − 1)
𝑎2 + 𝑏 2
In order to determine the load-carrying capacity, the torque relation for the solid section
𝜋𝑎3 𝑏 3 𝜇𝛼
𝑇= 2
𝑎 + 𝑏2
must be reduced by subtracting the load carried by the removed inner cylinder. This gives the
result
𝜋𝑎3 𝑏 3 𝜇𝛼 𝜋(𝑘𝑎)3 (𝑘𝑏)3 𝜇𝛼
𝑇= −
𝑎2 + 𝑏 2 (𝑘𝑏)2 + (𝑘𝑎)2
𝜋𝜇𝛼
= 𝑎3 𝑏 3 (1 − 𝑘 4 )
𝑎2+ 𝑏2
For the case 𝑎 > 𝑏, the maximum stress occurs at 𝑥 = 0 and 𝑦 = ±𝑏 and is given by
2𝑇 1
𝜏𝑚𝑎𝑥 =
𝜋𝑎𝑏 1 − 𝑘 4
2

By integrating the stress field expression we will obtain the expression for wrapping function 𝑤.