MECHANICS OF MATERIALS PRACTICE PROBLEMS

1. A short column with a square cross section has a square inner core of brass and an outer shell
of aluminum. The two materials are bonded securely at the interface. The modulus of elasticity
of brass is 95 200 MPa; the modulus of elasticity of aluminum is 70 000 MPa. A load of 100 kN
is applied to the top and distributed evenly by a rigid plate. The compressive stress in the brass is
most nearly

(A) 9.2 MPa

(B) 9.7 MPa
(C) 12 MPa
(D) 14 MPa

Solution

The cross-sectional areas of the brass and aluminum are

Abrass = ( 50 mm ) = 2500 mm 2
2

Aaluminum = (100 mm ) − ( 50 mm ) = 7500 mm 2

2 2

The total load of 100 kN is carried by the two materials.

P = Pbrass + Paluminum = 100 kN

Pbrass = 100 kN − Paluminum

Paluminum = 100 kN − Pbrass

Since the two materials are bonded, the strain in both materials is the same.

δ brass = δ aluminum

Copyright 2006 Professional Publications, Inc. Mechanics of Materials Practice Problems - 1

 Pbrass L Paluminum L
=
Abrass Ebrass Aaluminum Ealuminum

Pbrass L (100 kN − Pbrass ) L

=
Abrass Ebrass Aalu min um Ealu min um

Cancel the length terms.

Pbrass
=
(100 kN − Pbrass )
( 2500 mm ) ( 95200 MPa ) ( 7500 mm2 ) ( 70000 MPa )
2

Pbrass = 31.19 kN

2
Pbrass ⎛ 31.19 kN ⎞ ⎛ mm ⎞
σ brass = =⎜ 2 ⎟⎜
1000 ⎟ = 12 476 kPa (12.4 MPa)
Abrass ⎝ 2500 mm ⎠ ⎝ m ⎠

Answer is (C).

2. A simply supported timber beam is 4 m long with dressed dimensions of 150 (width) by 400
mm (height). The beam is supported at its ends and carries a concentrated live load of 60 kN at
its center. The modulus of elasticity is 12 GPa. The deflection at the center due to the live load is
most nearly

(A) 8.0 mm
(B) 8.2 mm
(C) 8.3 mm
(D) 8.5 mm

Solution

The moment of inertia is

bh 3 (150 mm)(400 mm) 3 m4

I= = = 8 × 10 -4 m 4
12 12 1012 mm 4
The maximum beam deflection occurs at the center and is

Copyright 2006 Professional Publications, Inc. Mechanics of Materials Practice Problems - 2

 3
Pb ( L − b
2
)
2 2

δ max =
9 3LEI
3

( 60 ×10 N ) ( 2 m ) ( ( 4 m ) − ( 2 m ) )
3 2 2 2

=
⎛ N ⎞
9 3 ( 4 m ) ⎜12 ×10 ⎟ ( 8 × 10 m )
9 −4 4
2
⎝ m ⎠
= 0.00833 m (8.33 mm)

Answer is (C).

3. A 400 mm diameter seamless tube water pipe must be capable of withstanding a pressure head
of 300 m of water. The specific weight of water is 9790 N/m3. If the allowable tensile stress is 75
MPa, the minimum wall thickness required is approximately

(A) 6.5 mm
(B) 7.8 mm
(C) 8.0 mm
(D) 8.3 mm

Solution

The pressure is the head times the specific weight.

( 300 m ) ⎛⎜ 9790
N ⎞
3 ⎟
= 2.937 ×106 Pa (2.937 MPa)
⎝ m ⎠

Assume a thin-walled pressure vessel. The tensile hoop stress is

pD pressure × diameter
σt = =
2t 2 × thickness

Solve for the wall thickness.

pD ( 2.937 MPa )( 400 mm )

t= = = 7.832 mm
2σ t ( 2 )( 75 MPa )
(The thin-wall assumption should be checked.)

Answer is (B).

4. A 4 m long, 150 mm wide × 300 mm high (dressed dimensions) simply supported timber
beam supports a concentrated load located 1.5 m from its left end. The allowable stress in

Copyright 2006 Professional Publications, Inc. Mechanics of Materials Practice Problems - 3

bending is 12 MPa. The maximum permissible concentrated load as limited by bending stress is
most nearly

(A) 29 kN
(B) 33 kN
(C) 45 kN
(D) 48 kN

Solution

Rl is the reaction at the left end, and Rr is the reaction at the right end. Take moments about the
point where the concentrated load is applied.

