ENGINEERING MECHANICS II -

ELASTOSTATICS

Dr. Tien T. Nguyen

Civil Engineering and Construction Management

Email: tien.nt@vgu.edu.vn
Office: Cluster 6 - Room 204
Time: 9:00AM - 4:00PM Mon. - Fri.

Tien T. Nguyen (ST 2025) Lecture notes: Engineering Mechanics II - Elastostatics Jul. 29, 2025 1 / 28
Objective

Learn to understand the concepts of strain and stress

Learn to develop mathematical description as vectors
Theory and applicability of beam bending, work and potential energy

Rules: Please do NOT make noise or use any electronic devices that may affect to other
people.

Tien T. Nguyen (ST 2025) Lecture notes: Engineering Mechanics II - Elastostatics Jul. 29, 2025 2 / 28
References

Tien T. Nguyen (ST 2025) Lecture notes: Engineering Mechanics II - Elastostatics Jul. 29, 2025 3 / 28
Contents

1 Stresses and Strains

Basic Concepts & Units
Single Bar under Tension or Compression
Statically Determinate/Indeterminate Systems of Bars
Stress Vector and Stress Tensor, Plane Stress
Principal Stresses and Mohr Stress Circle, Equilibrium Conditions
Hooke’s Law, Strength Hypotheses
2 Bending of Beams
Second Moments of Area, Parallel-Axis Theorem
Rotation of the Coordinate System, Principal Moments of Inertia
Ordinary Bending Theory
Deflection Curve
Unsymmetric Bending, Core of the Cross Section
3 Work and Potential Energy
Work and Potential Energy
Principle of Virtual Work
Equilibrium States and Forces in Nonrigid Systems
Reaction Forces and Stress Resultants
Tien T. Nguyen (ST 2025) Lecture notes: Engineering Mechanics II - Elastostatics Jul. 29, 2025 4 / 28
 STRESSES & STRAINS

Tien T. Nguyen (ST 2025) Lecture notes: Engineering Mechanics II - Elastostatics Jul. 29, 2025 5 / 28
Stresses in Bars
[Video: An Introduction to Stress and Strain] (Source: The Efficient Engineer)
N F
Normal stress σ = =
A A
Shear stress τ
Unit: Pascal [Pa], 1 Pa=1 N/m2

For the inclined stresses with an angle φ:

σ0 σ0
σ= (1 + cos 2φ) and τ = sin 2φ
2 2
F
where σ0 = (when φ = 0)
A
Tien T. Nguyen (ST 2025) Lecture notes: Engineering Mechanics II - Elastostatics Jul. 29, 2025 6 / 28
Saint-Venant’s Principle

The normal stress near an end is not distributed uniformly over the cross-sectional
area.
The high stresses decay rapidly towards the average value σo as increasing the
distance from the end of the bar → Saint-Venant’s principle

Allowable stress σallow

Requirement: |σ| ≤ σallow
The required cross section:
|N|
Areq =
σallow
Tien T. Nguyen (ST 2025) Lecture notes: Engineering Mechanics II - Elastostatics Jul. 29, 2025 7 / 28
Strains in Bars

Assumption: small deformations → |∆l| ≪ l

∆l
Definition: ε = → |ε| ≪ 1
l

Kinematic relation:
du
ε(x ) =
dx

Tien T. Nguyen (ST 2025) Lecture notes: Engineering Mechanics II - Elastostatics Jul. 29, 2025 8 / 28
Constitutive Law

The physical relation of uniaxial stress state (for linearly elastic materials)-Hooke’s law:

σ = Eε

where E : modulus of elasticity or Young’s modulus

Thermal strain: εT = αT ∆T , whereas αT is coefficient of thermal expansion.

Tien T. Nguyen (ST 2025) Lecture notes: Engineering Mechanics II - Elastostatics Jul. 29, 2025 9 / 28
Material Constants

Material E in MPa αT in 1/o C

Steel 2.1×105 1.2×10−5
Aluminium 0.7×105 2.3×10−5
Concrete 0.3×105 1.0×10−5
Wood (in fibre direction) 0.7-2.0×104 2.2-3.1×10−5
Cast iron 1.0×105 0.9×10−5
Copper 1.2×105 1.6×10−5
Brass 1.0×105 1.8×10−5

Total strain by a stress σ and a temperature change ∆T :

σ
ε= + αT ∆T
E

The elongation/shrinkage:
σ NL
∆L = εL = ( + αT ∆T )L = + αT ∆TL
E EA
Tien T. Nguyen (ST 2025) Lecture notes: Engineering Mechanics II - Elastostatics Jul. 29, 2025 10 / 28
Poisson’s Ratio

Lateral strain ε′
lateral strain ε′
Poisson’s ratio: ν = − =−
axial strain ε

Magnitude: ν ≃ 0.2 → 0.5

Assumptions: material is linearly elastic, homogeneous, and isotropic

Tien T. Nguyen (ST 2025) Lecture notes: Engineering Mechanics II - Elastostatics Jul. 29, 2025 11 / 28
Examples

A single bar with its weight

The normal stress
N(x ) W x
 
σ(x ) = = 1−
A A l
The elongation
Z l Z l
N(x ) W x

∆l = dx = 1− dx
0
EA EA 0
l

1 Wl
=
2 EA

A single bar between two rigid walls → finding compatibility conditions

Tien T. Nguyen (ST 2025) Lecture notes: Engineering Mechanics II - Elastostatics Jul. 29, 2025 12 / 28
Statically Determinate Systems of Bars

Assumption: small deformations → may use the equilibrium conditions to the un-
deformed system.
The forces in the bars can be determined with the aid of the equilibrium conditions.

