CHAPTER 12 TWISTING OF SHAFTS

EXERCISE 70, Page 165

1. A shaft of uniform solid circular section is subjected to a torque of 1500 N m. Determine the

maximum shear stress in the shaft and its resulting angle of twist, if the shaft’s diameter is

0.06 m, the shaft's length is 1.2 m, and the rigidity modulus, G = 77×10 9 N/m 2 . What power

can this shaft transmit if it is rotated at 400 rev/min?

Torque, T = 1500 N m = 150 × 104 N mm

Diameter, d = 0.06 m = 60 mm and radius, r = d/2 = 30 mm

πd 4 π ( 60 )
4

Polar second moment of area, J = = = 1.272 ×106 mm 4

32 32

τ T Tr 150 ×104 N mm × 30 mm 106 mm 2

From shear stress, τ =
= , maximum= × = 35.4 MPa
r J J 1.272 ×106 mm 4 m2

N 1m 2
Rigidity modulus, G = 77×10 N/m = 77 ×10 2 ×
9 2
=
77 ×103 N / mm 2
9

m (10 ) mm
3 2 2

T Gθ TL 1500 N m ×1.2 m
From = , θ= =
J L GJ 77 ×109 N ×1.272 ×10−6 m 4
m2
180°
i.e. θ = 0.0184 rad = 0.0184 rad ×
π rad

i.e. angle of twist, θ = 1.05°

rev 2π rad 1min

Angular speed, N = 400 rev/min = 400 × ×
min rev 60s

i.e. ω = 41.89 rad/s

2πNT
Power, P = = Tω = 150 ×103 N mm × 41.89rad / s
60
N mm m
= 6.28 × 107 × 3
s 10 mm

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© John Bird & Carl Ross Published by Taylor and Francis
 = 62835.0 N m/s = 62835.0 W = 62.83 kW

2. If the shaft in Problem 1 were replaced by a similar hollow one of wall thickness 10 mm, but of

the same outer diameter, what would be the maximum shearing stress in the shaft and the

resulting angle of twist? What power can this shaft transmit if it rotated at 500 rev/min.

Torque, T = 1500 N m = 150 × 104 N mm

Diameter, d 2 = 60 mm and d 1 = d 2 - 2t = 60 – 2 × 10 = 40 mm where t is the wall thickness

π ( d 2 4 − d14 ) π ( 604 − 404 )

Polar second moment of area, J = = = 1.02 ×106 mm 4
32 32

τ T Tr 1500 ×103 N mm × 30 mm 106 mm 2

From = , maximum
= shear stress, τ = × = 44.1 MPa
r J J 1.02 ×106 mm 4 m2

N 1m 2
Rigidity modulus, G = 77×10 9 N/m 2 = 77 ×109 × =
77 ×103 N / mm 2
m 2 (103 )2 mm 2

T Gθ TL 1500 ×103 N mm × 1.2 × 103 mm

From = , θ= =
J L GJ 77 ×103 N ×1.02 ×106 mm 4
mm 2
180°
i.e. θ = 0.0229 rad = 0.0229 rad ×
π rad

i.e. angle of twist, θ = 1.31°

rev 2π rad 1min

Angular speed, N = 500 rev/min = 500 × ×
min rev 60s

i.e. ω = 52.36 rad/s

2πNT
Power, P = = Tω = 1500 N m × 52.36 rad / s
60
= 78540 N m/s = 78540 W = 78.5 kW

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© John Bird & Carl Ross Published by Taylor and Francis
3. A boat’s propeller shaft transmits 50 hp at 100 rev/min. Neglecting transmission losses,

determine the minimum diameter of a solid circular section phosphor bronze shaft, when the

maximum permissible shear stress in the shaft is limited to 40 MPa. What will be the resulting

angle of twist of this shaft, due to this torque, over a length of 1 m, given that the rigidity

modulus, G = 40 GPa.

Power = 50 hp = 50 × 745.7 W/hp = 37284 W

rev 2π rad 1min

Angular speed, N = 100 rev/min = 100 × ×
min rev 60s

i.e. ω = 10.47 rad/s

Maximum shear stress, τ = 40 MPa; Length, L = 1 m;

Rigidity modulus, G = 40×10 9 N/m 2

power 37284
Power, P = Tω hence, torque, T = = = 3560 N m
w 10.47
d
τ T T×
From = ,
Tr
τ == = 2 T ×16
r J J πd 4
πd 3
32
3560 ×16
i.e. 40×10 6 =
πd 3
3560 ×16
from which, d3 =
π× 40 ×106

