Chapter 1:

Simple Stress

Chapter 2:
Simple Strain

Chapter 3:
Torsion

Strength of Materials
deals with the relationship between externally applied

loads and their internal effects on bodies.

bodies are no longer assumed rigid.

Objective:
The ability of structures (structural members) to safely
resist the maximum internal effects produced by any
loading combination should be ensured.

Internal Forces

Axial Forces any force acting along the centroidal axis of a body.

Normal Force any force acting normal or perpendicular to a

plane or cross-sectional area.
Shear Force any force acting parallel to a plane or crosssectional area.
Torque any couple acting about the longitudinal or
centroidal axis
Bending Moment any couple acting along the longitudinal
or centroidal axis.

Concept of Deformation
Any solid, non-rigid body when acted upon by an
external force will experience a change from its natural
shape or form. The body is said to have deformed.
Deformation may occur
depending on external force.

in

different

kinds

Elasticity and Plasticity

Elasticity

is the tendency of a body to return to its

original state after deformation.
Plasticity is the propensity of a body to remain
deformed even after the load is removed
Plastic conditions occur when elastic boundaries
are exceeded.

Concept of Actual and Allowable

Actual forces, stresses, moments, etc., are derived from
the effects of externally applied loads acting on the body being
analyzed.
Allowable or working forces, stresses, moments, etc.,
are computed from the structural properties of the member in
question. These allowable quantities speak of the prescribed
capacity of the member.
Ultimately, a body should be capable of resisting the applied
load and the effects of which should be within the safe and
acceptable or tolerable range.
Put simply, the ALLOWABLE should be greater
than the ACTUAL.

Multiplication
Factor

Prefix

Symbol

x109

Giga

x106

Mega

x103

Kilo

x10-3

Milli

x10-6

Micro

x10-9

Nano

x10-12

Pico

1 MPa = 1N/mm2
1 Pa = 1N/m2

Stress
Stress is a force intensity per unit area.
The strength of material is quantified through its stress

capacity how large of a force a certain area can

withstand.
In other words, the larger the force a unit area can
resist the higher the materials strength.

Normal or Simple Stress, , is caused by a force

that acts perpendicular to the area resisting
the force.
Centroid

Area, A

Force, F
Normal
Stress,

= dF / dA
Ave = F / A

Non-Uniform Stress Distributions occur at sections near

the point load application and at varied cross-sections.
By Saint Vernants Principle, the stress due to a point
load and the stress due to an equivalent pressure
causes similar stress distributions at a certain distance
from the point of application

Normal Stress, ,may also be termed AXIAL STRESS if

the force acts along the longitudinal axis of the member
(as in truss members).

Compressive Stress
towards the body

Tensile Stress
away from the body

By character, members may experience either TENSILE

STRESS or COMPRESSIVE STRESS.

Simple Shearing Stress, ,is caused by a force that is

parallel to the area resisting the force. Also called
tangential stress, occurs whenever a load causes one
body to slide past its adjacent section.
Force, F

Force, F

Some Common Types of

Simple Shear in Stressed
Bodies.

Single Shear Resisting Area on one plane.

Force, F
Rivets
Force, F
Area, A

Double Shear Resisting Area on two planes

Rivets
Force, F

Area, A

Punching Shear Resisting Area is non-planar.

Force, F

Area, A
(Cylindrical
Surface Area)

Bearing Stress b ,occurs as contact pressure

between separate bodies, compressive in nature.
Force, F

Body 2

Bearing
Stress

Body 1

Example:
For the truss shown a reduced stress in
compression is specified to avoid the danger of
buckling. Determine the cross-sectional
B
area of bars CF, BE and BF so that the
stresses will not exceed
E

100 MN/m2 in tension

or 80 MN/m2 in
compression.

8m
A

6m

C
3m

G
3m

40 kN

50 kN

Example
The bars of the pin connected frame are each
30mm x 60mm in section. Determine the maximum
load P that can be applied so that the stresses of bar
AB, BC and AC will not exceed 100 MN/m2 in
tension or 80 MN/m2 in compression.
P
B

8m

6m

10m

Example :
A cast-iron column supports an axial
compressive load of 250 kN. Determine the outside
diameter of the column (a) if its inside diameter is
200 mm and (b) if its thickness
is 0.1 D and the limiting

stress is 50 MPa.

Example :
The homogeneous bar is supported by a smooth
pin at C and a cable that runs at A to B around the
smooth peg at D. The bar weighs 6 kN. Find the
stress in the cable if its diameter is 15 mm.
D
3m
A

B
5m

C
5m

Example :
A steel tube is rigidly attached between an
aluminum rod and a bronze rod as shown. Axial
loads are applied at the positions indicated. Find the
maximum value of P that will not exceed a stress of
80 MPa in Aluminum, 150 MPa in steel or 100 MPa
in bronze.
3P

Aluminum
A = 200 mm2

Steel
A = 400 mm2

1m

2m

2P
Bronze
A = 500 mm2

2.5m

Example :
A rod is composed of an aluminum section
rigidly attached between steel and bronze section.
Axial loads are applied at the positions indicated. If
P = 3000 lb and the cross sectional area of the rod is
0.5 in2. Determine the stresses in steel, bronze and
aluminum.
Steel

Aluminum

4P

Bronze

P
2ft

3ft

2.5ft

Example :
The end chord off a timber truss is framed into
the bottom chord as shown in the figure. Neglecting
friction, (a) Compute
dimension b if the
allowable shearing

stress is 900 kPa

and (b) determine
dimension c so that
bearing stress does
not exceed 7 MPa.

