EXAMPLE: Airys stress function Cantilever

There are known forms of Airys stress function that are solutions to the partial dierential stress equation. One is that for a cantilever: (x, y) = Dxy 3 + Bxy. (1)

We will consider a cantilever of unit depth (rectangular cross-section) with a shear loading on the free end, such that the average shear stress is equivalent to a vertical load, P . Given this information, the task is rstly to nd the constants D and B from the boundary conditions. The solution is that to the problem where the load is applied as a plate on the end being pulled down with force P (diagram given in lectures). Note that x = 0 is at the free end of the beam, x = L is the xed end and the top and bottom surfaces of the beam are at y = c respectively (saves me drawing a diagram see in class diagram if you need one). First determine stresses: x = 6Dxy y = 0 xy = 3Dy 2 B. Boundary Conditions: 1. xy = 0 on top and bottom (at y = c, where 2c is the thickness of the beam). This leads to 0 = 3Dc2 B B = 3Dc2 . (2)

2. When using this technique, it is not possible to precisely specify a point load (it is a singularity). So, some clever people came up wiht equation 1 to very eectively approximate a point load at the end of the cantilever through a complicated end shear stress distribution. If that makes no sense, it will suce to know that at the end of the beam, the loading is such that (Area) (Avg. shear stress on free end) = (Eective point load at end) c 1 c xy dy = P xy dy = (2c) 2c c c
c

(3Dy 2 B)dy = P
c

. . . P 4c3 3P B = 4c D = 1

Therefore, we have Airys stress function and stresses: (x, y) = x xy P x y y3 3 3 4 c c 3 P xy = 2c3 3P 3 = 3 P y2 + 4c 4c

Now, the second moment of area for a unit depth beam with thickness 2c can be shown to be
c

I =
c

y 2 dy 2 3 c . 3 P xy I P 2 c y2 2I

Inserting this into the stress equations: x = xy =

So we have stress, what is the strain? Use Hookes Law to get: x = y = xy = P x y = xy E E EI y x P = xy E E EI (1 + ) P xy = c2 y 2 , E 4IG

where 2G = E/(1 + ) (Im sure about this now!). From the strains, we can get deections, but this is hard work. Here we go... u1 = x-displacement = u2 = y-displacement = P x2 y + f1 (y) 2EI P xy 2 + f2 (x) y dy = 2EI x dx =

Need to nd f1 and f2 . Use compatability equation: xy = P c2 y 2 2IG P 2 df2 x 2EI dx u1 u2 + y x P 2 df1 P y 2 df2 x + + = 2EI dy 2EI dx P df1 P y 2 = c2 y 2 + 2IG dy 2EI (3) 2 1 2

Now we have a separation of variables problem since the left hand side is a function of x only and the right hand side is a function of y only. The only solution is that both x and y are constant and the same constant. Lets call that constant C1 . So, df2 dx f2 u2 P x2 2EI P x3 + C4 = C1 x 6EI P P x3 = xy + C1 x + C4 2EI 6EI = C1

We will only consider this component of displacement, because we are interested in the deection of the cantilever. The task is now to nd the constants C1 and C4 through boundary conditions. We will need two boundary conditions (obviously). 1. u2 = 0 at y = 0, x = L. 0 = C1 = 2. u2 /x = 0 at x = L. P y P x2 + C1 2EI 2EI P L2 0 = + C1 2EI P L2 C1 = 2EI P L3 C4 = 3EI u2 x = So in the end we get the deection of the cantilever to be: u2 = P 3 P L2 P L3 P xy x + x . 2EI 6EI 2EI 3EI (4) P L3 + C1 L + C4 6EI P L2 C4 6EI L

The maximum deection (which we will see plenty of during this course) is P L3 , (5) u2max = 3EI which occurs at x = 0, of course.