5. The diameter of a brass rod is 6 mm.

What
force will stretch it by 0.2% of its length. Ebrass =
9 x 1010 Pa.
a. 5090 N
b. 5060 N
c. 9050 N
d. 6050 N
Solution:
FL
=
AE
FL
0.002L =

2
10
(0.006) 9 10
4

F = 5089.4 N (a)

STRENGTH OF MATERIALS PROBLEMS

1. A steel tie rod on bridge must be made to
withstand a pull of 5000 lbs. Find the diameter
of the rod assuming a factor of safety of 5 and
ultimate stress of 64,000 lb/in2.
a. 0.75 in
b. 0.71in
c. 0.84 in
d. 0.79 in
Solution:
u
4F
= 2
N d
64,000 4(5000)
=
5
d 2
d = 0.7052 in (b)

6. A wire length 2.50 m has a percentage strain of

0.012% when loaded with tensile force.
Determine the extension of the wire.
a. 0.1 mm
b. 0.3 mm
c. 0.4 mm
d. 0.2 mm
Solution:
0.012
=
=
L , 100
2.5

2. If the ultimate strength of a steel plate is 42,000

lb/in2, what force is necessary to punch a 0.75
in diameter hole in a 0.625 in thick plate?
a. 63,000 lbs
b. 68,080 lbs
c. 61,850 lbs
d. 66,800 lbs
Solution:
F = udt = (42,000)( )(0.75)(0.625) = 61,850 lb (c)
3. What modulus of elasticity in tension is
required to obtain a unit deformation of
0.00105 m/m from a load producing a unit
tensile stress of 44,000 psi?
a. 42.300 x 106 psi
b. 41.202 x 106 psi
c. 43.101 x 106 psi
d. 41.905 x 106 psi
Solution:
stress 44,000
E=
=
= 41.9048 106 psi (d)
strain 0.00105
4. How many 5/6 inch holes can be punch in one
motion in a steel plate made of SAE 1010 steel,
7/16 inch thick using a force of 55 tons. The
ultimate strength for shear is 50 ksi and use 2
factor of safety.
a. 5.8
b. 3.7
c. 5
d. 6.2
Solution: Punching dont need factor of safety.
F
u =
dtn
55(2000)
50,000 =
5
7
n
16 16
n = 5.12 say 5 holes (c)

= 3104 m = 0.3 mm (b)

7. Determine the polar section modulus, Zp (in3) of
a shaft delivering 10 hp at 150 rpm. The
diameter of the shaft is 3 in dia. and an
allowable shear stress of 6,000 psi.
a. 5.8
b. 6.4
c. 7.0
d. 5.3
Solution:
Zp =

d 3

Zp =

(3)3

= 5.3 in 3

16 ,
16
8. Find the polar section modulus of a hollow shaft
with OD = 6 in and ID = 3 in.
a. 28.97 cu in
b. 39.76 cu in
c. 45.45 cu in
d. 51.98 cu in
Solution:

Zp =

do4 di4

16

do

(6)4 (3)4

= 39.76 in
16
6

9. A horizontal beam 16 ft long is subjected to a

load of 500 lb located to its center. The
dimension of the beam is 2 x 4 inches
respectively and its unit weight is 100 lb/ft. Find
its flexural stress.

Zp =

a.
b.
c.
d.
Solution:

Solution:
TL 32TL
= = 4
JG d G

11,696.34 psi
10,233.2 psi
15,677.2 psi
15,388.1 psi

32 3 106 (1400)
= 0.0035205 rad
(110 )4 (83,000)
180 deg
= 0.2017 deg (c)

rad

= (0.0035205 rad )

12. Determine the outside diameter if a hollow

shaft whose inside diameter is 1 inch if it is to
replace a 1.5 inch diameter solid shaft for
power transmission. The shafts have equal
torsional strengths.
a. 2.25 in
b. 1.5 in
c. 2.0 in
d. 1.75 in
Solution:
16Tdo
16T
= 3=
d do4 d i4

d o4 di4 = do d 3
do4 (1)4 = do (1.5)3

100(16 ) + 500
= 1050 lb
2
Shear and moment diagram
1
M = (800)(8) + (250)(8) = 5200 ft lb = 62,400 in lb
2
h 4
Mc
c = = = 2 in
sf =
I ,
2 2
R1 = R2 =

d o = 1.588 in

Use next higher standard size of 1.75 in (d)