Example: Determine the horizontal and vertical components of the displacement of

point C for the structure as shown in the figure.

Fl 1
Answer: u=
EA tan α
∆l2 u Fl 1 + cos3 α
v= + =
sin α tan α EA sin2 α cos α

Tien T. Nguyen (ST 2025) Lecture notes: Engineering Mechanics II - Elastostatics Jul. 29, 2025 13 / 28
Statically Indeterminate Systems of Bars

Compatibility conditions are needed in addition to the equilibrium conditions.

Example: Determine the axial forces in bars for the system as shown in the figure.

Answer: (with A1 = A2 = A3 )

cos2 α
S1 = S3 = F
1 + 2 cos3 α

F
S2 =
1 + 2 cos3 α

Tien T. Nguyen (ST 2025) Lecture notes: Engineering Mechanics II - Elastostatics Jul. 29, 2025 14 / 28
Stress Vector

Stress vector t:
∆F dF
t = lim =
∆A→0 ∆A dA

Tien T. Nguyen (ST 2025) Lecture notes: Engineering Mechanics II - Elastostatics Jul. 29, 2025 15 / 28
Stress Tensor

Sign convention: Positive stresses at a positive (negative) face point in positive

(negative) directions of the coordinates.

Complementary shear stresses:

↶ dy dz
M: 2 (τyz dx dz) − 2 (τzy dx dy ) = 0 → τyz = τzy
2 2

Stress tensor:
   
σx τxy τxz σx τxy τxz
σ =  τyx σy τyz  =  τxy σy τyz 
τzx τzy σz τxz τyz σz

Tien T. Nguyen (ST 2025) Lecture notes: Engineering Mechanics II - Elastostatics Jul. 29, 2025 16 / 28
Plane Stress

Assumption: thickness t is much smaller than its in-plane dimensions, the upper
and the lower face of the disk are load-free

→ τxz = τyz = σz = 0

State of plane stress:

  σy
σx τxy
σ=
τxy σy
τyx

σx σx
τxy τxy
τyx

σy

Special case: if the stresses are independent of the location → homogeneous

Tien T. Nguyen (ST 2025) Lecture notes: Engineering Mechanics II - Elastostatics Jul. 29, 2025 17 / 28
Coordinate Transformation

Equilibrium conditions (similar in v direction):

↗: σu dA − (σx dA cos φ) cos φ − (τxy dA cos φ) sin φ

− (σy dA sin φ) sin φ − (τyx dA sin φ) cos φ = 0

↖: τuv dA + (σx dA cos φ) sin φ − (τxy dA cos φ) cos φ

− (σy dA sin φ) cos φ + (τyx dA sin φ) sin φ = 0
Relations:
1 1
σu = (σx + σy ) + (σx − σy ) cos 2φ + τxy sin 2φ
2 2
1 1
σv = (σx + σy ) − (σx − σy ) cos 2φ − τxy sin 2φ
2 2
u
1
τuv = − (σx − σy ) sin 2φ + τxy cos 2φ σu
2
Invariants of the stress tensor:
v τuv dv
I1 = σu + σv = σx + σy
2 2
I2 = σu σv − τuv = σx σy − τxy = σ1 σ2

Tien T. Nguyen (ST 2025) Lecture notes: Engineering Mechanics II - Elastostatics Jul. 29, 2025 18 / 28
Principal Stresses

Condition:
dσu
= 0 → − (σx − σy ) sin 2φ + 2τxy cos 2φ = 0
dφ

Principal directions (φ∗ and φ∗ + π/2):

2τxy
tan 2φ∗ =
σx − σy

Principal stresses (assume σ1 > σ2 ):

r 2
σx + σy σx − σy 2
σ1,2 = ± + τxy
2 2

Maximum shear stresses :

r 2
σx − σy 2 1
τmax = ± + τxy = ± (σ1 − σ2 )
2 2

Tien T. Nguyen (ST 2025) Lecture notes: Engineering Mechanics II - Elastostatics Jul. 29, 2025 19 / 28
Example

The homogeneous state of plane stress in a metal sheet is given as shown in the figure.
Determine:
a) the stresses in a section which is inclined at an angle of 60o to the x-axis,
b) the principal stresses and principal directions,
c) the maximum shear stress and the associated directions of the sections.
Display the stresses at an element for each case.
y

32 MPa

20 MPa

64 MPa

Tien T. Nguyen (ST 2025) Lecture notes: Engineering Mechanics II - Elastostatics Jul. 29, 2025 20 / 28
Mohr’s Circle

By squaring and adding, the angle φ can be eliminated

 2 2
1 σx − σy

2 2
σu − (σx + σy ) + τuv = + τxy
2 2
Stress circle
2
1 σx − σy

(σ − σM )2 + τ 2 = r 2 (whereas σM = (σx + σy ) and r 2 = 2
+ τxy )
2 2

Tien T. Nguyen (ST 2025) Lecture notes: Engineering Mechanics II - Elastostatics Jul. 29, 2025 21 / 28
Mohr’s Circle (cont.)

