Motilal Nehru National Institute of Technology Allahabad
Department of Applied Mechanics
Practice Problem Sheet-1, Mechanics of Materials
(Semester III, Session 2025-26)
B.Tech (Mechanical Engineering and Production and Industrial Engineering)
1. Compare typical stress-strain curves of mild steel and aluminum (using appropriate figures). Frame your
discussion using the following characteristics: proportional limit, yield point, strain hardening, ultimate
strength, and breaking stress.
2. Discuss allowable stress and factor of safety with few examples.
3. The steel bar (E = 210 GPa) 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 in Fig. 1. Draw the axial
force diagram as well. (Ans: )
4. The bar has a cross-sectional area Aand is subjected to the axial load P. Determine the average normal and
average shear stresses acting over a section oriented at from the horizontal. Plot the variation of these
stresses as a function of ( ). What can be deduced from these plots? (Ans:
)
5. The average shear stress in each of the 6 mm diameter bolts and along each of the four shaded shear planes
(Fig. 2) is not allowed to exceed 80 MPa and 500 kPa, respectively. Determine the maximum axial force P
that can be applied to the joint.(Ans: P = 9.05 kN)
6. The 50-mm-diameterrubber rod of length Lis placed in a hole with rigid, lubricated walls. There is no
clearancebetween the rod and the sides of the hole. Determine the change in the length of the rod when the 8-
kN load is applied. Use E = 40 GPa and ν = 0.45. (Ans: )
7. The steel column of circular cross section is attached to rigid supports at A and C. Find the maximum stress
in the column caused by the 25 kN load. (Fig. 3) (Ans:σmax=88.4 MPa (compressive))
8. A prismatic bar AB of length L, cross-sectional area A, modulus of elasticity E, and weight Whangs vertically
under its own weight (Fig. 4).
(a) Derive a formula for the downward displacement of point C, located at distance hfrom the lower end of
the bar.
(b) What is the elongation Bof the entire bar?
(c) What is the ratio of the elongation of the upper half of the bar to the elongation of the lower half of the
bar?
9. The rigid bar of negligible weight is supported as shown in Fig. 5. If W = 80 kN, compute the temperature
change of the assembly that will cause a tensile stress of 50 MPa in the steel rod. Use the following data:
(Ans: ΔT=22.7oC)
10. Axial loads are applied to the compound rod that is composed of an aluminum segment rigidly connected
between steel and bronze segments. (Fig. 6)
a) What is the stress in each material given that P = 10 kN?
b) Find the largest safe value of P if the working stresses are 120 MPa for steel, 68 MPa for aluminum,
and 110 MPa for bronze.
Ans: a)σbronze = 50MPa; σAl = 33.3MPa; σsteel = 100MPa; b) P=12kN
11. A polyethylene bar having diameterd 1 = 4.0 inches is placed inside a steel tube having inner diameter
d 2=4.01 inches (Fig.7). The polyethylene bar is then compressed by an axial force P. At what value of the
force P will the space between the polyethylene bar and the steel tube be closed? (For polyethylene, E = 200
ksi & ν=0.4 ) (Ans: P=-15.71 kips)
12. The truss ABC shown in the Fig. 8 supports a horizontal load P1=300 lb and a vertical load P2=900lb .
Both bars have cross-sectional area A=2.4 sq.in. and are made of steel with E=30 ×106 psi .
(a) Determine the strain energy U 1 of the truss when the load P1 acts alone ( P2=0 ).
(b) Determine the strain energy U 2 when the load P2 acts alone ( P1=0 ).
(c) Determine the strain energy U 3 when both loads act simultaneously. Why U 3 ≠ U 1 +U 2 ?
Ans: U 1=0.0375 in.-lb ; U 2=2.57 in.-lb ; U 3=2.22 in.- lb ;
Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 6
Fig. 4 Fig. 5
Fig. 8
Fig. 7