∑M P = (1.5 m)( Rl ) − (2.5 m)( Rr ) = 0

Sum forces in the vertical direction.

∑F y = Rl + Rr − P = 0

Solve these two equations simultaneously.

Rl = 0.625P

Rr = 0.375 P

The maximum bending moment is

M = (0.625P)(1.5 m) = 0.9375P

The moment of inertia is

bh3 (150 mm)(300 mm)3

I= = 4
12 ⎛ mm ⎞
(12) ⎜1000 ⎟
⎝ m ⎠
= 3.375 × 10−4 m 4
The bending stress at the extreme fiber is

Copyright 2006 Professional Publications, Inc. Mechanics of Materials Practice Problems - 4

 ⎛ 300 mm ⎞
(0.9375P) ⎜ ⎟
Mc ⎝ 2 ⎠
σ= =
I ⎛ mm ⎞
(3.375×10-4 m 4 ) ⎜ 1000 ⎟
⎝ m ⎠
= 416.7 P

The maximum bending stress is 12 MPa. Solve for P.

(12 MPa ) ⎛⎜1000

kP ⎞
⎟
⎝ MPa ⎠
P= = 28.8 kN
416.7 P

Answer is (A).

5. A 6 m long steel pipe is used as a slender column. The pipe’s outer diameter is 75 mm and the
wall thickness is 7.5 mm. Both ends are pinned. The modulus of elasticity of steel is 210 GPa.
Using a factor of safety of 2, the maximum concentric axial load is most nearly

(A) 23 kN
(B) 25 kN
(C) 26 kN
(D) 27 kN

Solution

The moment of inertia of the cross section (an annulus) is

π ( a 4 − b4 ) π ( (37.5 mm)4 − (30 mm)4 )

I= =
4 4
= 916983 mm 4 (9.16×10 m 4 )
-7

Use Euler’s slender column formula to determine the critical (buckling) load. With pinned ends,
the effective length is equal to the actual length. Including the factor of safety, FS,

π 2 EI π 2 ( 2.1×1011 Pa )( 9.16 ×10−7 m 4 )

Pcr = =
(6 m)
2
l 2 (FS) (2)
= 26368 N (26.4 kN)

Answer is (C).

Copyright 2006 Professional Publications, Inc. Mechanics of Materials Practice Problems - 5

6. A 5 m long, horizontal, simply supported beam carries a uniformly distributed load of 1400
N/m. The bending moment at a point 3.5 m from the left end is most nearly

(A) 2800 N ⋅ m
(B) 3700 N ⋅ m
(C) 4200 N ⋅ m
(D) 4400 N ⋅ m

Solution

The total load is

⎛ N⎞
W = wL = ⎜ 1400 ⎟ ( 5 m )
⎝ m⎠
= 7000 N

The load is equally supported by both reactions. The reaction at either end is

W 7000 N
R= = = 3500 N
2 2

The distributed load over 3.5 m is

⎛ N⎞
W3.5m = wx = ⎜1400 ⎟ (3.5 m) = 4900 N
⎝ m⎠

This total load of 4900 N can be assumed to be a concentrated point force located 3.5 m/2 = 1.75
m from the end.

The moment due to the end reaction and the 4900 N concentrated load is

M 3.5m = (3500 N)(3.5 m) − (4900 N)(1.75 m) = 3675 N ⋅ m

Answer is (B).

Copyright 2006 Professional Publications, Inc. Mechanics of Materials Practice Problems - 6

7. A steel tie rod is subjected to an axial tensile load of 18 kN. The ends of the tie rods are firmly
fixed. A temperature drop of 38°C is anticipated. The allowable tensile stress is 160 MPa. The
modulus of elasticity is 210 GPa. The coefficient of thermal expansion is 11.7× 10-6 m/m ⋅ °C.
The minimum required tie rod diameter is most nearly

(A) 12 mm
(B) 17 mm
(C) 19 mm
(D) 21 mm

Solution

The deformation due to temperature change is

δ temp = α L ( t − t0 )

Strain is the deformation divided by the initial length.

