B. Tech.

1st Year (Civil) Solid Mechanics (CEN-102)

Tutorial sheet 4: Torsion, Shear Force and Bending Moment
Q.1 A solid circular bar ABC consists of two segments, as shown in the Fig. 1. One segment has
diameter d1 = 56 mm and length L1 = 1.45 m; the other segment has diameter d2 = 48 mm and length L2
= 1.2 m. What is the allowable torque Tallow if the shear stress is not to exceed 30 MPa and the angle of
twist between the ends of the bar is not to exceed 1.25°? (Assume G = 80 GPa.) [Answer: Tallow
= 459 N-m]

Fig. 1 Fig. 2

Q.2 A hollow aluminum tube used in a roof structure has an outside diameter d2 = 104 mm and an inside
diameter d1 = 82 mm (Fig. 2). The tube is 2.75 m long, and the aluminum has shear modulus G = 28
GPa. (a) If the tube is twisted in pure torsion by torques acting at the ends, what is the angle of twist (in
degrees) when the maximum shear stress is 48 MPa? (b) What diameter d is required for a solid shaft
(Fig. 2) to resist the same torque with the same maximum stress? (c) What is the ratio of the weight of
the hollow tube to the weight of the solid shaft? (Answer (a)  = 5.190; (b) 88.4 mm; (c) 0.524).

Q.3 The torsional pendulum shown in Fig. 3 consists of a horizontal circular disk of mass M = 60 kg
suspended by a vertical steel wire (G = 80 GPa) of length L = 2 m and diameter d = 4 mm. Calculate the
maximum permissible angle of rotation fmax of the disk, so that the stresses in the wire do not exceed
100 MPa in tension or 50 MPa in shear. (Answer: 31.60).

Fig. 3 Fig. 4 Fig. 5

Q.4 A uniform shaft of radius r and length L is subjected to a uniform distributed external torque t0
(moment per unit length). (See Fig. 4.) (i) Determine an expression for the maximum shear stress t max .
(ii) Determine an expression for the total twist angle f º fL .
Q. 5 A propeller shaft (Fig. 5) for a small yacht is made of a solid steel bar 104 mm in diameter. The
allowable stress in shear is 48 MPa, and the allowable rate of twist is 2.0° in 3.5 meters. Assuming that
the shear modulus of elasticity is G = 80 GPa, determine the maximum torque Tmax that can be applied
to the shaft. (Answer: 9164 N-m).

Q.6 A shaft of solid circular cross section consisting of two segments is shown in the first part of the
Fig. 6. The left-hand segment has diameter 80 mm and length 1.2 m; the right-hand segment has
diameter 60 mm and length 0.9 m. Shown in the second part of the figure is a hollow shaft made of the
same material and having the same length. The thickness t of the hollow shaft is d/10, where d is the
outer diameter. Both shafts are subjected to the same torque. If the hollow shaft is to have the same
torsional stiffness as the solid shaft, what should be its outer diameter d? (Answer 77.5 mm).

Fig. 6 Fig. 7 Fig. 8

Q.7 The bar shown in the Fig. 7, is tapered linearly from end A to end B and has a solid circular cross
section. The diameter at the smaller end of the bar is d A = 25 mm and the length is L = 300 mm.
The bar is made of steel with shear modulus of elasticity G = 82 GPa. If the torque T = 180 N-m
and the allowable angle of twist is 0.3°, what is the minimum allowable diameter dB at the larger
end of the bar? [Answer: 48.6 mm]

Q.8 The non-prismatic cantilever circular bar shown in Fig. 8, has an internal cylindrical hole from 0 to
( )
x, so the net polar moment of inertia of the cross section for segment 1 is 7 8 I p . Torque T is
applied at x and torque T/2 is applied at x = L. Assume that G is constant. (i) Find reaction
moment R1; (ii) Find internal torsional moments Ti in segments 1 & 2; (iii) Find x required to
obtain twist at joint 3 of f3 = TL GI p ; (iv) What is the rotation at joint 2, f2 ?; (v) Draw the
torsional moment diagram (TMD: T ( x ) ,0 £ x £ L ) and torsional displacement diagram (TDD:
f ( x ) ,0 £ x £ L (x)).

Q.9 Draw bending moment diagram (BMD) and shear force diagram (SFD) of the simply-supported
beam shown in Fig. 9

Fig. 9 Fig. 10

Q.10 For the beam shown in Fig. 10, draw BMD and SFD
Q.11 At full draw, an archer applies a pull of 130 N to the bowstring of the bow shown in the Fig. 11.
Determine the bending moment at the midpoint of the bow.

Fig. 11 Fig. 12

Q.12 Under cruising conditions the distributed load acting on the wing of a small airplane has the
idealized variation shown in the Fig. 12. Calculate the shear force V and bending moment M at the
inboard end of the wing.

Q.13 The simply-supported beam ABCD is loaded by a weight W=27 kN through the arrangement
shown in the Fig. 13. The cable passes over a small frictionless pulley at B and is attached at E to
the end of the vertical arm. Calculate the axial force N, shear force V, and bending moment M at
section C, which is just to the left of the vertical arm. (Note: Disregard the widths of the beam and
vertical arm and use centerline dimensions when making calculations.)

Fig. 13 Fig. 14

Q.14 A simple beam AB is loaded by two segments of uniform load and two horizontal forces acting at
the ends of a vertical arm (see Fig. 14). Draw the shear-force and bending-moment diagrams for
this beam.

Q.15 The compound beam ABCDE shown in the Fig. 15 consists of two beams (AD and DE) joined by
a hinged connection at D. The hinge can transmit a shear force but not a bending moment. The
loads on the beam consist of a 4 kN force at the end of a bracket attached at point B and a 2 kN
force at the midpoint of beam DE. Draw the shear-force and bending-moment diagrams for this
compound beam.
 Fig. 15 Fig. 16

Q.16 A beam ABC is simply supported at A and B and has an overhang BC (see Fig. 16). The beam is
loaded by two forces P and a clockwise couple of moment Pa that act through the arrangement
shown. Draw the shear-force and bending-moment diagrams for beam ABC.

Q.17 The shear-force diagram for a simple beam is shown in the Fig. 17. Determine the loading on the
beam and draw the bending moment diagram, assuming that no couples act as loads on the beam.

Fig. 17
Q.18 The three beams in Fig. 7 are loaded the same and have the same support conditions. However, one has a
moment release just to the left of C, the second has a shear release just to the right of C, and the third has
an axial release just to the left of C. Which beam has the largest maximum moment? First, find support
reactions, then plot axial force (N), shear (V) and moment (M) diagrams for all three beams. Label all
critical N, V & M values and also the distance to points where N, V &/or M is zero.

Fig. 18