The radius can be rewritten as

1
r 2 = [(σx + σy )2 − 4(σx σy − τxy
2
)]
4

Tien T. Nguyen (ST 2025) Lecture notes: Engineering Mechanics II - Elastostatics Jul. 29, 2025 22 / 28
Equilibrium Conditions

The equilibrium condition in x-direction yields

   
∂σx ∂τyx
−σx dy ·t −τyx dx ·t + σx + dx dy ·t + τyx + dy dx ·t +fx dx dy ·t = 0
∂x ∂y

After division by dx dy and t (similar in y-direction)

∂σx ∂τyx
+ + fx = 0
∂x ∂y
∂τxy ∂σy
+ + fy = 0
∂x ∂y
Tien T. Nguyen (ST 2025) Lecture notes: Engineering Mechanics II - Elastostatics Jul. 29, 2025 23 / 28
State of Strain

Strain concepts
Normal strain → cause a change in volume
Shear strain → cause a change in its shape
Kinematic relations
∂u ∂v
εx = , εy =
∂x ∂y
∂u ∂v
γxy = +
∂y ∂x
Plane strain state
   1

εx εxy εx γ
2 xy
ε= = 1
εyx εy γ
2 xy
εy

Coordinate transformations
1 1 1
εu = (εx + εy ) + (εx − εy ) cos 2φ + γxy sin 2φ
2 2 2
1 1 1
εv = (εx + εy ) − (εx − εy ) cos 2φ − γxy sin 2φ
2 2 2
1 1 1
εuv = γuv = − (εx − εy ) sin 2φ + γxy cos 2φ
2 2 2
Tien T. Nguyen (ST 2025) Lecture notes: Engineering Mechanics II - Elastostatics Jul. 29, 2025 24 / 28
Principal Strains & Directions

Principal directions (φ∗ and φ∗ + π/2):

γxy
tan 2φ∗ =
εx − εy

Principal strains (assume ε1 > ε2 ):

r 2 2
εx + εy εx − εy γxy

ε1,2 = ± +
2 2 2

Maximum shear strains :

r 2 2
1 εx − εy γxy

γmax = ± +
2 2 2

Tien T. Nguyen (ST 2025) Lecture notes: Engineering Mechanics II - Elastostatics Jul. 29, 2025 25 / 28
Hooke’s Law

Assumption: materials are homogeneous and isotropic

Strains:
1
εx = σx and εy = −νεx
E
Shear modulus:
E
G=
2(1 + ν)

Hooke’s law for the plane stress state The stresses in term of the strains
1 E
εx = (σx − νσy ) σx = [εx + νεy ]
E 1 − ν2
1 E
εy = (σy − νσx ) σy = [εy + νεx ]
E 1 − ν2
1 τxy = Gγxy
γxy = τxy
G

Tien T. Nguyen (ST 2025) Lecture notes: Engineering Mechanics II - Elastostatics Jul. 29, 2025 26 / 28
Hooke’s Law (cont.)

Hooke’s law in general (3D strains and thermal effects)

1
εx = [σx − ν(σy + σz )] + αT ∆T
E
1
εy = [σy − ν(σz + σx )] + αT ∆T
E
1
εz = [σz − ν(σx + σy )] + αT ∆T
E
1 1 1
γxy = τxy , γxz = τxz , γyz = τyz
G G G
Example: By using a strain gage rosette, the strains εa = 12 · 10−4 , εb = 2 · 10−4 and
εc = −2 · 10−4 have been measured in a steel sheet in the directions a, b and c.
Calculate the principal strains, the principal stresses and the principal directions. Given:
E = 2.1 · 102 GPA, ν = 0.3.

Tien T. Nguyen (ST 2025) Lecture notes: Engineering Mechanics II - Elastostatics Jul. 29, 2025 27 / 28
Strength Hypotheses

To prevent failures: (σe : equivalent stress)

σe ≤ σallow

Maximum-normal-stress hypothesis

σe = σ1

Maximum-shear-stress hypothesis (Tresca)

1 1 p
2
τmax = (σ1 − σ2 ) = σe → σe = σ1 − σ2 = (σx − σy )2 + 4τxy
2 2
Von Mises hypothesis (maximum-distortion-energy hypothesis)
p p
σe = σ12 + σ22 − σ1 σ2 = σx2 + σy2 − σx σy + 3τxy
2

Tien T. Nguyen (ST 2025) Lecture notes: Engineering Mechanics II - Elastostatics Jul. 29, 2025 28 / 28