SHEAR CENTER OF CLOSED SECTION

AIM: Shear center of a closed section determination. THEORY: For any unsymmetrical section there exists a point at which any vertical force does not produce a twist of that section. This point is known as shear center. The location of this shear center is important in the design of beams of closed sections when they should bend without twisting. The shear center is important in the case of a closed section like an aircraft wing, where the lift produces a torque about the shear center. Similarly the wing strut of a semi cantilever wing is a closed tube of aerofoil section. A thin walled D section with its web vertical has a horizontal axis of symmetry and the shear center lies on it. The aim of the experiment is to determine its location on this axis if the applied shear to the tip section is vertical (i.e., along the direction of one of the principal axes of the section) and passes through the shear center tip, all other sections of the beam do not twist. APPARATUS REQUIRED: A thin uniform cantilever beam of D section as shown in the figure. At the free end extension pieces are attached on either side of the web to facilitate vertical loading. Two dial gauges are mounted firmly on this section, a known distance apart, over the top flange. This enables the determination of the twist, if any, experienced by the section. A steel support structure to mount the D section as cantilever. Two loading hooks each weighing about 0.1 Kg.

PROCEDURE: 1. Mount two dial gauges on the flange at a known distance apart at the free end of the beam (see fig). Set the dial gauge readings to zero. 2. Place a total of say 1.2 kilograms load at A (loading hook and 5 load pieces will make up this value). Note the dial gauge readings (nominally, hooks also weigh a 100 grams each). Note down dial gauge reading. 3. Now remove one load piece from the hook at A and place it at hook B. The total vertical load on this section remains 1.2 kilogram. Record the dial gauge readings. 4. Transfer carefully all the load pieces to B from A one by one. Note each time the dial gauge readings. This procedure ensures that while the magnitude of the resultant vertical force remains the same its line of action shifts by a known amount along AB every time when a load piece is shifted. Calculate the distance e (see fig) of the line of action from the web thus: (AB) x (Wa-Wb) eexp --------------------2Wv For every load case calculate the algebraic difference between the dial gauge readings suffered by the section. Though a nominal value of two kilograms for the total load is suggested it can be less. proportionately. In that event the number of readings taken will reduce where WV = (Wa + Wb)

TABLE Dimensions of the beam and the section Length of the beam (L) Height of the web (h) Thickness of the sheet (t) Distance between the two hook stations (AB) Weights 5 Nos. S. No. Wa
in Kg

: : : : : : 265mm 80mm 0.8mm 310mm 0.2kgs e = AB(Wa-Wb) / 2 Wv

Wb
in Kg

Dial gauge readings d1 mm d2 mm

(d1-d2) Algebraic difference

Plot e Vs (d1-d2) curve and determine where this meets the e axis and locate the shear center. RESULT: The shear center obtained experimentally is compared with the theoretical value.

PRECAUTIONS:

1. For the section supplied there are limits on the maximum value of loads to obtain acceptable experimental results. Beyond these the section could undergo excessive permanent deformation and damage the beam forever. Do not therefore exceed the suggested values for the loads. 2. The dial gauges must be mounted firmly. Every time before taking the readings. Tap the set up (not the gauges) gently several times until the reading pointers on the gauges settle down and do not shift any further. This shift happens due to both backlash and slippages at the points of contact between the dial gauges and the sheet surfaces and can induce errors if not taken care of. Repeat the experiments with identical settings several times to ensure consistency in the readings.

SHEAR CENTER FOR CLOSED SECTION: (Experimental result) (For Guidance only) Wv =1.2 kg, AB = (distance of point A to point B) = 31 cm

Dial gauge readings Wa in Kg 1.1 0.9 0.7 0.5 0.3 0.1 Wb in Kg 0.1 0.3 0.5 0.7 0.9 1.1

(d1-d2)

S. No. 1 2 3 4 5 6

d1(anticlock)750 700 702 705 707 709 711

d2(anticlock)350 316 314 311 308 305 302

Algebraic e =AB(Wa-Wb) / difference (2Wv) 384 12.9 7.75 388 2.5 394 -2.5 399 -7.75 404 -12.9 409

SAMPLE CALCULATION (ONLY FOR GUIDANCE)

e =AB(Wa-Wb) / (2Wv) e =31(0.9-0.3) / (21.2) e = 7.75 A curve is plotted between (d1-d2) Vs e. From the graph e = 19mm.

Result:
The shear center obtained experimentally, well with the theoretical value. e (expt) =19mm (from graph) e (theo) = 20mm (e(theo) is 20 mm from calculation) eth > eexp and nearer to the value. This shift happens due to both backlash and slippages at the points of contact between the dial gauges and the sheet surfaces and can induce errors if not taken care of. Repeat the experiments with identical settings several times to ensure consistency in the readings.