Solid Mechanics (VCB2013)

Axial Load
Lecturer: Dr. Montasir O. Ahmed

Learning Outcome

To evaluate the elastic strains

To evaluate the thermal strains

LECTURE OUTLINES

Saint-Venants Principal

Elastic Deformation of an Axially Loaded Member

Principle of Superposition
Thermal Stress

Saint-Venants Principal

Saint-Venants Principal: Stress and strain produced at points in a body sufficiently removed
from the region of load application will be the same as the stress and strain produced by any
applied loadings that have the same statically equivalent resultant, and are applied to the

body within the same region.

The minimum distance from the bars ends, where the uniform stress and strain exists, is

equal to the largest dimension of the loaded cross section.

Elastic Deformation of an Axially Loaded Member

Determination of the elastic displacement of a member subjected to axial loads:

Assumption: According to Saint-Venants principle, the localized deformations that occur at
points of concentrated loading can be neglected because these effects exists only within
small regions of the bars length.

P x
d
and
Ax
dx

Elastic Deformation of an Axially Loaded Member

Provided the stress doesnt exceed the proportional limit, we can apply Hookes Law, i.e. = E

Px
d
E

Ax
dx
P x dx
d
A x E
P x dx

A x E
0
L

PL
so,
AE

where:
= relative displacement of one end of the bar with respect to the other
end.
L = original length of a bar
P(x) = internal axial force at the section, located a distance x from one end

A(x) = cross-sectional area of the bar

E = modulus of elasticity for the material

Principle of Superposition

The principal of superposition is often used to determine the stress/displacement at a point in

a member, which is subjected to complicated loading.

The principal of superposition states that the resultant stress/displacement at a point can be
determined by algebraically summing the stress/displacement caused by each load

component applied separately to the member.

The following conditions must be satisfied:
1. The loading must be linearly related to the stress/displacement. = P/A, = PL/AE.
2. The loading must not significantly change the original geometry or configuration.

Thermal Stress

Generally, if the temperature increase , the body will expand, whereas if the temperature
decrease, it will contract.
Ordinarily, the expansion or contraction T is linearly related to the temperature increase or
decrease T that occurs.

Thermal Stress

For the homogeneous and isotropic material (material has the same physical & mechanical
properties throughout its volume), it has been found from experimental that the displacement
of a member having a length of L can be calculated by
=
where
= linear coefficient of thermal expansion. The unit is strain/degree of temperature.
= change in temperature
= original length of the member
= change in the length of the member

Thermal Stress

Example
The steel bar in the Figure is subjected to constant axial tension force of 100 N. It is
original length is 10 m when T1 = 20 C. Determine the bar length if the temperature
reach 70 C. st = 1710-6/C, Est = 200 Gpa.

Important Points in this Lecture

Saint-Venants Principal states that both the localized deformation and stress which
occur within the regions of load application or at the supports tend to vanish at a
distance sufficiently away from theses regions.

The displacement of one end of an axially loaded member relative to the other end is
determined by relating = / and relating = /. Finally these two equations
are combined using Hooks law, = E .

Important Points in this Lecture

The principle of superposition is often used to determine the / at a point in a

member when it is subjected to a complicated loading. Two conditions must be
satisfied:

1. Loads must be linearly related to the and

2. Loads must not significantly change the original geometry of the member.

Thermal stresses are caused by changing temperature. =

Next Class

Shear and Moment Diagrams

Graphical Method for Constructing Shear and Moment Diagrams

Thank You