Strength of Materials I

27
Normal Stress under Axial Loading

Stresses in the Members of a Structure

Normal Stress under Axial Loading

In the simplest qualitative terms, stress is the intensity of force. A body must be able to
withstand the intensity of an internal force; if not, the body may rupture or deform
excessively. Force intensity (stress) is force divided by the area over which the force is
distributed. Thus,

Stress has units of force per unit area and is denoted by the Greek letter σ (sigma). The
area of the cross section of the load-carrying member is taken perpendicular to the line
of action of the force.

To introduce the concept of a normal stress, consider a member subjected to an axial

force. An axial force is a load that is directed to the longitudinal axis of the member.
The stress in a member of cross-sectional area A subjected to an axial load P is
obtained by dividing the magnitude P of the load by the area A:

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College of Engineering Lecturer: Dr. Sherwan Albrifkani
Strength of Materials I
Normal Stress under Axial Loading 28

This equation gives the intensity of uniform stress in an axially loaded, prismatic bar
(all cross sections are the same throughout its length) of arbitrary cross-sectional
shape. A uniform distribution of stress σ is possible only if the line of action of the
concentrated load P passes through the centroid of the section A considered. This type
of loading is called centric loading.

A positive sign of stress σ indicates a tensile stress (member in tension), and a negative
sign indicates a compressive stress (member in compression).

𝑃
Note that the stress 𝜎 = represents the average value of the stress over the cross
𝐴
section. To define the stress at a given point Q of the cross section, consider a small
area ΔA (shown in the figure below). Dividing the magnitude of ΔF by ΔA, you obtain
the average value of the stress over ΔA. Letting ΔA approach zero, the stress at point Q
is

University of Duhok
College of Engineering Lecturer: Dr. Sherwan Albrifkani
Strength of Materials I
29
Normal Stress under Axial Loading

The units of stress are units of force divided by units of area. In the U.S. Customary
System of units (USCS), stress is normally expressed in pounds per square inch (psi)
or in kips per square inch, that is, kilopounds per square inch (ksi). In the International
System of units (SI), stress is specified using the basic units of force (newton) and
length (meter) as newtons per meter squared (N/m2). This unit, called the pascal (1 Pa
= 1 N/m2), is quite small, so in engineering work stress is normally expressed in
kilopascals (1 kPa = 103 N/m2), megapascals (1 MPa = 106 N/m2), or gigapascals (1
GPa = 109 N/m2). A convenient alternative when calculating stress in MPa is to
express force in newtons and area in square millimetres (mm2). Therefore

1 MPa = 1000000 N/m2 = 1 N/mm2

Example 1: Compute the stress in the square shaft at the upper part of the
support stand for a load of 120 kN. The line of action of the applied load is
centred on the axis on the shaft, and the load is applied through a thick plate that
distributes the force to the entire cross section of the stand.

Solution:

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College of Engineering Lecturer: Dr. Sherwan Albrifkani
Strength of Materials I
Normal Stress under Axial Loading 30

Example 2: The figure below shows two circular rods carrying a casting weighing
11.2 kN. If each rod is 12.0 mm in diameter and the two rods share the load
equally, compute the stress in the rods.

Solution:

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College of Engineering Lecturer: Dr. Sherwan Albrifkani
Strength of Materials I
Normal Stress under Axial Loading 31

Example 3: The bar ABCD shown consists of three cylindrical steel segments
with different lengths and cross-sectional areas. Axial loads are applied as
illustrated. Calculate the normal stress in each segment.

D
z
Solution:
Using the method of sections, normal (axial) forces in segments AB, BC and CD are

Segment AB

∑ 𝐹𝑥 = 0 𝑃𝐴𝐵 = 4000 𝑙𝑏

𝑃𝐴𝐵 4000 𝑙𝑏
𝜎𝐴𝐵 = = = 3333 𝑝𝑠𝑖 (𝑇𝑒𝑛𝑠𝑖𝑜𝑛)
𝐴𝐴𝐵 1.2 𝑖𝑛2

Segment BC

∑ 𝐹𝑥 = 0 𝑃𝐵𝐶 = 5000 𝑙𝑏

𝑃𝐵𝐶 5000 𝑙𝑏
𝜎𝐵𝐶 = = = 2778 𝑝𝑠𝑖 (𝐶𝑜𝑚𝑝𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑠𝑖𝑜𝑛)
𝐴𝐵𝐶 1.8 𝑖𝑛2

Segment CD

∑ 𝐹𝑥 = 0 𝑃𝐶𝐷 = 7000 𝑙𝑏

𝑃𝐶𝐷 7000 𝑙𝑏
𝜎𝐵𝐶 = = = 4375 𝑝𝑠𝑖 (𝐶𝑜𝑚𝑝𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑠𝑖𝑜𝑛)
𝐴𝐶𝐷 1.6 𝑖𝑛2

Axial force diagram (tension assumed positive)

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College of Engineering Lecturer: Dr. Sherwan Albrifkani
Strength of Materials I
Normal Stress under Axial Loading 32

Example 4: The bar shown has a constant width of 35 mm and a thickness of 10

mm. Determine the maximum average normal stress in the bar when it is
subjected to the loading shown.

Solution:

The largest loading is in region BC, where PBC=30 kN. Since the cross-sectional area
of the bar is constant, the largest average normal stress also occurs within this region
of the bar.

