Strength of Materials - Module I

1
Strength of materials

It deals with strength or load carrying capacity of various members such as beams &
columns.
When an external force acts on a body, it tends to undergo some deformation &
also resists deformation. This resistance of body opposes the deformation is called
strength of material or simply strength.
Stress

The internal force of resistance to deformation acting per unit area of the body
is termed as stress.
The force of resistance per unit area offered by a body against deformation is

known as stress.
Stress, = P / A

= Stress (N/m2) or Pascal (Pa)

P = Ext. load or force (N)
A = Area of cross section (m2)

Simple stress Stress developed, when body is subjected to ext. force in one direction
only.
Compound stress - Stress developed, when body is subjected to ext. force in more
than one direction.
Types of stresses
1) Tensile stress:
When a member is subjected to two equal and opposite axial pulls so that the
member tends to elongate. The stress induced at any cross section of member is
called tensile stress.
Tensile stress acts normal to the area.
In figure, a bar is subjected to tensile force (P) at its ends. Consider any section
x-x, each part will be in equilibrium, if the resisting force is equal to the applied load.
This resisting force per area is called tensile stress.
Tensile stress, =

Resisting force (R)

Cross sectional Area( A )

Tensile Strain, =

Increase length(dL)
Original length( L)

(R = P)

2) Compressive Stress:
The stress induced in a body, when subjected to two equal and opposite axial
pushes, as a result there is a decrease in length of the body, and this induced stress is
called compressive stress. The ratio of decrease in length to the original length is
called compressive strain.

Strength of Materials - Module I

Compressive stress, =

Resisting force ( R)
Cross sectional Area( A )

Compressive Strain, =

Decreaselength(dL)
Original length(L)

Tensile & Compressive stress acts normal to the area.

Shear stress acts tangential to the area.

(R = P)

Strength of Materials - Module I

Fig. Tensile Stress

Stress

Fig.

Compressive

3) Shear Stress:
The stress induced in a body, when subjected to two equal and opposite forces
which are acting tangentially across the resisting section. As a result of which the body
tends to shear of across the section, is known as shear stress. Shear stress acts
tangential to the area.
Consider a rectangular block of height h, length L and unit width. Bottom face of
the block be fixed to the surface. Let a force P be applied tangentially along the top
face of the block.
The force acting tangentially along a surface is called shear force P. for the equilibrium
of the block, the bottom surface offers a tangential reaction equal and opposite to the

shear force.

Shear stress, =

Shear resistance(R)
Shear Area (A )

Shear strain:
=

Transverse displacement
Distance AD

Strength of Materials - Module I

DD 1
=
AD

dl
h

Strength of Materials - Module I

5
Elasticity:

The property of materials to return back to their original position after removal
of external force is called elasticity.
Elastic limit:
The value of stress corresponding to the limiting value of force, where the
deformation completely disappears on the removal of the force.
Deformation within the elastic limit is called elastic
deformation beyond the deformation is called plastic deformation.

deformation,

Hookes law (Robert Hooke)

When a material loaded within elastic limit, stress is directly proportional to
the strain produced by the stress.
Within elastic limit, material exhibits a linear relationship between stress
and strain. An increase in stress causes a proportionate increase in strain.
directly proportional to
=Ex
E=

(Youngs modulus or Modulus of elasticity or Elastic modulii)

Modulus of elasticity (Youngs modulus)

The ratio of tensile stress or compressive stress to the corresponding strain
is constant within elastic region, this constant is called Modulus of elasticity.
E=

Tensile stress
Tensile strain

Compressive stress

or Compressive strain

unit = N/mm2

Modulus of rigidity (Shear modulus)

The ratio of shear stress to the corresponding shear strain within elastic
limit is called modulus of rigidity.
C or G or N =

S h ear stress
Shear strain

unit = N/mm2

Constitutive Relation between stress and strain

(a) For One dimensional stress system
The relationship between stress and strain for one dimensional stress is
given by Hookes law, which states that when a material loaded within elastic limit, the
normal stress is directly proportional to the strain. The proportionality constant is
called modulus of elasticity or youngs modulus.
E=

Normal stress
strain

E=

(b) For Two dimensional stress system

Strength of Materials - Module I

When a body is subjected to an axial tensile load, there is an increase in
the length of the body, but the same time there is a decrease in other dimensions of
the body at right angles to the line of action of the applied load.
(i) Longitudinal strain: deformation of the body per unit length in the direction of the
applied load. Or the ratio of axial deformation to the original length.
(ii) Lateral strain: The strain at right angles to the direction of applied load.
Let a rectangular bar of length L, breadth b and depth d is subjected to an
axial tensile load P. the length of the bar will increase while the breadth and depth will

decrease.
Longitudinal strain =

Lateral strain

b
b

L
L

or

d
d

Poissons ratio (S D Poisson)

The ratio of lateral strain to the longitudinal strain is a constant for a given
material, when the material is stressed within the elastic limit. The value of Poissons
ratio is unique for a particular material.
Poissons ratio, = -

Lateral strain
Longitudinal strain

Lateral strain = - x Longitudinal Strain

- The negative sign is included here since longitudinal elongation (positive strain)
causes lateral contraction (negative strain).
- Poissons ratio is a dimensionless quantity.
- For an ideal material having no lateral deformation when it is stretched or
compressed Poissons ratio will be 0.
- Maximum possible value for Poissons ratio is 0.5, therefore (0 0.5)
Relationship b/w stress and strain (Two dimensional stress system)

Strength of Materials - Module I

Consider a two dimensional body ABCD, subjected to two mutually perpendicular

stresses 1 and 2