L9: Elasticity in Polar coordinates

Polar coordinates
r ,θ , z

⎧ x = r cos θ
y ⎨
⎩ y = r sin θ

G ⎧⎪r = x 2 + y 2
iθ G ⎨
ir ⎪⎩θ = tan −1 ( y / x)
r G G G
⎧⎪ir = cos θi + sin θj
⎨G G G
G ⎪⎩iθ = − sin θi + cos θj
j θ
G
i x
 Plane polar coordinates
When the geometry can be reduced to 2D contains a circular feature: full circle or arc

Pressure vessel Plate with a hole

Elasticity in polar coordinates

Stresses

σ ij (r ,θ , z ) ⎛ tr ⎞ ⎛ σ rr τ rθ τ rz ⎞⎛ nr ⎞
G ⎜ ⎟ ⎜ ⎟⎜ ⎟
t = ⎜ tθ ⎟ = ⎜ τ rθ σ θθ τ θz ⎟⎜ nθ ⎟
tractions ⎜t ⎟ ⎜τ σ zz ⎟⎠⎜⎝ nz ⎟⎠
ti ( r , θ , z ) ⎝ z ⎠ ⎝ rz τ θy

Unit
Strains vector
ε ij (r ,θ , z )

Displacements
ui ( r , θ , z )
The elasticity problem in plane polar coordinatesτ rz = τ θz = 0
in terms of stresses, strain and displacement
8 unknowns: 3 stresses σ rr σ θθ τ rθ
3 strains ε rr ε θθ ε rθ
2 displacements ur uθ
⎧ ∂σ rr σ rr − σ θθ 1 ∂τ rθ
⎪⎪ ∂r + r
+
r ∂θ
+ fr = 0
2 equations of equilibrium ⎨
⎪ ∂τ rθ + 2τ rθ + 1 ∂σ θθ + f = 0
⎪⎩ ∂r r r ∂θ
θ

⎧ ∂u r
ε
⎪ rr =
⎪ ∂r
⎪ u 1 ∂uθ
3 strain equations ⎨ε θθ = r +
⎪ r r ∂θ
⎪ 1 ⎛ ∂uθ uθ 1 ∂u r ⎞
ε
⎪ rθ = ⎜ − + ⎟
⎩ 2 ⎝ ∂r r r ∂θ ⎠ For plane strain use:
⎧ ⎧ ν
ν =
3 Hooke’s law equations ⎪ rr E (σ rr − νσ θθ )
1 *
ε = ⎪⎪ 1 −ν
⎨
(plane stress) ⎪⎪ ⎪ E* = E
⎨ε θθ = (σ θθ − νσ rr )
1
σ zz = 0 ⎪⎩ 1 −ν 2
⎪ E
⎪ 1
⎪ε rθ = τ rθ and σ zz = −ν (σ rr + σ θθ )
⎩ 2 G
 Axisymmetric (or axial symmetry) planar problems
The geometry and loads are unchanged for any
angle: no dependance on θ.

Pressure vessel (plane strain polar) Plate with a hole (plane stress polar)

Axisymmetric Not Axisymmetric

The elasticity problem in plane polar coordinatesτ rz = τ θz = 0
in terms of stresses, strain and displacement
8 unknowns: 3 stresses σ rr σ θθ τ rθ
3 strains ε rr ε θθ ε rθ
2 displacements ur uθ
⎧ ∂σ rr σ rr − σ θθ 1 ∂τ rθ
⎪⎪ ∂r + r
+
r ∂θ
+ fr = 0
2 equations of equilibrium ⎨
⎪ ∂τ rθ + 2τ rθ + 1 ∂σ θθ + f = 0
⎪⎩ ∂r r r ∂θ
θ

⎧ ∂u r Axisymmetry: no
ε
⎪ rr = dependence on θ
⎪ ∂r
⎪ u 1 ∂uθ
3 strain equations ⎨ε θθ = r +
⎪ r r ∂θ
⎪ 1 ⎛ ∂uθ uθ 1 ∂u r ⎞
ε
⎪ rθ = ⎜ − + ⎟
⎩ 2 ⎝ ∂r r r ∂θ ⎠

⎧
⎪ rr E (σ rr − νσ θθ )
1
ε = σ zz = 0 (plane stress)
⎪
⎪
3 Hooke’s law equations ⎨ε θθ = (σ θθ − νσ rr )
1
⎪ E σ zz = −ν (σ rr + σ θθ ) (plane strain)
⎪ 1
⎪ε rθ = τ rθ
⎩ 2 G
 Plane axisymmetric problem
If no body forces, an easy solution exists!
⎧ A
⎪ σ rr = + 2C
r2
⎪
Stresses: ⎪⎨σ θθ = − A2 + 2C
⎪ r
⎪τ rθ = 0
⎪
⎩
⎧ 1 ⎡ A(1 +ν ) ⎤
⎪ rr E ⎢ r 2 + 2C (1 −ν )⎥
ε =
⎪ ⎣ ⎦
Strains: ⎪⎨ε θθ = 1 ⎡− A(1 +2 ν ) + 2C (1 −ν )⎤
⎪ E ⎢⎣ r ⎥
⎦
⎪ε rθ = 0
⎪
⎩
⎧ 1 ⎡ A(1 +ν ) ⎤
⎪ur = ⎢− + 2C (1 −ν )r ⎥
Displacement: ⎨ E⎣ r ⎦
⎪u = 0
⎩ θ