δ temp α L ( t − t0 )
ε= = = α ( t − t0 )
L L

The stress is

σ = Eε = Eα ( t − t0 )
⎛ m ⎞
= ( 2.1× 1011 Pa ) ⎜ 11.7 ×10−6 ⎟ ( 38°C )
⎝ m×°C ⎠
= 93.3 ×106 Pa (93.3 MPa)

The remaining strength the bar has to resist the applied axial stress is

160 MPa − 93.3 MPa = 66.7 MPa

F 18 ×103 N
A= = = 0.000270 m 2
σ N
66.7 × 106 2
m

4A (4) ( 2.70 × 10−4 m 2 )

d= = = 0.0185 m (18.5 mm)
π π

Answer is (C).

Copyright 2006 Professional Publications, Inc. Mechanics of Materials Practice Problems - 7

8. A shaft is connected to a bolted plate as shown. Each bolt has an effective shear area of 314.2
mm2. The centroid of each bolt is 60 mm from the shaft’s center. A couple consisting of two 24
kN forces separated by 250 mm is applied as shown. The allowable bolt shearing stress is 75
MPa. The minimum number of equally spaced bolts required is

(A) 3
(B) 4
(C) 5
(D) 6

Solution

The applied torque is

⎛ N ⎞
(24 kN) ⎜ 1000 ⎟ (250 mm)
⎝ kN ⎠
T = 2 Fr = 2 Fa = = 6000 N ⋅ m
mm
1000
m

The maximum allowable shear force in each bolt is

⎛ 106 Pa ⎞ 2
(75 MPa) ⎜ ⎟ (314.2 mm )
⎝ MPa ⎠
P =τ A = 2
⎛ mm ⎞
⎜ 1000 ⎟
⎝ m ⎠
= 23562 N

The resisting torque from n bolts a distance r from center of the shaft is nPr.

Copyright 2006 Professional Publications, Inc. Mechanics of Materials Practice Problems - 8

 6000 N ⋅ m 6000 N ⋅ m
n= = = 4.24
rP ( 23562 N )( 0.06 m )
4 bolts would not be adequate. The minimum number of bolts is 5.

Answer is (C).

9. A 6 m long W 310x117 structural steel wide flange section is used as a simple beam. The
beam carries a uniform load of 7 kN/m, which includes its own weight. The cross sectional
moment of inertia for this beam is 276 × 106 mm4, and the actual depth is 314 mm. The maximum
bending stress in the beam is most nearly

(A)16 MPa
(B 18 MPa
(C) 21 MPa
(C) 28 MPa

Solution

The maximum bending moment in the beam is

⎛ N⎞
2 ⎜ 7000 ⎟ (6 m) 2
wL ⎝ m⎠
M max = =
8 8
= 31500 N ⋅ m

The maximum stress at the extreme fiber is

3
⎛ 314 mm ⎞⎛ mm ⎞
(31500 N ⋅ m) ⎜ ⎟⎜ 1000 ⎟
Mc ⎝ 2 ⎠⎝ m ⎠
σ= =
I 276 × 106 mm 4

= 17.9×106 Pa (17.9 MPa)

Answer is (B).

10. The web of a plate girder I-beam is 50 mm × 300 mm. Each of the two flanges is 50 mm ×
200 mm. The vertical shear force at a particular location along the beam is 12 kN. Find the shear
stress at plane a-a.

Copyright 2006 Professional Publications, Inc. Mechanics of Materials Practice Problems - 9

(A) 0.55 MPa
(B) 0.58 MPa
(C) 0.63 MPa
(D) 0.76 MPa

Solution

The statical moment, Q, is

Q = A′y = ( area shear acts on )( distance from neutral axis to area centroid )

A′ is half the area of the web = ( 0.050 m )( 0.200 m ) = 0.01 m 2

y is the distance to the centroid of the upper flange.

50 mm
150 mm + = 175 mm (0.175 m)
2

Q = ( 0.01 m 2 ) ( 0.175 m ) = 1.75 × 10−3 m3

bh3 ( 0.200 m )( 0.400 m ) ( 0.150 m )( 0.300 m )

3 3

I= = − = 7.29 × 10−4 m 4
12 12 12

The shear stress within a beam is

VQ (12 ×10 N )(1.75 × 10 m )
3 3 3

τ xy = = = 576131 Pa ( 0.576 MPa )

Ib ( 7.29 ×10−4 m 4 ) ( 0.050 m )

Answer is (B).

Copyright 2006 Professional Publications, Inc. Mechanics of Materials Practice Problems - 10