Ethiopian Institute of Technology-Mekelle

Mekelle University
Mechanical engineering Department

Strength of Material I
Assignment Two
nd
2 Year Regular Mechanical Engineering Students

1. Determine the critical load on a steel column having a rectangular cross section, 12mm by
18mm, and a length of 280mm. the lower end of the column is inserted into a close fitting
socket and is welded securely. The upper end is pinned as shown in fig below. Reflected
your reaction is the column long or short?

2. Repeat problem 1, both end is pinned

3. Repeat problem 1, both end of the column is fixed
4. Repeat problem 1, lower end of the column is fixed and the upper is free
5. A steel pipe (outside diameter = 130 mm; wall thickness = 12.5 mm) supports an axial load
of P = 25 kN, which is applied at an eccentricity of e = 175 mm from the pipe centerline
(Fig below). The column is fixed at its base, free at its upper end, and its length is L = 4.0
m. Determine (a) the lateral deflection at the upper end of the column and (b) the maximum
stress in the pipe. Use E = 200 GPa.

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 Ethiopian Institute of Technology-Mekelle
Mekelle University
Mechanical engineering Department

6. Repeat problem 5, for the remained three end connection.

7. The uniform brass bar AB shown in Figure below has a rectangular cross section. The bar
is supported by pins and brackets at its ends. The pins permit rotation about a horizontal
axis (i.e., the strong axis of the rectangular cross section) but the brackets prevent rotation
about a vertical axis (i.e., the weak axis).
(a) Determine the critical buckling load of the assembly for the following parameters: L =
400 mm, b = 6 mm, h = 14 mm, and E = 100 GPa.
(b) Determine the ratio b/h for which the critical buckling load about both the strong and
weak axes is the same.

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 Ethiopian Institute of Technology-Mekelle
Mekelle University
Mechanical engineering Department
8. Rigid beam ABC is supported by a pinned connection at C and by an inclined strut that is
pin connected at B and D, as shown in Figure below. The strut is fabricated from two steel
[E = 200 GPa] bars, which are each 70 mm wide and 15 mm thick. Between B and D, the
bars are separated and connected by two spacer blocks, which are 25 mm thick. The strut
cross section is shown in Figure below. Determine:
(a) the compression force in strut BD that is created by the loads acting on the rigid beam.
(b) the slenderness ratios for the strut about its strong and weak axes.
(c) the minimum factor of safety in the strut with respect to buckling

9. Rigid beam ABC is supported by a pinned connection at A and by a 180 mm by 180 mm

square timber post that is pin-connected at B and D, as shown in Figure below. The length
dimensions of the beam are x1 = 3.6 m and x2 = 2.8 m. The timber post has a length of L
= 4 m and an elastic modulus of E = 12 GPa. If a factor of safety of 2.0 with respect to
buckling is specified, determine the magnitude of the maximum distributed load w that
may be supported by the beam.

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 Ethiopian Institute of Technology-Mekelle
Mekelle University
Mechanical engineering Department

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