THE UNIVERSITY OF TRINIDAD & TOBAGO

FINAL ASSESSMENT/EXAMINATIONS DECEMBER 2012

Course Code and Title:

MCHA2001_Strengths of Materials

Programme:

B.A.Sc./M.Eng. Utilities Engineering

Date and Time:

Thursday 20th December 2012

Duration:

3hours

(9.00am 12.00noon)

PLEASE READ ALL INSTRUCTIONS CAREFULLY BEFORE YOU BEGIN THIS

EXAMINATION

Instructions to Candidates
1. This paper has five (4) pages and five (5) questions.
2. You are required to answer ALL questions.
Key Examination Protocol
1. Students please note that academic dishonesty (or cheating) includes but is not limited to
plagiarism, collusion, falsification, replication, taking unauthorised notes or devices into an
examination, obtaining an unauthorised copy of the examination paper, communicating or
trying to communicate with another candidate during the examination, and being a party to
impersonation in relation to an examination.
2. The above mentioned and any other actions which compromise the integrity of the academic
evaluation process will be fully investigated and addressed in accordance with UTTs
academic regulations.
3. Please be reminded that speaking without the Invigilators permission is NOT allowed.

The University of Trinidad and Tobago

December 2012 Final Examinations
(MCHA2001)

Page 1

QUESTION 1
a) Define proportionality limit, elasticity limit, yield stress and ultimate stress of a material.
[5 marks]

b) A 30 mm diameter bar is subjected to an axial tensile load of 150 kN. Under the action of
this load a 200 mm gauge length is found to extend 0.20 x 10--3 mm. Determine the
modulus of elasticity for the bar material.
[5 marks]

c) If, in order to reduce weight whilst keeping the external diameter constant, the bar is
bored axially to produce a cylinder of uniform thickness, what is the maximum diameter
of bore possible given that the maximum allowable stress is 300 MN/m2 ? The load can
be assumed to remain constant at 150 kN.
[15 marks]

QUESTION 2
a) State and prove the theorem of parallel axes. Explain the significance of this theorem.
[5 marks]

b) A uniform T-section beam is 100 mm wide by 150 mm deep, with a flange thickness of
25 mm and a web thickness of 12 mm. If the limiting bending stresses for the material of
the beam are 80 MN/m2 in compression and 160 MN/m2 in tension, find the maximum
uniformly distributed load that the beam can carry over a simply supported span of 5 m.
[20 marks]

The University of Trinidad and Tobago

December 2012 Final Examinations
(MCHA2001)

Page 2

QUESTION 3
a) Discuss the assumptions and limitations of the torsion equation.

[5 marks]

b) Determine the dimensions of a hollow shaft with a diameter ratio of 3:4 which is to
transmit 60 kW at 200 rev/min. The maximum shear stress set up in the shaft is limited to
70 MN/m2 and the angle of twist to 3.8 degrees in a length of 4 m.
For the shaft material, G = 80 GN/m2.
[20 marks]

QUESTION 4
a) State the formula for computing the hoop stress developed in the wall of a thin-walled
sphere due to internal pressure.
[3 marks]
b) A thin cylinder 75 mm internal diameter, 250 mm long with walls 2.5 mm thick is
subjected to an internal pressure of 7 MN/m2.
i) Determine the change in internal diameter and the change in length

[4 marks]

ii) If, in addition to the internal pressure, the cylinder is subjected to a torque of 200 Nm,
find the magnitude and nature of the principal stresses set up in the cylinder. E = 200
GN/m2, = 0.3
[18 marks]

The University of Trinidad and Tobago

December 2012 Final Examinations
(MCHA2001)

Page 3

QUESTION 5
a) State the formula for computing the hoop stress developed in the wall of a thin cylinder
due to internal pressure
[5 marks]

b) A cylinder has an internal diameter of 230 mm, has walls 5 mm thick and is 1 m long. It
is found to change in internal volume by 12.0 x 10--6 m3 when filled with a liquid at a
pressure p. If E = 200 GN/m2 and = 0.25 and assuming rigid end plates, determine:

i) The values of hoop and longitudinal stresses

[10 marks]

ii) The necessary change in pressure p to produce a further increase in internal

volume of 15%. The liquid may be assumed incompressible.
[10 marks]

The University of Trinidad and Tobago

December 2012 Final Examinations
(MCHA2001)

Page 4