Example :
Two block of wood, 50-mm wide and 20-mm
thick are glued together as shown. (a) Determine the
shear load and the shearing stress on the glued joint
if P= 6000N (b) generalize the procedure to show
that the shearing stress on a plane inclined at an
angle to a transverse section of area A is
= Psin2 /2A.
20

50 mm
600

Example :
A rectangular piece of wood, 50 mm by 100 mm
in cross-section, is used as a compression block as
shown in the figure. The grain makes an angle of 20o
with the horizontal. Determine the maximum
axial load P which can safely applied to
P
the block (a) if the compressive stress
in the wood is limited to 20 MN/m2
and (b) if the shearing stress parallel

to the grain is limited to 5 MN/m2.

200

100 mm

Example :
The bell crank shown is in equilibrium. (a)
Determine the required diameter of the connecting
rod AB if its axial stress is limited to 100 MPa. (b)
Determine the shearing stress in the pin at D if its
A
diameter is 20 mm.
B
P

200 mm
240 mm
D

DH
600
DV

30 kN

Example:
Two 130-mm wide plates are fastened by three
20 mm diameter rivets. Assuming that P = 50kN,
determine (a) the shearing stress in each rivets; (b)
the bearing stress in each plate and (c) the
maximum average tensile stress in each plate
Assume that the applied load P is distributed
equally among the rivets.
Force, P
25 mm

Example:
Two 130-mm wide plates are fastened by three
20 mm diameter rivets. Determine the maximum
safe load P which may be applied (a) if the shearing
stress in the rivets is limited to 60 MPa, (b) if the
bearing stress of the plate is limited to 110 MPa, and
(c) average tensile stress of the plate is limited to
140 MPa.
Force, P
25 mm

Example :
The figure shows a W460 x 97 beam riveted to a
W610 x 125 girder by two 100 x 90 x 10 mm angles
with 19 mm diameter rivets. The web of the girder is
11.9 mm thick and the web of the beam is 11.4 mm
thick. Determine the allowable end reaction.
- Shop-Driven rivets (Angles to Beam) = 80 MPa,
b = 170 MPa, Field-driven rivets (Angles to Girder)
= 70 MPa and

= 140 MPa.

W460 x 97 Beam

W610 x 125 Girder

Example :
The figure shows a roof truss and the detail of
the riveted connection at joint B. Using allowable
shearing stress of 70 MPa and bearing stress of 140
MPa, Area of 75 x 75 x 6 = 864 mm2, Area of 75 x 75 x
13 = 1780 mm2. (a) How many 19 mm diameter rivets
are required to fasten members BC and BE to gusset
plate? (b) Determine the largest average
tensile/compressive stresses in members BC and BE.

14 mm
Gusset
Plate

Joint B

PBE
75 x 75 x 13 mm

75 x 75 x 6 mm

PBC

Example :
A truss joint shown consists of a bottom chord
C made up of two angles, and web members A and B
each carrying the given loads. Using A 502-1 rivets
with an allowable shearing stress of 120 MPa and
bearing stress of 600 MPa and AISC specifications.
Determine the required number of 18mm diameter
rivets to develop fully the truss joint for members A,
B and bottom chord C.

9.5 mm
Gusset
Plate

150 kN

2 angles

624.67
kN

2 angles

220 kN

70

38

2 angles

400 kN

Answer:
9.5 mm
Gusset
Plate

150 kN

2 angles

624.67
kN

2 angles

220 kN

70

38

2 angles

400 kN

THIN-WALLED PRESSURE VESSELS

A vessel is said to be thin-walled when the ratio of
the thickness to the radius of the vessel is small such
that the internal stress in the material is constant
throughout the thickness of the vessel.
1 = circumferential or hoop stress
2 = longitudinal stress
t = thickness
ro = outside radius
1
ri= inside radius
2
p = internal pressure

Example :
A cylindrical pressure vessel is fabricated from
steel plates which have a thickness of 20mm. The
diameter of the pressure vessel is 500mm and its
length is 3m. Determine the maximum internal
pressure which can be applied if the stress in the
steel is limited to 140MPa

Example :
A water tank is 8m in diameter and 12m high.
If the tank is to be completely filled, (a) Determine
the tangential force on the tank and the (b)
minimum thickness of the tank plating if the
stress is limited to 40 MPa.

12 m

8m

Example :
The strength per meter of the longitudinal
joint in the figure is 480 kN, where as for the girth
join, it is 200kN. Determine the maximum
diameter of the cylindrical tank if the internal
pressure is 1.5 MN/m2.
Girth joint

Longitudinal
joint

Example :
The tank shown in the figure is fabricated from
10mm steel plate. Determine the maximum
longitudinal and circumferential stresses caused by an
internal pressure of 1.2 MPa.

400 mm

600 mm

Example :
The tank shown in the figure is fabricated from
steel plate. Determine the minimum thickness of plate
which may be used if the stress is limited to 40 MPa
and internal pressure is 1.5 MPa.

400 mm

600 mm