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Introduction to Solid Mechanics

ME C85/CE C30
Final Exam
Fall, 2011

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Do not open this exam until you are told to begin.


Put your name and SID on every page of the answer booklet.
You may not use a calculator, but you may use a straightedge to help you draw figures.
You may use two 8-1/2 x 11 sheets of notes, but not your book or any other notes.
Store everything else out of sight.
Turn off cell phones.
Write all answers in the answer booklet. Start each problem on a new page and be sure to
identify on each page which problem you are working on.
8. There are 5 problems for this exam. Each problem is worth 20 points.
9. Write clearly. Identify your answer to a question by putting a box around it.
10. You are expected to draw at least one free-body diagram for any problem involving forces. You are welcome to draw more free-body diagrams if helpful or appropriate.
11. You may use the backs of pages for scratch paper, but if there is work that we should
see, be sure to point that out in the main body of the exam.
12. Time will be strictly enforced. You are to put your pencil or pen down when time is
called. Failing to do so will result in your exam score being reduced by 50%.

Problem 1. True/False Questions. For each statement, you are to provide a true/false answer
and a brief justification for your answer. If a statement is sometimes true, but not always true,
your answer should be false and your justification should reflect this fact.
a) The moment of inertia about an axis through the centroid of an area is the smallest of all
moments of inertia about axes parallel to that axis.
b) Cutting an area along a line containing the centroid of that area will result in two shapes
of equal area.
c) The maximum principal stress gives the largest shear stress acting on any plane.
d) The following force systems are statically equivalent:
F4= 2Pj

F3=2Pj
a
F1=Pi
2a
F2= Pi

e) The bodies shown above are in static equilibrium.


f) The frictional force between a body and a surface is equal to the coefficient of friction
times the magnitude of the normal force between the body and the surface.
g) If the points of application of forces on a two-force body are known, then the directions
of the forces are also known.
h) Two couples are statically equivalent if their magnitudes are the same and they act along
the same line of action.
i) For a given state of stress, one can always find planes on which the shear stress is zero.
j) The horizontal shear per unit length, or shear flow, for a thin-walled beam is maximum at
the centroid of the beams cross sectional area.

Problem 2. The truss shown below is acted upon by a vertical force at point A. All angles are
either 45 or 90; all members are pinned to one another with ideal pins. Members AC and BC
have length L, while members CE, ED and EF have length L/2. All members have cross sections
that are aa squares, and are made of a material with Youngs modulus E.
a) Determine reaction forces at B and F
b) Identify any zero-force members.
c) Determine the force acting in all members (be sure to identify whether the member is
subject to tension or compression).
d) Assume that failure of this truss will occur when one (or more) of the members buckles.
Using a factor of safety of 2, what is the maximum load that can be applied at point A?

B
D

A
C
L
P

Problem 3. The slender beam AB, of length 1 , cross sectional area 1 and centroidal moment
of inertia about the z axis 1 , is fixed at end A and is supported by an elastic column at point B.
Column BC is fixed at end C, and has length 2 , cross sectional area 2 and centroidal moment
of inertia about the z axis 2 . The two structural members are connected at point B by a hinge.
A point load is applied to the structure at point B.
a) Determine the stress in column BC.

b) Determine the value of P at which column BC will buckle. Justify your choice of effective length for buckling.
c) Determine the bending stress at the upper surface of the beam at point A.

y
1

B
x

1 , 1

2 , 2
C

Problem 4. A cylindrical pressure vessel with outer radius r and wall thickness t is subject to an
internal pressure p, and is simultaneously loaded as shown by force F applied to the flange that is
welded to the end of the tube. Consider two points on the outer surface of the structure, A and B,
both located half way along the length of the vessel (at x = L/2). Point A is located at y = r and z
= 0, while point B is located at y = 0, z = r.
Important: In this question, you need not (and should not) calculate the moment of inertia I, the
polar moment of inertia J or the first moment of area Q. You can (and should) leave your answers in terms of I, J and Q wherever they occur.
a) Determine the in-plane normal and shear stress components at points A and B.
b) Determine the maximum shear stress at point A (only).
c) Determine the value of the normal stress on the plane where the shear stress is maximum
for point B (only).

A
L/2

L/2
z
r
B

F
x
2r

Problem 5. The beam shown below has area moment of inertia I and is made of a material with
Youngs modulus E. The bracket BG may be treated as being rigid. End A (at x = 0) is fixed,
and end D (at x = L = 3a) is free. This structure is loaded by a point force of magnitude P at
point G, and a distributed load whose total force magnitude is also P over the final third of the
beam. Please express all answers in terms of P, not P and w.
a) Determine the reaction force and moment at point A.
b) Draw the shear and bending moment diagrams for this loading for the full length of the
beam. Clearly identify the value(s) of the shear and bending moment at each transition
point (A, B, C and D) and the shape of the curve between these transition point values
(constant, straight line, quadratic function, cubic function, etc.).
c) Determine the deflection of the beam at point B.

P
a/2
G

w=P/a

B
a

C
a

D
a

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