Russell C.

Hibbeler

Chapter 4: Axial Load

 Saint-Venants Principle
Saint-Venants principle states that both localized
deformation and stress tend to even out at a
distance sufficiently removed from these regions.

Chapter 4: Axial Load

Mechanics of Material 7th Edition
2008 Pearson Education South Asia Pte Ltd
 Elastic Deformation of an Axially Loaded Member
Using Hookes law and the definitions of stress and
strain, we are able to develop the elastic deformation of a
member subjected to axial loads.
Suppose an element subjected to loads,
P x P x dx
L
d
and
A x dx 0
A x E

= small displacement
L = original length
P(x) = internal axial force
A(x) = cross-sectional area
E = modulus of elasticity

Chapter 4: Axial Load

Mechanics of Material 7th Edition
2008 Pearson Education South Asia Pte Ltd
 Elastic Deformation of an Axially Loaded Member
When a constant external force is applied at each end of
the member,
From Hookes Law:

E P
E AE
From the definition of strain:

L
Equating and solving for the deformation,

PL
PL
i i
AE i Ai Ei

Chapter 4: Axial Load

Mechanics of Material 7th Edition
2008 Pearson Education South Asia Pte Ltd
 With variations in loading,
cross-section or material
properties PL
i i
i Ai Ei

Sign Convention
Force and displacement is positive when tension and
elongation and negative will be compression and
contraction.
Example 1
The composite steel bar (Est = 210
GPa) shown in the figure is made
from two segments, AB and BD,
having cross-sectional areas of AAB =
600 mm2 and ABD = 1200 mm2.
Determine the vertical displacement
of end A and the displacement of B
relative to C.
Example 2
The assembly shown in the figure consists of an aluminium tube AB
having a cross-sectional area of 400 mm2. A steel rod having a diameter
of 10 mm is attached to a rigid collar and passes through the tube. If a
tensile load of 80 kN is applied to the rod, determine the displacement of
the end C of the rod. Take Est = 200 GPa, Eal = 70 GPa.
Example 3
The rigid bar BDE is supported by two links AB and CD. Link AB is
made of aluminum (Eal = 70 GPa) and has a cross-sectional area of
500 mm2. Link CD is made of steel (Est = 200 GPa) and has a cross-
sectional area of 600 mm2.
For the 30 kN force shown, determine the deflection
a) of B, b) of D, and c) of E.
 Principle of Superposition
Principle of superposition is to simplify stress and
displacement problems by subdividing the loading
into components and adding the results.
Statically Indeterminate Axially Loaded Member
A member is statically indeterminate when equations
of equilibrium are not sufficient to determine the
reactions on a member.
***Statically Determinate:
Bar is fixed-supported at only one end and is subjected to an axial force.
Force equilibrium equation is sufficient to find the reaction at fixed
supported.

Chapter 4: Axial Load

Mechanics of Material 7th Edition
2008 Pearson Education South Asia Pte Ltd
Bar is fixed at both ends, then two unknown axial
reactions occurs
Force equilibrium equation,
F = 0, FB + FA P = 0 . (1)

In order to establish an additional equation need for

solution, it is necessary to consider the geometry of
deformation. Specifically, the equation that specifies
the condition for displacement is referred to as a
compatibility.

A suitable compatibility condition would require the

relative displacement of one end of the bar with
respect to the other end to be equal to zero, since
the end supports are fixed.
A/B = 0
 Load-displacement relationship,
Internal force in segment AC = +FA and in CB = - FB

C The compatibility equation

FALAC /AE FBLCB /AE = 0 .. (2)

Assuming that AE is constant, we can solve the above two

equations for reaction,

FA = P (LCB/L) and FB = P(LAC/L)

 The Force Method

= +

No displacement at B

Eq. of compatibility:
Choose any one of the two supports as redundant and temporarily
remove its effect on the bar.
Redundant indicates that the support is not need to hold the bar in stable
equilibrium, so that when it removes, the bar becomes statically
determinate
If the load P causes B to be displaced
downward by an amount P , the reaction
FB must displace the end B of the bar
upward by an amount B

