COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING

DEPARTMENT OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERING

ACTIVITY ONE

Course: Advanced Mechanics of Solids

Prepared by: HENOK DEREJE

FTP0534/11

Submitted to: Dr. Dereje Engida

December 2023
Activity 1. a
1. Identify the difference between elastic and plastic deformation

Elastic Deformation

Elastic deformation disappears upon the removal of external forces, causing the alteration and
the stress associated with it. Elastic deformation is hence reversible and non-permanent. The
chemical concept of elasticity best explains elastic deformation. Elasticity is the ability of a
substance to resume its normal state after deformation. Elastic deformation depends mainly on
the chemical bonding of the substance. If the chemical bonds can withstand high stress by
deforming without breakage, that substance can undergo elastic deformation.

To fulfill this need, chemical bonds should stretch or bend when stress is applied to the
substance. The stretching and bending of chemical bonds should be temporary. However,
atoms do not slip on each other while stretching or bending. But with time, the elastic property
of substances degrades, and sometimes the substance becomes brittle losing the ductility.

The best examples of elastic deformation come from elastomers such as vulcanized rubber.
Vulcanized rubber has a cross-linked polymer structure. There are sulfur bridges between
polymer chains. These sulfur crosslinks enhance the elasticity of rubber by helping it to
withstand stress.
 Plastic Deformation

Plastic deformation is the permanent deformation or change in the shape of a solid body
without fracture under the action of a sustained force. This occurs when a large stress is applied
to a substance. Plastic deformation is irreversible and is permanent. Plastic deformation is best
explained by the chemical concept of “plasticity”. Plasticity is the quality of being easily
shaped or molded permanently. Plastic deformation occurs due to the breakage of a limited
number of chemical bonds between atoms that make up the substance. During plastic
deformation, atoms may slip past each other. This causes dislocations of atoms; thus, the
material stays still after removing the applied stress.

For ductile substances, the elastic limit is the initial point of plastic deformation. The elastic
limit is the maximum extent to which a solid may be stretched without permanent alteration of
size or shape. If the stress is applied beyond the elastic limit, then the substance will undergo
plastic deformation. The materials in which plastic deformation can be observed include
metals, plastics, rocks, etc. In ductile materials such as metals (ex: copper) plastic deformation
takes place when the deformation exceeds the elastic limit. However, in brittle substances such
as rocks, no elastic deformation can be observed before the initiation of plastic deformation.
Plastic deformation is important in making new articles using heat or pressure treatments and
molding.

ELASTIC DEFORMATION PLASTIC DEFORMATION

Elastic deformation is reversible Plastic deformation is irreversible
Elastic deformation is non-permanent. The Plastic deformation is permanent. The
substance can resume the initial state back substance stays unchanged after removing the
stress
Elastic deformation causes the chemical bonds Plastic deformation causes some of the
of the substance to undergo stretching and chemical bonds of the substance to undergo
bending breakage
Atoms do not slip pass on each other during Atoms slip pass on each other during plastic
elastic deformation. deformation
 2. Describe the following types of materials and give an example for each type
i. Homogenous material

A material of uniform composition throughout that cannot be mechanically separated into

different materials. A homogeneous material or system has the same properties at every point; it
is uniform without irregularities. Examples of homogeneous materials are certain types of plastics,
ceramics, glass, metals, alloys, paper, board, resins, and coatings.
If the material properties are identical for every point in a member, the member is said to be
homogeneous. In other words, homogeneity implies that the physical properties of a member are
invariant under a translation. Alternatively, a member whose material properties change from point
to point is said to be non-homogeneous. For example, since the elastic constants are functions of
temperature, a member subjected to a non-uniform temperature distribution is non-homogeneous.

ii. Isotropic material

Isotropic materials have identical material properties in all directions at every given point. This
means that when a specific load is applied at any point in the x, y, or z-axis, isotropic materials
will exhibit the same strength, stress, strain, Young's modulus, and hardness. If the constituents of
the material of a solid member are distributed sufficiently randomly, any part of the member will
display essentially the same material properties in all directions. If a solid member is composed of
such randomly oriented constituents, it is said to be isotropic. Accordingly, if a material is
isotropic, its physical properties at a point are invariant under a rotation of axes.
iii. Anisotropic material

Anisotropic materials, also known as triclinic materials, are direction-dependent mediums that
are made up of unsymmetrical crystalline structures. In other words, the mechanical properties of
anisotropic materials depend on the orientation of the material's body. Examples of anisotropic
materials include graphite (such as pencils), wood, and carbon fiber. However, any material that
exhibits a difference in a material property (chemical, thermal, or electrical) across different parts
of the material can be considered anisotropic.
 iv. Orthotropic material

A material is orthotropic if its mechanical or thermal properties are unique and independent in
three mutually perpendicular directions. Examples of orthotropic materials are wood, many
crystals, and rolled metals. Materials such as wood, laminated plastics, cold rolled steels,
reinforced concrete, various composite materials, and even forgings can be treated as orthotropic.
Orthotropic materials possess three orthogonal planes of material symmetry and three
corresponding orthogonal axes called the orthotropic axes. In some materials, for example, forged
materials, these axes may vary from point to point. In other materials, for example, fiber-reinforced
plastics and concrete reinforced with steel bars, the orthotropic directions remain constant as long
as the fibers and steel reinforcing bars maintain constant directions
Activity 1.b

Given the following stress distribution in a body

a. Determine the body force distribution required for equilibrium.

b. Compute the magnitude of the resultant force distribution in (a) at x = -10mm, y = 30

mm, and z = 60mm.

Solution
a) By using the 3D differential equation of the equilibrium formula, we can determine the
force distribution.

d(x + 2y) d(−xy + 1) d(xz − 2x y)

+ + = −F
dx dy dz
 d(xy − y z) d(−xy + 1) d(0)
+ + = −F
dy dx dz
d(x − z ) d(xz − 2x y) d(0)
+ + = −F
dz dx dz
The force distribution will be equivalent to:
a. F = −3x + 2xy
b. F = −x + 2yz + y
c. F = z + 4xy

By substituting x = -10mm, y = 30mm and z = 60mm

F = 29.4 KN/m
F = 14.5 KN/m

F = 58.8 KN/m

Activity 1.c

A steel bar and an aluminum bar are joined end to end and fixed between two rigid walls as shown
in Figure 1.c. The cross-sectional area of the steel bar is A s, and that of the aluminum bar is Aa.
Initially, the two bars are stress free. Formulate general expressions for the deflection of point A,
the stress in the steel bar, and the stress in the aluminum bar for the following conditions:

a. A load P is applied at point A.

b. The left wall is displaced an amount δ to the right.
Activity 1.d
Two prismatic bars of a by b rectangular cross section are glued as shown in Figure 1.d. The
allowable normal and shearing stresses for the glued joint are 700 and 560 kPa, respectively.
Assuming that the strength of the joint controls the design, what is the largest axial load P that may
be applied? Use φ = 40°, a = 50 mm, and b = 75 mm.