Torsional loading

V.E. Buchanan, PhD

School of Engineering
PDetermine the shear stress in a cylindrical
body when subjected to a constant
torque.
PDetermine the angle of twist of a
cylindrical body subjected to a constant
torque.
PDerive the relationship between the angle
of twist of a section of a cylindrical body
of varying cross-section and/or varying
load.
PDerive the relationship between the shear
stress, the shear strain and the strain
energy density.
Objective
PThe shaft is of circular cross section.
PThe cross-section of the shaft is uniform .
PThe shaft is straight.
PThe material is homogeneous, isotropic
and obeys Hookes law.
PRotations are small and the limit of
proportionality is not exceeded.
PPlane cross section remains plane during
twisting.
PRadial lines remain radial after twisting
Assumption
t u
r
T
J
G
L
= =
J r dr =
}
2
3
t
= = 2
4 2 32
4
0
4 4
t
t t r R
or
D
R
u L R =
t
u
G
L R =
=
t u
R
G
L
t u
r
G
L
=
t u
r
G
L
=
t u
r
Gd
dx
=
AT rdr r = t t 2
T T r dr = =
}

A 2
2
t t
T
G
L
r dr
G
L
R
R
= =
}
2
2
0
3
4
t
u u t
Proof of the torsion equation
J - Pol ar second
moment of ar ea
Proof of equation
Pr ovi di ng i s s mall:
If t he r adi al li nes acr oss t he secti on r emai ns
r adi al on t wi sti ng, t hen t he sheari ng str ess i s
pr oporti onal t o any r adi us r, so t hat
Proof, contd.
Consider the hatched
section shown
T = stress x area x moment arm
Substituting for from above:
T
G
L
R
=
u t
4
2
But
R
J
t
4
2
=
=
T
J
G
L
u
t u
r
G
L
=
t u
r
T
J
G
L
= =
( ) ( )
J r dr
r
R r or D d
r
R
r
R
= = =
}
2 2
4 2 32
3
4
4 4 4 4
t t
t t
( ) J r dr dr r Ar
r
R
= = =
}

2 2
3 2 2
t t
( )
J Ar rt r r t = = =
2 2 3
2 2 t t
t u
r
T
J
G
L
= =
t
max
= =
TR
J
T
Z
Z
J
R
R
R
R
or
D
= = =
t t t
4 3 3
2 2 16
( ) ( )
Z
R r
R
or
D d
D
=
t t
4 4 4 4
2 16
Proof, cont.
Also
Combining
Hollow shaft
For a hollow shaft of internal radius, r
For thin-walled hollow sections, the above expression may lead to
considerable errors. An alternative expression is:
A thin hollow cylinder can be considered to composed of one
element with its wall thickness t = dr, then
(Approximately)
Section modulus
Z is called the polar section modulus
For a solid shaft:
For a hollow shaft:
t u
r
T
J
G
L
= = GJ
T
L
=
u /
W D U T
T
. . = =
1
2
u
But
TL
GJ
u =
t u
r
T
J
G
L
= =
= U
T L
JG
T
2
2
U
T L
R G
or
G
volume
T
=
2
4
2
4 t
t
( )
U
T L
R r G
or
G
d
D
volume
T
=

+
|
\

|
.
|

2
4 4
2 2
2
4
1
t
t
T T T = +
1 2
u u
1 2
=
T
G J
T
G J
1
1 1
2
2 2
=
Torsional rigidity
The term GJ is called the torsional rigidity of the
shaft, which is obtained by dividing the torque by
the angle of twist (radian) per unit length.
Strain energy, U
T
For a solid shaft
For a hollow shaft
Composite shaft - fixed at ends
Equilibrium
Compatibility
Then, solve simultaneously for T
1
and T
2
.
The shear stress, T
i
r
i
/J
i,
in each shaft can now be
found.
Two or more shafts
rigidly fixed together so
that they share the
applied torque.
T
G J
L
G J
L
= =
1 1 1
1
2 2 2
2
u u
TL
G J
TL
G J
1
1 1
2
2 2
=
t
i
i
i
Tr
J
=
( ) d d d d
x
L
A B A
= +
Gd
dx
T
J
XX
u
=
( ) u
t t
= = = +

( }
Tdx
GJ
where J
d
d d d
x
L
XX
L
XX A B A
0
4
4
32 32
( )
( )
( )
u
t t
=
+

(
=

(
}
32 32
3
1
4
0
3
T
G
dx
d d d
x
L
T
G
L
d d
d d d
x
L
A B A
L
A B
A B A
o
L
( )
u
t
=

|
\

|
.
|
32
3
1 1
3 3
TL
G d d d d
A B B A
u
t
=
+ + |
\

|
.
|
32
3
2 3
3 3
TL
G
d d d d
d d
A A B B
A B
u
t
=
32
4
TL
Gd
( )
( )
u
t
=

(
32
3
1
3
T
G
L
d d
d d d
x
L
A B
A B A
o
L
Composite shaft - series
connection
Both shaft carries the
same torque, i.e.,
T=T
1
=T
2
. From the
torsion equation:
If the application requres that the angle of
twist in each section is equal (
1
=
2
), then
Also
Tapered shaft
From the torsion equation
Tapered shaft, contd.
Note that when d
A
=d
B
=d
which is the equation for a parallel shaft
PSince the maximum shear stress occurs
at the surface, it means that the inside of
the shaft does not contribute much to the
torque-carrying capacity of the shaft.
PIn applications where weight reduction is
important, it is advisable to use hollow
shafts.
PFor hollow shaft the maximum stress may
slightly increase to that of a solid shaft but
the weight reduction can be significant.
Notes on torsion of shaft
PE.J. Hearn. Mechanics of Materials, Volume
1 - An Introduction to the Mechanics of
Elastic and Plastic Deformation of Solids
and Structural Materials (3
rd
ed.). Elsevier,
1997.
PR.C. Stephens. Strength of Materials:
TCeory and Examples. Edward & Arnold,
1970.
PP.P. Benham and R.J. Crawford.
Mechanics of Engineering Materials (2
nd
ed.). Pearson Education Ltd., 1996
References