Centre of Advanced Design Engineering

ENG4082 Mathematics and Mechanics

TORSION OF
CIRCULAR
SECTION
NOTES
Torsion

Dr D Ashman

Page 1

Centre of Advanced Design Engineering

ENG4082 Mathematics and Mechanics

TORSION
Torque and Torsion
When a moment is applied to a body so that the moment is in a plane perpendicular to the
main axis of the body then the moment is called a TORQUE and the state of stress in the
body is that of TORSION. At this stage we shall only consider bodies with circular sections solid circular shafts and circular tubular shafts. A circular section is better than other shapes
in that it results in lower stresses and angular displacements. Consequently shafts that
transmit torques, (e.g. car propshafts, driveshafts, shafts in motors and generators) are
nearly always circular in section.

Consider a solid circular shaft fixed at one end and subjected to a torque T at the free end.

The rectangle ABCD is sheared to A'B'CD and the material is in a state of pure shear.
The angle is the shear strain.
The length of the arc AA' can be found from two triangles. i.e.

AA R L

b ut

GL

L
R

This analysis can be repeated at any radius so that

G

L
R r
where ' is the shear stress at any radius r.
Torsion

Dr D Ashman

Page 2

Centre of Advanced Design Engineering

ENG4082 Mathematics and Mechanics
The shear stresses are accompanied by complementary shear stresses as shown below.

These are set up to provide rotational equilibrium.

Since

G
r
L

we can see that the shear stress varies linearly with radius and is a maximum on the outside
surface.

Torsion

Dr D Ashman

Page 3

Centre of Advanced Design Engineering

ENG4082 Mathematics and Mechanics

Polar Second Moment of Area.

Consider the cross-section of a circular shaft subjected to a torque T.
Consider also a small element, area dA, at any radius r.

Force on element dF dA
Torque from element dT dA r

b ut

G
r
L

hence dT

G 2
r dA
L

Total Torque T dT

G 2
r dA
L

We define the integral to be the POLAR SECOND MOMENT OF AREA and it is usually
given the symbol J.

J r 2 dA
then

T G

J
L
R r
For calculating the maximum shear stress the following equation is used

TR
J

compare these equations with those for bending.

M E
My
and
I
R
I

The value of J for a solid shaft can be found from

dA r d dr
R

J
0

r 3 d dr

d r 3 dr

R 4
R4
2
2
4
J
Torsion

D4
32

Dr D Ashman

Page 4

Centre of Advanced Design Engineering

ENG4082 Mathematics and Mechanics
For a hollow tube with outside diameter D and inside diameter d follows

D 4 d 4
32

Power Transmission
Mechanical Power is often transmitted by means of shafts carrying a torque. The power
transmitted P, is related to the torque T in the shaft and the angular speed of the shaft .

P T 2 n T
where P is measured in Watts, T in Nm, in radss-1 and n in revs-1.
Torsion of Compound Shafts.
Shafts in Series.
Here the Torque is the same in each shaft and the total angle of twist is the sum of the angle
of twists in each bar.

T T1 T2

1 2

Shafts in Parallel
Here the Torque is shared between the two shafts and the angle of twist is the same in both.

T T1 T2
Torsion

1 2
Dr D Ashman

Page 5

Centre of Advanced Design Engineering

ENG4082 Mathematics and Mechanics
An Example:
A prop-shaft of steel has an outer diameter of 75 mm, a wall thickness of 1.5 mm and a
length of 1.5 m. If the propshaft carries a torque of 180 Nm and the steel has a limiting shear
stress of 125 MNm-2 calculate the safety factor involved in the design of the propshaft. Also
calculate the angle of twist of the propshaft when carrying this torque. Take G = 80 GNm-2.

For the shaft

D 4 d 4
32

0.0754 0.0724
32
4.68 10 7 m 4

Maximum shear stress

TR
J

180 0.0375
4.68 10 7

14.4 MNm 2
The safety factor n

125
8.7
14.4

The angle of twist can be found from

TL
GJ

180 1.5
80 109 4.68 10 7

7.2 10 3 rad 0.4

Torsion

Dr D Ashman

Page 6

Centre of Advanced Design Engineering

ENG4082 Mathematics and Mechanics

Exercises

1. If a solid circular shaft of 30 mm diameter is subject to a torque of 0.25 kNm causing an

angle of twist of 3.74 in a 2 m length, determine the modulus of rigidity of the material.
(96 GNm-2)

2. A hollow cylinder has an outside diameter of 125 mm and an inside diameter of 75 mm. If
the shear stress on the inside surface of the shaft is 50 MNm-2 what is the stress on the
(83.3 MNm-2)

outer surface.

3. Determine the maximum power a solid steel shaft 50 mm in diameter can transmit at
240 rpm if the working stress in shear is 90 MNm-2.

(55.3 kW)

4. A steel shaft is designed to transmit 1 MW at 3000 rev/min. If the steel has a yield stress
in shear of 125 MNm-2, and a safety factor of 4 against yield is to be employed, calculate
the minimum diameter of the shaft.

(78.3 mm)

5. A hollow shaft has to transmit 6 MW at 150 rpm The maximum stress is not to exceed
60 MNm-2 nor the angle of twist 0.3 per metre length of shaft length. If the outer diameter
of the shaft is 400 mm what is the minimum thickness of the shaft to comply with these
conditions. Take G = 80 GNm-2.

(t = 45 mm)

6. The internal diameter of a shaft is 0.75 times the external diameter. Compare the torque
that can be carried with that of a solid shaft having the same weight, material and
maximum stress.

7. A circular shaft transmits 1.5 MW at 300 rpm. Determine the diameter of the shaft if the
angle of twist is not to exceed 1 in a length of twenty diameters and the shear stress is
not to exceed 65 MNm-2. G = 85 GNm-2

Torsion

Dr D Ashman

(188 mm)

Page 7

Centre of Advanced Design Engineering

ENG4082 Mathematics and Mechanics

8. A compound shaft is composed of a 500 mm length of solid copper 100 mm in diameter

joined to a 1 metre length of solid steel 125 mm in diameter. A torque of 15 kNm is
applied to each end of the shaft. Find the maximum shear stress in each material and the
total angle of twist for the compound shaft. For copper G = 40 GNm-2 and for steel
G = 80 GNm-2

(In copper 76 MNm-2 in steel 39 MNm-2, 0.026 rad)

9. A composite shaft consists of a solid steel rod 75 mm in diameter surrounded by a

closely fitted brass tube. Find the outside diameter of the tube so that any applied torque
will be shared equally by the two materials. Gsteel = 80 GNm-2, Gbrass = 40 GNm-2.
If the torque is 16 kNm calculate the maximum shear stress in each material and the
angle of twist in a length of 4 m.

Torsion

(98.7 mm, 96.6 MNm-2, 63.5 MNm-2, 7.38)

Dr D Ashman

Page 8