University of Duhok
College of Engineering Lecturer: Dr. Sherwan Albrifkani
Strength of Materials I
Normal Stress under Axial Loading 33

Example 5: Rigid bar ABC is supported by a pin at A and axial member (1),
which has a cross-sectional area of 450 mm2. Neglect the weight of rigid bar ABC,

(a) Determine the normal stress in member (1) if a load of P=8 kN is applied at C.

(b) If the maximum normal stress in member (1) must be limited to 50 MPa, what
is the maximum load magnitude P that may be applied to the rigid bar at C?

Solution:

(a) Let F1=internal force in member (1) and assume that F1 is a tension force.

∑ 𝑀𝐴 = (8 × 2.2) − (𝐹1 × 1.6) = 0

𝐹1 = 11 𝑘𝑁
The normal stress in member (1) can be computed as
𝐹1 11×1000 𝑁
𝜎1 = = = 20.37 = 20.37 𝑀𝑃𝑎
𝐴1 540 𝑚𝑚2

(b) 𝐹1 = 𝜎1 𝐴1 = 50 × 540 = 27000 𝑁 = 27 𝑘𝑁

∑ 𝑀𝐴 = (𝑃 × 2.2) − (27 × 1.6) = 0
𝑃 = 19.64 𝑘𝑁

University of Duhok
College of Engineering Lecturer: Dr. Sherwan Albrifkani
Strength of Materials I
Normal Stress under Axial Loading 34

Example 6: The figure below shows a two-member truss supporting a block of

weight W. The cross-sectional areas of the members are 800 mm2 for AB and 400
mm2 for AC. Determine the maximum safe value of W if the working stresses are
110 MPa for AB and 120 MPa for AC.

Solution:

FBD of pin A

∑ 𝐹𝑥 = 0 𝑃𝐴𝐶 cos 60𝑜 − 𝑃𝐴𝐵 cos 40𝑜 = 0

∑ 𝐹𝑦 = 0 𝑃𝐴𝐶 sin 60𝑜 + 𝑃𝐴𝐵 sin 40𝑜 − 𝑊 = 0

Solving simultaneously, we get

𝑃𝐴𝐵 = 0.5𝑊 𝑃𝐴𝐶 = 0.78𝑊

University of Duhok
College of Engineering Lecturer: Dr. Sherwan Albrifkani
Strength of Materials I
Normal Stress under Axial Loading 35

Design for Normal Stress in Bar AB

The value of W that will cause the normal stress in bar AB to equal its working stress is
given by

𝑃𝐴𝐵 = (𝜎𝑤 )𝐴𝐵 𝐴𝐴𝐵

0.5𝑊 = (110 × 106 𝑁⁄𝑚2 ) (800 × 10−6 𝑚2 )

𝑊 = 176000 𝑁 = 176 𝑘𝑁

Design for Normal Stress in Bar AC

The value of W that will cause the normal stress in bar AC to equal its working stress is
given by

𝑃𝐴𝐶 = (𝜎𝑤 )𝐴𝐶 𝐴𝐴𝐶

0.78𝑊 = (120 × 106 𝑁⁄𝑚2 ) (400 × 10−6 𝑚2 )

𝑊 = 61538 𝑁 = 61.538 𝑘𝑁

The maximum safe value of W is the smaller of the preceding two values—namely,

W = 61.538 kN

We see that the stress in bar AC determines the safe value of W. The other ‘‘solution,’’
W=176 kN, must be discarded because it would cause the stress in AC to exceed its
working stress of 120 MPa.

University of Duhok
College of Engineering Lecturer: Dr. Sherwan Albrifkani
Strength of Materials I
Normal Stress under Axial Loading 36

Example 7: Member AC shown is subjected to a vertical force of 3 kN. Determine

the position x of this force so that the average compressive stress at C is equal to
the average tensile stress in the tie rod AB. The rod has a cross-sectional area of
400 mm2 and the contact area at C is 650 mm2.

Solution:

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College of Engineering Lecturer: Dr. Sherwan Albrifkani
Strength of Materials I
Normal Stress under Axial Loading 37

H.W. 1 : For the truss shown, calculate the normal stresses in (1) member AC;
and (2) member BD. The cross-sectional area of each member is 900 mm2. State
whether the stress is tensile or compressive.

Ans:

σAC=59.3 MPa (T) σBD=74.1 MPa (C)

H.W. 2 : A hollow circular nylon pipe shown supports a load PA = 7800 N, which
is uniformly distributed around a cap plate at the top of the lower pipe. A second
load PB is applied at the bottom. Neglect the self-weight of the pipes.

(a) Find PB so that the tensile stress in upper part is 14.5 MPa. What is the
resulting stress in the lower part?

(b) If PA remains unchanged, find the new value of PB so that upper and lower
parts have same tensile stress.

Ans:

(a) PB = 3577 N σ2=6.33 MPa

(b) PB = 20129 N

University of Duhok
College of Engineering Lecturer: Dr. Sherwan Albrifkani
Strength of Materials I
38
Normal Stress under Axial Loading

H.W. 3 : The truss is made from three pin-connected members having the cross-
sectional areas shown. Determine the average normal stress developed in each
member when the truss is subjected to the load shown. State whether the stress is
tensile or compressive.

H.W. 4 : A 50-mm wide steel bar has axial loads applied at points B, C, and D. If
the normal stress magnitude in the bar must not exceed 60 MPa, determine the
minimum thickness that can be used for the bar.

Ans:

tmin. = 21.7 mm

University of Duhok
College of Engineering Lecturer: Dr. Sherwan Albrifkani