Torsion and Failure Limits

ME 307 lab 004

3/28/05
Kris Bilek, Mat McEachern
 Outline
 Real world examples

 Overview of torsion and failure limits

 Formulas and analysis of results

 What we will be doing in lab

 Real World Examples
Torsion is found everywhere

 Automobiles
 Boats
 Airplanes
 I.C. engines
 Buildings
 Tools
 Real World Examples cont.

Torsion bar on an automobile.

Works to aid in suspension of the
vehicle by resisting the twisting
from the vertical movement of the
Crankshaft failure on a
wheel.
V-12 engine for a vessel
 Overview of torsion
Torsion: the twisting of a specimen along its longitudinal axis due to an applied force

r
 
J

Equations: (valid only for the elastic region of a cylindrical bar)

Tr
Shear stress:   Polar moment
of inertia:
1
J  c 4 Solid
J 2
r 1
Shear strain:   Ø in radians J   (c2  c1 )
4 4 Hollow
L 2
 Analysis of Data
For a torsion test, the torque and angle of twist of the specimen will
be plotted (similar to stress and strain in a tension test)
Torque and angle of twist can be converted to stress and strain using
the equations listed earlier

A plot of data from a torsion test

Shear Stress and Normal Stress

An element on surface of bar under pure torsion

45° angle cut of element

Summing stresses in x or y direction shows

Max Shear Stress Magnitude=Max Normal Stress Magnitude
(different Orientations)

 0   45
 Failure Theory
Two theories are used to predict the strength of a material
Rankine Theory: maximum normal stress theory
Tresca Theory: Maximum shear stress theory

Both theories are described using Mohr’s circle

Brittle Materials: Max normal stress limit is reached 1st
during tension tests

Ductile Materials: Max shear stress limit is reached 1st

during tension tests

For pure torsion: failure is expected at the lower value of

the max normal or shear stress limit
Graph Analysis

dT
  3T  2c 3
d

Describes both the elastic and

plastic regions of the plot

From this equation both the shear

stress at yield and the ultimate
shear stress can be found
 Analysis of Graph cont.
More useful equations:

 G G is the shear modulus

Equation valid only for the elastic region

Shear stress Tyc Setting the slope in the diff eq equal to

at yield: y   
Tc
y
the constant
y Ty/øy and t equal to ty
J J

3
Ultimate
u  RT Setting the slope equal to zero in the diff eq
Shear stress: 4

Modulus of Tu c
Rupture: RT  The stress neccesary to break a specimen
J
 This weeks lab
 Torsion test of several specimens will be performed

 Torque vs. rotation will be plotted

 Torque at yield, ultimate torque and rotation at failure will be

obtained from the plots

 Shear stress at yield and ultimate shear stress will be

calculated

 Results of stress are comparable to those found in the

tension test
 Conclusion
 Torsion is found in many applications

 Failure limits need to be evaluated for specimen design

 Need to know if in elastic or plastic region

 Most materials have different strengths in shear and

normal stress