ESO202A: Mechanics of Solids

Quiz 1 (23rd January), 10 Marks, 25 mins.

Name: Roll No.:

Problem. (2+2+2+2+2 Marks) Consider a plane stress field whose components with respect to 2D
Cartesian basis {e1 , e2 } are given by (s.t. the position vector x is written as x = xe1 + ye2 )
 
6xy 2 −2y 3
[σ] = .
−2y 3 2

(a) Assuming body forces to be negligible, check if the stress field satisfies conditions for static equilibrium.

The two conditions to be satisfied for static equilibrium are balance of linear and angular momentum.
According to the former, for a 2D stress field with zero body forces,
∂σx ∂τxy ∂τxy ∂σy
+ = 0 and + = 0.
∂x ∂y ∂x ∂y

The second condition is the symmetry of stress. The given stress components (σx = 6xy 2 , τxy = −2y 3 ,
and σy = 2) satisfy both of these conditions and hence represent a state of static equilibrium.

(b) Determine the traction vector acting at a point x = e1 + 3e2 across the line 2x + y = 5.

The unit√normal vector to the given line (since we are looking at a 2D case, the plane become
√ a line) is
n = (1/ 5)(2e1 +e2 ). The traction vector is given as t = σn. For the given√field, t = (1/ 5){(12xy 2 −
2y 3 )e1 + (−4y 3 + 2)e2 }, which at the given point (x, y) = (1, 3) is t = (1/ 5)(54e1 − 106e2 ).

(c) Determine the normal and shear force vectors acting at this point across this line.

2
The normal force vector is (t · n)n = √
5 5
(2e1 + e2 ) and the shear force vector is t − (t · n)n =
266
√ (e − 2e2 ).
5 5 1

(d) Determine the principal stresses at this point.

The stress matrix at the given point is

 
54 −54
.
−54 2
√
√ principal stresses are the eigenvalues of this matrix. They are 28 + 2 898(= 87.933) and 28 −
The
2 898(= −31.933).

(e) Determine the inclination of the line at the given point across which the magnitude of normal force is
maximum.

Let the inclination of the line be given by tan θ. The unit normal to this line will be n = cos θe1 −sin θe2 .
The (square of) magnitude of normal force can then be calculated as N (θ) = 54 cos2 θ + 54 cos 2θ +
2 sin2 θ. We have to find the θ which maximises this function, i.e. the θ for which N 0 (θ) = 0 and
N 00 (θ) < 0.