JJ310-STRENGTH

OF MATERIAL
TORSION

This topic explains the

second polar moment of
area for the round solid
shafts and hollow shafts.
It also deals with the
maximum shear stress and
angle of twist subjected to
torque and solve problems
on the power transmitted
by the shaft, simple parallel
and series composite shaft

INTRODUCTION-Simple Torsion Theory

When a uniform circular shaft is subjected to a

torque it can be shown that every section of

the shaft is subjected to a state of pure shear.
Consider a bar to be rigidly attached at one

end and twisted at the other end by a torque

or twisting moment T equivalent to F d,
which is applied perpendicular to the axis of
the bar, as shown in the figure. Such a bar is
said to be in torsion.

Assumptions1. The material is homogeneous, i.e. of uniform

2.
3.
4.
5.
6.

elastic properties throughout.

The material is elastic, following Hook's law
with shear stress proportional to shear strain.
The stress does not exceed the elastic limit
of proportionality.
Circular sections remain circular.
Cross sections remain plane.
Cross sections rotate as if rigid.

Modulus of Rigidity (G)

It is a measure of how much deformation the

material would undergo subjected to a shear.

G is the property which relates to the stiffness
of the material, units N/m2.

TORSIONAL SHEARING STRESS,

For a solid or hollow circular shaft subject to a

twisting moment T, the torsional shearing stress

at a distance from the center of the shaft is:and

max

Tr

where J is the polar moment of inertia of the

section and r is the outer radius.

Distribution of shearing
stress over the shaft cross
sectional:
Solid shaft:-

Hollow shaft:-

TORSIONAL SHEARING STRESS,

T G

R J
L
where ;
= Maximum shear stress in a circular cross section (N/m 2).
T = Torque in that section (Nm).
R = Radius of the section (m).
J = Polar Moment of Inertia (m4).
G = Modulus of Rigidity (N/m2).
= Angle of twist (radians).
Note: Shear stress linearly with radius.

ANGLE OF TWIST,
After applying the torque point A moves to

point B and made an angle .

AB subtends an angle at the fixed end, is
the shear strain.

ANGLE OF TWIST,
The angle through which the bar length L

will twist is:-

TL

GJ

in radians

where T is the torque in Nmm, L is the length

of shaft in mm, G is shear modulus in MPa, J is

the polar moment of inertia in mm4.

POLAR MOMENT OF INERTIA

Polar moment of inertia is a quantity used to predict

an object's ability to resist torsion, in objects (or

segments of objects) with an invariant circular cross
section and no significant warping or out-of-plane
deformation.
It is used to calculate the angular displacement of an
object subjected to a torque. It is analogous to the area
moment of inertia, which characterizes an object's ability
to resist bending and is required to calculate
displacement.
The larger the polar moment of inertia, the less the beam
will twist, when subjected to a given torque.
Polar moment of inertia should not be confused with
moment of inertia, which characterizes an object's
angular acceleration due to a torque.

POLAR MOMENT OF INERTIA

For circular solid shaft:

For hollow shaft:

Section Modulus

Example 1:
A torque of 1000 Nm is acting on a solid cylinder

shaft with diameter 50 mm and length 1 m. The

shaft is made in steel with modulus of rigidity 79
GN/m2. Calculate the maximum shear stress and
angle of twist of the shaft.
Solutions:Maximum shear stress can be calculated as
=TR/J
= T (D/2) / ( D4/32)
= (1000 Nm) ((0.05 m)/2) / ( (0.05 m) 4/32)
= 40.8 MN/m2

The angle of twist of the shaft can be calculated

as:
= L T / J G
= L T / ( D4/32) G
= (1 m) (1000 Nm) / ( (0.05 m) 4/32) (79
GPa)
= 0.021 radians
= 1.2 o

Example 2:
A moment of 1000 Nm is acting on a hollow

cylinder shaft with outer diameter 50 mm, inner

diameter 30 mm and length 1 m. The shaft is
made in steel with modulus of rigidity 79 GPa.
Solutions:Maximum shear stress can be calculated as
=Tr/J
= T (D/2) / ( (D4 - d4)/32)
= (1000 Nm) ((0.05 m)/2) / ( ((0.05 m) 4 - (0.03
m)4)/32)
= 46.8 Mpa

The angle of twist of the shaft can be calculated

as
= L T / J G
= L T / ( D4/32) G
= (1 m) (1000 Nm) / ( ((0.05 m)4 - (0.03 m)4)/32)
(79 GPa)
= 0.023 radians
= 1.4 o

Torsion in Composite Shafts

1. Series Connection-free end

When two similar or dissimilar shafts of the same or of

different materials are connected together to form one

composite shaft, the driving torque being applied at one
end and the resisting torque at the other, the shafts are
said to be connected in series.
Consider each component shaft separately, applying the
torsion theory to each in turn.
The composite shaft will therefore be as weak as its
weakest component.

Series composite shafts

According to the definition of series

connected shaft and making use of

torsion equation, the eq. can write:T = T1 = T2

G 1 J 11 G 2 J 2 2
T

L1
L2
where:
So:-

1 AB , 2 BC
AC 1 2

Torsion in Composite Shafts

Series Connection-one
free end and one fixed

Torsion in Composite Shafts

2.

Parallel Connection
both end fixed

If the driving torque is applied at the junction

of the two shafts connected together and the

resisting torque at the other ends of the two
shafts, then the shafts are said to be
connected in parallel.

Parallel composite bars

According to the definition of parallel

connected shaft and making use of

torsion equation, the eq. can write:T = T1 + T2

G 1 J 11 G 2 J 2 2
T

L1
L2
where:
So:-

1 AB , 2 BC
AC 1 2

The torque applied in this case is divided

between the two shafts but the angle of twist

is the same for each shaft.

Example 3:
A compound shaft consisting of a steel

segment and an aluminum segment is acted

upon by two torques as shown in below figure.
Determine the maximum permissible value of
T subject to the following conditions: st = 83
MPa, al = 55 MPa, and the angle of twist of
the free end is limited to 6. For steel, G = 83
GPa and for aluminum, G = 28 GPa.

Solution:At r = R or (d/2),

is maximum.

So,

max

T
T D
R

4
D 2
J
32

max

16T

3
D

The torque for steel

and aluminum is:-

Example :
The compound shaft shown in below figure is

attached to rigid supports. For the bronze

segment AB, the diameter is 75 mm, = 60
MPa, and G = 35 GPa. For the steel segment
BC, the diameter is 50 mm, 80 MPa, and G
= 83 GPa. If a = 2 m and b = 1.5 m, compute
the maximum torque T that can be applied.

Solution:-

 max

16T

D 3

POWER TRANSMITTED BY THE SHAFT

A shaft rotating with a constant angular velocity

(in radians per second) is being acted by a

twisting moment T. The power transmitted by the
shaft is:-

P T 2Tf

2TN
P T
60

where

N
f
60

or

2N

60

where T is the torque in Nm, f is the number of

revolutions per second, and P is the power in
watts.

Power Transmission
A torsion member known as shaft is used to

transmit power from source to a driven

machine.
The torque acting on such a member depends
upon power transmitted and the speed of
rotation.
If T be the torque shaft which is rotating with
speed of N rpm, then :work per minute = 2NT
The work per minute is the power transmitted
by the shaft.
So, the Power, P = T 2N
60
where =