0 = P - B

Load-displacement relationship,

P = PLAC /AE B = FBL /AE

Example 4
The steel rod shown has a diameter of 5 mm. It is attached to the
fixed wall at A, and before it is loaded, there is a gap between the wall
at B and the rod of 1 mm. Determine the reactions at A and B if the
rod is subjected to an axial force of P = 20 kN. Neglect the size of the
collar C. Take Est = 200 GPa
Example 5
Determine the reactions at A and B for the steel bar and loading
shown, assuming a close fit at both supports before the loads are
applied.
Example 6
The center of post B of the assembly has an original length 0f 124.7
mm, whereas posts A and C have a length of 125 mm. If the caps on
the top and bottom can be considered rigid, determine the average
normal stress in each post. The post are made of aluminium and have
cross-sectional area of 400 mm2, Eal = 70 GPa.

A = C = 189 MPa
B = 21.4 MPa
Thermal
Stresses

Bridge are designed with expansion

joints to accommodate the thermal
movement of the deck and thus
avoid thermal stress

Railroad tracks distorted
because of thermal expansion
on a very hot day.
Horizontal movement occurs in brick
masonry walls due to thermal expansion,
producing step cracking and potentially
also vertical cracks through structural
brick or brick veneer walls.
 Thermal Stresses
A temperature change results in a change in
length or thermal strain. There is no stress
associated with the thermal strain unless the
elongation is restrained by the supports.
Treat the additional support as redundant and
apply the principle of superposition.
PL
T T L P
AE
thermal expansion coef.
The thermal deformation and the deformation
from the redundant support must be
compatible.

T P 0 T P 0
P AE T
PL
Chapter 4: Axial Load
T L 0 P
E T
Mechanics of Material 7th Edition
AE A
2008 Pearson Education South Asia Pte Ltd
Example 7
A steel bar shown (a) is constrained to
just fit between two fixed supports when
T1 = 30oC. If the temperature is raised to
T 2= 60oC, determine the average normal
stress developed in the bar. Est = 200
MPa and = 12 (10-6)/oC
Example 8
Three bars each made of different materials are connected together
and placed between two walls when the temperature is T1 = 12oC.
Determine the force exerted on the supports when the temperature
becomes T2 =18oC. The material properties and cross sectional area
of each bar are given in the figure.

F = 4202 N
 Example 9
The rigid bar is fixed to the top of the three posts made of A-36 steel
and 2014-T6 aluminum. The posts each have a length of 250 mm
when no load is applied to the bar, and the temperature is T 1 = 20C.
Determine the force supported by each post if the bar is subjected to a
uniform distributed load of 150 kN/m and the temperature is raised to
T2 = 80C.

Chapter 4: Axial Load

Mechanics of Material 7th Edition
2008 Pearson Education South Asia Pte Ltd
 Stress Concentrations
Stress concentrations occur when cross-sectional
area changes.
Maximum stress is determined using a stress
concentration factor, K, which is a function of
geometry.

max
K
avg
Chapter 4: Axial Load
Mechanics of Material 7th Edition
2008 Pearson Education South Asia Pte Ltd
 Stress Concentrations

When an axial force is applied to a member, it creates a

complex stress distribution within the localized region of
the point of load application.
Horizontal and vertical grid
lines deflect into an
irregular pattern around the
hole centered in the bar

General shape of the

stress distribution
 The maximum normal stress
in the bar will occur at the
smallest cross-sectional area

The specific values of the

maximum normal stress at the
critical section can be
determined by experimental
methods or by advanced
mathematical techniques using
the theory elasticity.

The results are usually reported in a

graphical form using a stress-
concentration factor, K (ratio of the
maximum stress to the average stress
acting at the smallest cross section).

K = max / avg
avg = P/A, where A is the smallest
cross-sectional area. max = K(P/A)
Example 10
Example 11
Example 12
Determine the largest axial load P that can be safely supported by
a flat steel bar consisting of two portions, both 10 mm thick, and
respectively 40 and 60 mm wide, connected by fillets of radius r =
8 mm. Assume an allowable normal stress of 165 MPa.