13. A circular bar solid cast iron 60-in long carries a
solid circular head 60-in diameter. The bar is
subjected to a torsional moment of 60,000 in-lb
which is supplied at one end. It is desired to keep
the torsional deflection of the circular head below
1/32-inch when the bar is transmitting power over
its entire length in order to prevent the chattering
of the piece. What would be the diameter of the
bar, if the working stress is taken as 3000 psi and
the transverse modulus of elasticity is 6 million psi?
a. 4.7 inch
b. 8.8 inch
c. 6.7 inch
d. 9.5 inch
Solution:
Solving for diameter using shear stress formula:
16T
= 3
d
16(60,000)
3000 =
d 3
d = 4.67 in

bh 3 2(4)3
=
= 10.67 in 4
12
12
(62,400)(2 )
sf =
= 11,696.34 lb in 2 (a)
10.67
10. What is the bending moment in ft-lb at the
fixed end of a 10 ft truss with a uniform weight
of 100 lb/ft and a concentrated vertical load at
the free end of 1200 lbs.
a. 15,000
b. 1800
c. 1500
d. 17,000
Solution:
I=

10
M = (10)(100) + (1200)(10 ) = 17,000 ft lb (d)
2
11. Compute the torsional deflection in degrees of
a 110 mm diameter, 1.4 meter long shaft
subjected to a twist moment of 3 x 106 N-mm.
The torsional modulus of elasticity is 83,000
N/mm2.
a. 0.27
b. 0.31
c. 0.20
d. 0.24

Solving for diameter using torsional deflection

= r
1 60
=
32 2

= 0.00104 rad
=
2

TL
JG

0.00104 =

60,000(60)

32

d 4 6 106

b. 9,434 in-lb
c. 8,000 in-lb
d. 5,000 in-lb
Solution:

d = 8.75 in
Therefore, the safest diameter of the bar is 8.8 in.
14. Compute the induced/compressive stress, in
kPa, of a steel solid shafting of 50 mm diameter
and 800 mm in length that is subjected to an
increase of temperature by 80 deg C.
a. 196,530 kPa
b. 181,445 kPa
c. 162,256 kPa
d. 112,187 kPa
Solution:

Te = T 2 + M 2
Te = 5000 2 + 8000 2 = 9434 in lb (b)
18. The maximum shear stress induced on a 1.5 in
diameter solid shaft loaded with a torque of
8,000 in-lb and a bending moment of 12,000 inlb is:
a. 21,763 psi
b. 62,237 psi
c. 27,220 psi
d. 14,422 psi
Solution:

= Et , = 6.6 106 F for steel

E = 30106 psi for steel

Te = T 2 + M 2

9F
= 144 F
t = (80 C )

5C

Te = 8000 2 + 120002 = 14,422.2 in lb

= (6.6 106 )(30106 )(144) = 28,512 psi

101.325 kPa
= 196,529 kPa (a)

14.7 psi

19. The shaft whose torque varies from 2000 to

6000 in-lbs has 1 inches in diameter and
60,000 psi yield strength. Compute for the shaft
mean average stress.
a. 6036 psi
b. 6810 psi
c. 5162 psi
d. 5550 psi
Solution:
16T
16(6000 )
max = max
=
= 9054 psi
3
d
(1.5)3

= 28,512 psi

15. A steel train rails is 400 meters long, in March it

is at -30 C and 40 C in July. What is the change
in length in mm? K of steel = 11.7 x 10-6 m/m-C.
a. 421 mm
b. 303 mm
c. 328 mm
d. 503 mm
Solution:

= Lt , = (11.7 106 )(400)[(40) ( 30)]

= 0.3276 mm = 327.6 mm (c)

min =

16. A 5.1 cm diameter solid steel shaft has a

maximum bending moment of 677.9 N-m and
an applied torque of 339 N-m. What is the
equivalent bending stress in MPa?
a. 35.14
b. 55.13
c. 45.45
d. 65.48
Solution:
1
Me = M + T 2 + M 2
2
1
Me = 677.9 + 339 2 + 677.9 2 = 717.918 N m
2
32Me 32(717,919 N mm )
=
=
d 3
(51 mm )3

(
(

16Te 16(14,422.2)
=
= 21,763 psi (a)
d 3
(1.5)3

16Tmin 16(2000)
=
= 3018 psi
d 3
(1.5)3

max + min

9054 + 3018
= 6036 psi (a)
2
2
20. A body weighting 1000 lbs falls 6 inches and
strikes a 2000 lbs (per inch) spring. What is the
deformation of the spring?
a. 3 inches
b. 100 mm
c. 6 inches
d. 2 inches
Solution:
1
W (h + ) = k 2
2
1
1000(6 + ) = (2000) 2
2
( 3)( + 2 ) = 0

m =

= 55.127 MPa (b)

= 3 in (a)

17. The equivalent twisting moment of a 2-in

diameter shaft under a torque of 5000 in-lb and
a bending moment of 8000 in-lb is:
a. 13,000 in-lb

END -