STRENGTH OF MATERIALS PROBLEMS

Multiple Choice:

1. The section of a beam at which the bending moment changes from positive to
Negative is called:
a} critical point c} point of inflection
b} deflection point d} nota

2. The stress in an elastic material is:

a} inversely proportional to the materials yield strength
b} inversely proportional to the force acting
c} proportional to the displacement
d} inversely proportional to the strain

3. The linear portion of the stress-strain diagram of steel is known as the:

a} modulus of elongation
b} plastic range
c} strain hardening
d) elastic range

4. Modulus of rigidity of a steel member is

a) defined as the unit shear stress divided by the unit shear deformation
b) equal to the modulus of elasticity divided by one plus Poissons ratio
c) defined as the length divided by the moment of inertia
d) equal to approximately 7/10 of the modulus of elasticity

5. The area of the shear diagram between any two points is equal to:
a) change in shear between two points
b) total shear between the two points
c) average moment between the two points
d) change in moment between the two points

6. Two circular shafts , one hollow and one solid , are made of the same material and
Have the diameters shown. If Th is the twisting moment that the hollow shaft can
Resist and Ts is the twisting moment that the solid shaft can resist , the ratio Th to
Ts is:
a) ¼
b) ½
c) 9/16
d) 15/16
7. A steel cylinder 12 inches outside and a wall thickness of 1 in. is filled with
concrete and used as a pier to support an axial load in compression.. If the
allowable stresses are 40000 psi for steel and 3500 psi for concrete and the
Young”s modulus for steel is 30 x 106 psi and for concrete is 2.8 x 106 psi ,
What is the allowable load on the pier ?
a) 200 tons
b) 1570000 lbs
c) 400 kips
d) 500 kN

8. A short structural member of length L , area A and modulus of elasticity E , is

Subjected to a compression load of P. The member will:
a) elongate by PL/AE
b) shorten by PL/AE
c) buckle at π2EI/L2
d) nota

9. A beam with an isosceles triangle cross section with base b and height h has
A moment of inertia of :
a) hb3 /48
b) bh3 /36
c) bh2 /24
d) hb2 /24

9. The maximum moment in a simple beam of span L subjected to a triangular

Load beginning at zero from the left support to a value at the right support
Occurs at a distance from the left support of :
a) 0.5 L
b) 0.577 L
c) 0.667 L
d) 0.750 L

10. A mild steel column is hollow and circular in cross section with an external
Diameter of 350mm and internal diameter of 300mm. It carries a compressive
Load of 2000 kN. The shortening of the column if its initial height is 5m and
E = 200,000 MPa , is:
a) 78.4 N/mm2
b) – 0.00039
c) 1.95mm
d) nota
1 A simple beam of length L has a concentrated load of P at a distance a from
The left support and b from the right support. The maximum moment in the
Beam is :
a) Pa2 /L
b) nota
c) Pa2 /L2
d) Pab/L

1 This subject involved analytical methods for determining strength , stiffness

(deformation characteristics) , and stability of the various members in a
structural system:
i. mechanics of materials
ii. strength of materials
iii. mechanics of deformable bodies

a) one of the three

b) two of the three
c) none of the three
d) all of the three

1 A simple beam has a span of 5m. The maximum moment in the beam is 69
kN-m . The allowable bending stress is 138 MPa. The required section
modulus is:
a) 2.0 x 103 mm3
b) 9.522 x 106 mm3
c) 250 x 103 mm3
d) 500 x 103 mm3

1 A simply supported beam with a span of 6m carries a vertical load that

Increases uniformly from zero at the left end to a maximum value of
9kN/m. at the right end. The larger reaction occurs at the right and has a
Value in kN of:
a) 27
b) 18
c) 4.5
d) 9

1 The shear force Vx at a section x of a cantilever beam of length L

With a uniform load w is Vx = w (L-x) where x is the distance
Of the section from the fixed support . The bending moment at that
Section is:
a) - wL2/2 c) -0.5 w (L-x)2
2
b) -0.25wL d) - wx2 /4
c)