1

1.0 INTRODUCTION
Torsion test is not widely accepted as much as tensile test. Torsion tests are made on
materials to determine such properties as the modulus of elasticity in shear, the torsion yield
strength and the modulus of rupture. Like bending, torsion is an important type of loading
that can produce critical stresses in engineering applications. Under torsion, Shear Stresses
are produced. The stiffness under shear stress is called the Modulus Of Rigidity, G. (MPa). It
is also called Shear Modulus. In laboratory, we will determine the Modulus of Rigidity of the
metal rod


Torsion is basic type of deformation of a structural member that is subjected to a twist action
of applied forces. Torsion can provide data to very large strains without changes in the
specimen geometry and without any effects of friction at the grips. These data are in plane-
strain mode, which has occasionally been observed to exhibit systematic differences in
behavior with respect to uniaxial tests plane-strain. Testing at high temperature is also
relatively easy to perform. Finally, instabilities at large strains are sometimes observed, but
are often avoidable.




2

2.0 OBJECTIVE
To determine the relationship between the applied torque and the angle of twist and hence
obtain the shear modulus.

3.0 THEORY
In solid mechanics, torsion is the twisting of an object due to an applied torque. In circular
sections, the resultant shearing stress is perpendicular to the radius. For solid or hollow shafts
of uniform circular cross-section and constant wall thickness, the torsion relations are:

where:
R is the outer radius of the shaft.
is the maximum shear stress at the outer surface.
is the angle of twist in radians.
T is the torque (N m or ft lbf).
l is the length of the object the torque is being applied to or over.
G is the shear modulus or more commonly the modulus of rigidity and is usually
given in gigapascals (GPa), lbf/in
2
(psi), or lbf/ft
2
.
J is the torsion constant for the section . It is identical to the polar moment of inertia
for a round shaft or concentric tube only. For other shapes J must be determined by
other means. For solid shafts the membrane analogy is useful, and for thin walled
tubes of arbitrary shape the shear flow approximation is fairly good, if the section is
not re-entrant. For thick walled tubes of arbitrary shape there is no simple solution,
and FEA may be the best method.
the product GJ is called the torsional rigidity.



3


The shear stress at a point within a shaft is:

where:
r is the distance from the center of rotation
Note that the highest shear stress is at the point where the radius is maximum, the surface of
the shaft. High stresses at the surface may be compounded by stress concentrations such as
rough spots. Thus, shafts for use in high torsion are polished to a fine surface finish to reduce
the maximum stress in the shaft and increase its service life.
The angle of twist can be found by using:

The polar moment of inertia for a solid shaft is:

where r is the radius of the object.
The polar moment of inertia for a pipe is:

where the o and i subscripts stand for the outer and inner radius of the pipe.
For a thin cylinder
J = 2 R
3
t
where R is the average of the outer and inner radius and t is the wall thickness.
4

4.0 APPARATUS
1. Vernier caliper
2. Ruler
3. Specimen
4. Torsiometer apparatus

5.0 PROCEDURES
1. The diameter and its length of the rod were measured with vernier calipers (take an
average of three measurements).
2. The rod was fixed between fixed end and torsion head assembly with jaw chuck grips.
3. The angular deflection was fixed with scales on the rod at 300mm apart. This is
known as gauge length.
4. By using the clamp at the fixed end, the chuck was turned to correct initial position
after specimen has been gripped at both ends and the load hangers are in place.
5. The load indicator reading was set to zero by pressing the tare button
6. The digital protractor reading was set to zero by pressing the R button.
7. The torsiometer reading was set to zero by turning the dial indicator free.
8. Turned the handle until the load cell records a small reading (approximately 5
Newtons) and the specimen was tightened.
9. The load indicator was set, the digital protractor and the torsiometer reading to zero
by pressing the tare button, the R button and turning the face of the dial gauge
respectively.
10. Applied torque to the specimen by turning the handle.
11. The load cell was recorded, the digital protractor and the torsiometer readings initially
for every 5 division of torsiometer.
12. The slope of graph T/ yields the average value. Substitute the value of T/ in
equation [2] and calculate the value of G.
13. Then, the value of G was calculated of each material and the result was recorded as
shown in Table 1(b).
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6.0 RESULTS
Length of the specimen = 210 mm
Diameter of specimen = 5.77 mm
Polar moment of inertia = 108.819 mm
4
Gauge length torsion meter = 50 mm
Torque arm, L = 100 mm
For the torsion meter, 1 division represent 0.015 degrees.
Table A: Torsion test datas




Load Cell Reading W
(N)
Torsiometer Reading
(div)
Digital Protractor,
(Degrees)
Actual Angle

5 21.0 4.4 0.315
10 33.0 5.4 0.495
15 45.0 6.4 0.675
20 57.0 7.2 0.855
25 69.0 6.1 1.035
30 79.5 6.6 1.193
35 92.0 9.7 1.38
40 102.0 10.5 1.53
45 113.0 11.2 1.695
50 121.0 12.0 1.815
55 121.0 12.7 1.815
60 121.0 13.5 1.815
6

Applied Torque
T = W x 100
(Nmm)
Angle of Twist
(Torsiometer)
= (div x 0.02) x /180
(rad)
Angel of Twist
(Digital Protractor)
=
actual
x /180
(rad)
500 7.33 X 10
-3
0.077
1000 11.52 X 10
-3
0.094
1500 15.71 X 10
-3
0.112
2000 19.90 X 10
-3
0.126
2500 24.09 X 10
-3
0.106
3000 27.75 X 10
-3
0.115
3500 32.11 X 10
-3
0.169
4000 35.60 X 10
-3
0.183
4500 39.44 X 10
-3
0.195
5000 42.24 X 10
-3
0.209
5500 42.24 X 10
-3
0.222
6000 42.24 X 10
-3
0.236
Table B: Torsion test calculation



