V. Demenko.

Mechanics of Materials 1

LECTURE 3. Principal Hypotheses and Assumptions in Strength of Materials

The fundamental principles of strength of materials are based on the laws
and theorems of general mechanics and in the first place on the laws of static’s of
solid bodies.
Theoretical mechanics deals with bodies which are considered as absolute
solid bodies. In contrast to theoretical mechanics strength of materials deals with
deformable solids.

1. The Principal Hypotheses in Strength of Materials

The principal hypotheses for the deformable bodies are as follows:
1. The material of a structure is considered to be continuous at all points of
the body, i.e. we have got a continuous medium. Due to the property of continuity
it is possible to apply infinitesimal analysis to such a medium.
2. The material of structure is considered to be homogeneous at all points of
the body, i.e. a body possesses the same properties at all points.
3. A continuous medium is taken to be isotropic, i.e. possessing the same
properties in all directions. Isotropic materials include metals, concrete, and some
plastics. Materials possessing different properties in various directions are called
anisotropic. Examples are wood, etc.
4. All bodies are assumed to be absolutely elastic, i.e. their deformations
disappeer completely upon removal of the load. Actually, this is true only up to a
definite value of load.
5. Deformations of elastic bodies under the action of external loads are small
compared with the dimensions of bodies, i.e. the dimensions of a body are not
changed substantially on elastic deformation. It allows to apply the equilibrium
equations without changing of the geometrical dimensions of a structure.

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2 V. Demenko. Mechanics of Materials

6. In the great majority of cases the displacements of solids are proportional

to acting forces within certain limits.

2. Deformations
None of the materials existing in nature are absolutely rigid , they all change
their dimensions and shape under the action of external forces, i.e. they are
deformed. It is usual to distinguish two kinds of deformations:
a) elastic deformation, which vanishes completely upon removal of the load;
b) plastic deformation, which doesn't vanish upon removal of the load.

3. External Forces
If a structure is considered separately from the surrounding bodies the action
of the latter on the structure is replaced by forces which are defined as external
forces.
According to nature distribution of external forces over the body, the latter
are divided into:
a) body forces, which are distributed over the volume of a body and are
applied to each of its particles (body forces comprise, for example, gravity forces
or forces of magnetic attraction);
b) surface forces, which are applied to portions of the surface (forces of
wind, pressure);
c) forces, which are distributed along a line;
d) concentrated forces. These are forces, which are distributed on the
smallest surface.
e) couples of forces or concentrated moments.
It is usual to distinguish static loads, dynamic loads, cyclic loads.

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 V. Demenko. Mechanics of Materials 3

Static loads are applied to a structure continuously; dynamic loads are

applied to a structure in a very short interval of time. Cyclic loads can be changed
by a specified law (say, sinusoidal).

4. Internal Forces
External forces produce strains and internal elastic forces in a body, which
are increased as the external forces are increased.
If a solid body is in natural state (without external forces applied), then
internal forces will be equal to zero.

5. The Method of Sections

The method of sections and equations of equilibrium enable to determine the
magnitude of internal forces appearing under
the action of external forces. Consider the
application of the method of sections taking a
body, which is held in equilibrium by a system
of forces are a system of external forces
, ,…, . (1)

Fig. 1 It is evident, that the , ,…, are

satisfying the conditions of equilibrium.
The essence of the method consists of in the following four procedures:
1. The body being analyzed is divided mentally by a plane perpendicular to
axis in the point where the internal forces must be determined;
2. One of the portions of the body is rejected (part II);
3. The effect of the rejected part is replaced by internal forces so that the
remaining part (I) is in equilibrium;

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4 V. Demenko. Mechanics of Materials

4. Equilibrium equations are set up for the forces acting on the remaining
part of the body and the internal forces are calculated.
Let us cut the body by a plane
and reject the right-hand part, replacing
the effect of the rejected part on the
remaining left-hand part by internal
elastic forces. , are the main
vector and main moment of internal

Fig. 2 forces by which the rejected part of the

body acts on the remaining part.
It is usual to reduce and to the centroid of a section. We choose a
system of coordinates x, y, z. Let the x axis be normal to the section y and z the and
axes be in its plane.
The remaining part is in equilibrium, i.e. the system of forces
( , , , …, ) (2)
satisfies the conditions of equilibrium. By projecting the resultant force vector
and the resultant moment vector on the axes x , y and z we obtain six
components (three forces and three moments).
These components of the main vector and main moment of internal forces
appearing in a cross section of a bar are called the internal force factors acting in
that section.
The conditions of equilibrium of the remaining part give us six equations of
equilibrium for determining the internal force factors:

; . (3)

or in projections:

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 V. Demenko. Mechanics of Materials 5

, ,

, , (4)

, .

where the component of internal forces normal to the section, Nx, is called the
normal or longitudinal force at the section;
the forces Qy and Qz are called the transverse or shearing forces;
the moment about the normal axis, Mx, is called the twisting moment (torsional
moment);
the moments My and Mz are called the bending moments with respect to the y and z
axes (see Fig. 3).
When external forces are known all six internal force factors are
determined from six equilibrium equations that can be set up for the cut portion of
a rod.

Fig. 3

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6 V. Demenko. Mechanics of Materials

Fig. 4 Examples of structural elements named by a bar

Fig. 5 Examples of structural elements Fig. 6 Examples of structural elements

named by a plate named by a shell

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 V. Demenko. Mechanics of Materials 7

VOCABULARY 3
continuity ____________________ непpеpывность
continuous ____________________ сплошной
medium ____________________ сpеда
assumption ____________________ пpедположение
infinity ____________________ бесконечность
isotropic ____________________ изотpопный
homogeneous ____________________ одноpодный
removal ____________________ удаление
external force ____________________ внешняя сила
proportional ____________________ пpопоpциональный
distinguish ____________________ pазличать
particle ____________________ частица
concentrated ____________________ сосpедоточенный
dynamic load ____________________ динамическая нагpузка
increase ____________________ возpастать, увеличивать,
усиливать
procedure ____________________ пpоцедура
reduce ____________________ сокpащать
remaining part ____________________ оставшаяся часть
normal (longitudinal) force ____________________ пpодольная сила
shearing (transverse) force ____________________ попеpечная сила
twisting (torsional) moment ____________________ кpутящий момент
bending moment ____________________ изгибающий момент
substantially ____________________ существенно
fundamental ____________________ основной
apply ____________________ пpименять, пpикладывать
due to ____________________ из-за, благодаpя
infinitesimal ____________________ беск. малая величина
anisotropic ____________________ анизотpопный
property ____________________ свойство
displacement ____________________ пеpемещение
internal force ____________________ внутpенняя сила
strain ____________________ дефоpмация
distribution ____________________ pаспpеделение
surface ____________________ повеpхность
static load ____________________ статическая нагpузка
cyclic repeated load ____________________ циклическая нагp.
essence ____________________ сущность
reject ____________________ отбpасывать
rejected part ____________________ отбpошенная часть
internal force factors ____________________ внутpенние силовые
факторы

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