• τ rθ = 0
• A, C constants to be determined using BC’s
• 2C is a superimposed hydrostatic stress
• If A ≠ 0 the solution is singular for r=0
Example: pressurized thick cylinder
Pressurized thick cylinder
Cylinder subjected to internal and external pressures.

a 2b 2 po − pi a 2 pi − b 2 po
σ rr (r ) = 2 + Radial stress
b − a2 r 2 b2 − a2
a 2b 2 po − pi a 2 pi − b 2 po
σ θθ (r ) = − 2 + Hoop stress
b − a2 r 2 b2 − a2
 Lamé problem
Pressurize thick cylinder (Po=0):

a 2 Pi ⎛ b 2 ⎞
σ rr (r ) = 2 2 ⎜⎜1 − 2 ⎟⎟
b −a ⎝ r ⎠
a 2 Pi ⎛ b 2 ⎞
σ θθ (r ) = 2 2 ⎜⎜1 + 2 ⎟⎟
b −a ⎝ r ⎠

b+a
With thickness: t =b−a and average radius Rm =
2

pR ⎡ Rm2 t ⎤
The hoop stress can be written σ θθ = i m ⎢1 + − ⎥
2t ⎣ r 2 Rm ⎦
pR
For t << Rm and at r = Rm σ θθ = i m
t
(the classic equation for hoop stress created by an internal pressure on a thin wall cylindrical pipe)
Application: Steel high pressure vessel
Steel ( E = 200 GPa, ν = 0.3 )

60 MPa

0.1 m
0.2 m
Application: Steel high pressure vessel
Steel ( E = 200 GPa, ν = 0.3 )

Maximum hoop stress

120 70
100
60 MPa 60

Radial displacement
80 σ θθ 50
60

Stress (MPa)
0.1 m 40
u 40

(μ m)
0.2 m 20
0 30
-20
-40
σ rr 20
10
-60
-80 0
100 150 200
r (mm)

Radial stress = internal pressure Radial stress = 0 (no pressure)

Application: Steel high pressure vessel
Steel ( E = 200 GPa, ν = 0.3 )

Maximum hoop stress can be reduced

by making the walls thicker
20
18
60 MPa 1 + (a / b )
2
(σ )
16
θθ max 14 σ θθ max = P
1 − (a / b )
2 i
12
0.1 m P i 10
0.2 m 8
6
4
2
0
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
b/a
Another example: Carbon Fiber Reinforced Plastic (CFRP)
subjected to extreme temperatures

Geostationary satellite
Antenna components
made of CFRP

Temperature= -160°C
(night) to 130 °C (day)

Carbon fiber: Epoxy matrix

Damage and fracture due
E f = 250GPa Em ≈ 5GPa to thermal cycling
ν f = 0.2 ν m = 0.4
α f ≈ 10−6 K −1 α m ≈ 30 ×10−6 K −1 What are the stresses that lead to
thermal cycling damage?
 ΔT = -160°C to 130 °C

Carbon fiber:
E f = 250GPa
σ θθ(m ) ν f = 0.2
σ (m )
rr
α f ≈ 10−6 K −1

Epoxy matrix
E f ,ν f , α f
Em ≈ 5GPa
ν m = 0.4
α m ≈ 30 ×10−6 K −1
Em ,ν m , α m

⎧ ( m) (αm −α f ) R2 Maximum at r=R

Stresses in ⎪⎪σ rr = 1 −ν f 1 +ν m ΔT r 2 ⎧ (m)
σ =
(α m − α f ) ΔT
⎨ + ⎪ rr 1 −ν f 1 + ν m
matrix Ef Em ⎪ +
⎪ ⎨
⎪σ ( m ) = −σ ( m) Ef Em
⎩ θθ rr
⎪
⎪σ ( m ) = −σ ( m )
⎩ θθ rr
 (α m −α f )
≈ 0.1
σ θθ
(m )
ΔT = +130C 1 −ν f 1 +ν m
σ (m )
rr +
debonding Ef Em

At ΔT = +130C
E f ,ν f , α f ⎧⎪σ rr( m) = 13MPa Tensile radial stress
⎨ ( m)
⎪⎩σ θθ = −13MPa Compressive hoop stress
Δ T = − 160 C
Em ,ν m , α m
Matrix At ΔT = −160C
cracking
⎧⎪σ rr( m) = −16MPa compressive radial stress
⎨ ( m)
⎪⎩σ θθ = 16MPa tensile hoop stress
Example: steel ball or needle on soft
substrate
• Goal: get the properties of the rubber substrate
• Approach: inverse method using finite elements

Axis of symmetry
Axisymmetric
elements