7


y = 140942x - 745.35
Slope = T = 140942 Nmm/rad




y = 140942x - 745.35
0
1000
2000
3000
4000
5000
6000
7000
0 0.01 0.02 0.03 0.04 0.05
A
p
p
l
i
e
a
d

T
o
r
q
u
e
,

T

(
N
m
m
)

Angle of Twist of Torsionmeter, (rad)
Torque vs Angle of Twist (Torsionmeter)
Y-Values
Linear (Y-Values)
8



y = 31874x - 1648
Slope = T = 31874 Nmm/rad



Sample calculation:
Applied Torque, = W * 100
= 5 * 100
= 500 Nmm

Angle Of Twist (Torsionmeter), = (div * 0.02) * /180
=( 21.0* 0.02) * /180
y = 31874x - 1648
0
1000
2000
3000
4000
5000
6000
7000
0 0.05 0.1 0.15 0.2 0.25
A
p
p
l
i
e
a
d

T
o
r
q
u
e
,

T

(
N
m
m
)

Angle of Twist of Digital Protractor , (rad)
Torque vs Angle of Twist ( Digital Protractor )
Y-Values
Linear (Y-Values)
9

= 7.33 X 10
-3
rad
Angle Of Twist (Digital Proctractor), =
actual
* /180
= (4.4* )/180
= 0.077 rad
Modulus of rigidity for steel in theoretical = 79.3 GPa = 79.3 x 10
3
N/mm
2

Polar moment of inertia, J = d
4
32
= (5,77)
4

32
= 108.819 mm
4


7.0 DATA ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSIONS
a) Plot the graph of applied torque vs the angle of twist (Torsiometer and Digital
Protractor).
b) Determine the slope of the graph.

1. graph torque vs angle of twist (torsiometer)

Slope = T = 140942 Nmm/rad

2. graph torque vs angle of twist (Digital Protractor)

Slope = T = 31874 Nmm/rad

c) Calculate from graph, the shear modulus or modulus of rigidity, G.

Shear Modulus, G = (slope x length specimen) / (polar moment of inertia)
(torsionmeter) = 140942 x 210 / 108.819
= 271.99 x 10
3
N/mm
2
10


d) Shear Modulus, G = (slope x length specimen) / (polar moment of inertia)
(Digital Protractor) = 31874 x 210 / 108.819
= 61.511 x10
3
N/mm
2
e) Comparison result experimental and theoretical.
From the graph and result are get, the shear modulus of the shear modulus or modulus
of rigidity, G of experimental value are bigger than the theoretical which the
experimental value of the torsionmeter value is 271.99 x 10
3
N/mm
2
and the theoretical
value of is 79.3 GPa which equal to 79.3 x 10
3
N/mm
2
. Meanwhile for the Digital
Protractor from experimental value is 61.511 x10
3
N/mm
2
which is near to the
theoretical value but has differences.




8.0 CONCLUSION
In this experiment one specimen will be twisted until failure. Instructor can hold up or
pass around sample test specimens. The goal of this test is to determine the relationship
between the applied torque and the angle of twist and hence obtain the shear modulus or
Modulus of Rigidity. Meanwhile from the data of the experiment, the graph shows that
the relationship between applied torque an angle of twist which is increasing directly
proportional. The value of theoretical of Shear Modulus, G is get from general value in
practice for the material being tested meanwhile for experimental value we will
calculate the value of G by using the formulae G =

. The result of both values which

are experimental and theoretical value should same but due to the errors, the result
became have difference between each others. This is because there are some
experimental error occurs during experiment conducted. First error is, Parallax Error.
Parallax error is a line-of-sight error that occurs when reading any type of measurement
indicators such as the torque scale, vernier scales and observing the spirit level. To
reduce parallax error the viewer should be positioned perpendicular to the indicator.
Any angular deviation from a perpendicular view of the indicator will contribute to
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parallax error. Second, is the Slip of Test Specimen. Each end of a test specimen has a
hexagonal shape. The ends are inserted into hexagonal shaped chucks on the torsion-
testing machine. The hexagonal shaped chucks are tightened around the hexagonal
shaped ends of the test specimen. The test specimen should be aligned so that the
chucks are tightened such that the hexagonal sides of both the specimen and the chucks
are flush with one another. Possible slip of the test specimen may occur as the specimen
is twisted resulting in erroneous readings. Error of Homogeneous and Isotropic
Composition structure can also lead in reducing the accuracy the reading of the
experimental value which is the isotropic and homogeneous structure of the test could
possibly have been altered due to prior testing. Also, the quality of the manufacturing
process may impact the consistency of the internal granular structure of the test
specimen. Last but not least the conclusion that we can gain from this experiment is
when the applied torque is increase, the angle of twist also will be increase and the
objective was achieved.



9.0 REFERENCES
a) http://itll.colorado.edu/bench/web/Experiments/index.cfm?Exp=6&Page=background/
theory.html
b) http://www.answers.com/torsion%20test
c) http://info.lu.farmingdale.edu/depts/met/met206/torsion.html
d) http://www.ent.ohiou.edu/~skim/CE223/exp3.pdf
e) http://www.scribd.com/doc/136565/Mechanics-of-Materials-Torsion-Test




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10) APPENDICES
The entire figure shows the experiment equipment

Figure 1 Figure 2

Figure 3 Figure 4