4.

Torsion of Prismatic Bars

4.1 Solid Cross Sections

Torsion of a uniform bar of homogeneous isotropic material means twisting defor-

mation produced by equal and opposite twisting moments applied to the ends of the
bar.
The problem of uniform torsion for bars of any cross section is solved by the
St.Venant semi-inverse method. Certain features of the solution are at first assumed,
but the fact that it is then possible to satisfy all the equations and boundary condi-
tions validates the assumptions.
It is assumed first that the cross sections rotate about the x axis, the (small)
angle of rotation being iJx , without distortion in their own planes, and where iJ is
the angle of twist per unit length, or short, the twist. 1 The displacement components
u y ,U z in the plane then correspond to a small rotation iJx of a rigid lamina, and are
Uy = -iJxz, Uz = iJxy . (4.1)

The axial, or warping, displacement U x is taken as a function of y and z.

Ux = iJ7jJ(y,z) , (4.2)

where 7jJ(y, z) is the warping function.

The six strain components follow from these displacements as
8u x =0 8u y 8u z (4.3)
Cxx = 8x ,Cyy = 8y = 0, Czz = 8z = 0
and

(4.4)

1 We note that according to the assumptions of St.Venant's theory this twist has to be a con-
stant. For non-uniform torsion, where the rotation of an element of length dx is described
by dcp = 1'J(x) dx, we refer to Section 4.4.

O. T. Bruhns, Advanced Mechanics of Solids

© Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2003
72 4. Torsion of Prismatic Bars

These give, with Hooke's law, the stress components

~xx = ~yy = ~zz = ~yz = 0 (4.5)

~xy = G~ { ~~ - z},
(4.6)
~xz =G~{~~ +y}.
From the three equations of equilibrium (Eqs. 1.61 and 1.62), two are identically
satisfied, and the third reduces to
8~yx 8~zx
7iY + 8z =0, (4.7)

provided, we neglect acceleration and body forces.

The problem of torsion may now be treated in different ways:
1. The first system is obtained, when we introduce Eqs. (4.6) into the equilibrium
equation (4.7)

(4.8)

which gives an equation for the warping function.

The boundary conditions of the problem are such that the resultant shear stress
at the boundary must be directed along the boundary curve, since the surface is
assumed to be stress free, i.e.
dz dy
~xy ds - ~xz ds = 0, (4.9)

where the boundary itself is introduced as

y=y(s), z=z(s) (4.10)

with arc length s measured from some fixed point. Using Eqs. (4.6), the boundary
condition may be expressed in terms of the warping function as
8'lj; 1 d[ 2 2] 1 d 2
8n = 2 dsY (s)+z (s) = 2 ds r (s) (4.11 )

2. For the second way, we eliminate 'lj; (y, z) from the two equations in (4.6) to obtain

8~xy _ 8~xz = -2G~. (4.12)

8z 8y
It follows now that ~ xy and ~ xz may be expressed in terms of a single function
T(y, z), Prandtl's stress function, as
8T 8T
~xy = 2G~ 8z' ~xz = -2G~ 8y . (4.13)

This function must satisfy