3560 × 16
and diameter, d = 3 = 0.0768 m = 76.8 mm
π× 40 × 106

T Gθ TL 3560 ×103 N mm × 1× 103 mm

From = , θ= =
π ( 76.8 )
4
J L GJ N
40 ×10 3
2
× mm 4
mm 32

180°
i.e. θ = 0.0261 rad = 0.0261 rad ×
π rad

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© John Bird & Carl Ross Published by Taylor and Francis
i.e. angle of twist, θ = 1.49°

4. A shaft to the blades of a helicopter transmits 1000 hp at 200 rev/min. Neglecting transmission

losses, determine the minimum external and internal diameters of the hollow circular section

aluminium alloy shaft, when the maximum permissible shear stress in the shaft is limited to

30 MPa. It may be assumed that the external diameter of this shaft is twice its internal diameter.

What will be the resulting angle of twist of this shaft over a length of 2 m, given that the

modulus of rigidity, G = 26.9 GPa?

Power = 1000 hp = 1000 × 745.7 W/hp = 745700 W = 745700 N/s

rev 2π rad 1min

Angular speed, N = 200 rev/min = 200 × ×
min rev 60s

i.e. ω = 20.94 rad/s

Maximum shear stress, τ = 30 MPa; Length, L = 2 m;

External diameter, d 2 = 2d and internal diameter, d 1 = d

Rigidity modulus, G = 26.9×10 9 GPa

power 745700
Power, P = Tω hence, torque, T = = = 35611 N m
w 20.94
d
τ T T× 2
From = , τ =
=
Tr
= 2 T ×16
r J J πd 2 4 πd 23
32
35611×16
i.e. 30×10 6 =
πd 23

35611×16
from which, d 23 =
π× 30 ×106

35611×16
and diameter, d 2 = 3 = 0.182 m = 182 mm
π× 30 ×106

Internal diameter, d 1 = d 2 /2 = 182/2 = 91 mm

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© John Bird & Carl Ross Published by Taylor and Francis
 π ( d 2 4 − d14 ) π ( 0.1824 − 0.0914 )
Polar second moment of area, J = = = 1.01× 10−4 m 4
32 32

T Gθ TL 35611N m × 2 m
From = , θ= =
J L GJ 26.9 ×109 N ×1.01×10−4 m 4
m2

180°
i.e. θ = 0.0262 rad = 0.0262 rad ×
π rad

i.e. angle of twist, θ = 1.5°

5. A solid circular section shaft of diameter d is subjected to a torque of 1000 N m. If the maximum

permissible shear stress in this shaft is limited to 30 MPa, determine the minimum value of d.

Torque, T = 1000 N m

Maximum shear stress, τ = 30 MPa

τ T 30 ×106 1000 d4 1000 × 32

From = , = from which, =
r J d πd 4 d π× 2 × 30 ×106
2 32

i.e. d 3 = 1.6977 ×10−4

and diameter, d = 3 1.6977 ×10−4 = 0.0554 m = 55.4 mm

6. If the shaft in Problem 5 were to be replaced by a hollow shaft of external diameter d 2 and

internal diameter 0.5d 2 , determine the minimum value for d 2 , the design condition being the

same for both shafts. What percentage saving in weight will result by replacing the solid shaft by

the hollow one.

 d  
4
 4

π  d 24 −  2   π  d 24 − d 2 
  2   16  π 15 4
Polar second moment of area, J =  = = × d2 =
0.092d 2 4
32 32 32 16

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 τ T J T 0.092d 2 4 1000
From = , = from which, =
r J r τ d2 30 ×106
2

1000
i.e. d 23 =
2 × 0.092 × 30 ×106

1000
and external diameter, d 2 = 3 = 0.0566 m = 56.6 mm
2 × 0.092 × 30 ×106

d 2 56.6
Internal diameter, d 1 = = = 28.3 mm
2 2

πd 2
Original weight = πr 2 l × =
rg × l × r× g
4

π ( d 2 2 − d12 )
New weight = × l × ρ× g
4

πd 2
Percentage saving in weight = 4
× l × ρ× g −
π 2
4
2
(
d 2 − ( 0.5d 2 ) × l × ρ× g )
×100%
πd 2
× l × ρ× g
4

3 2
d2 − d2
4 55.42 − 0.75 × 56.62
= × 100% = ×100%
d2 55.42

= 21.7%

7. An internal combustion engine of a ship is of power 3000 hp and it transmits its power through

two shafts at 300 revs/min (rpm). If the transmission losses are 10%, determine the minimum

possible diameters of the shafts, given that the maximum permissible shear stress in the shafts is

80 MPa. (It may be assumed that 1 hp = 745.7 W).

Power, P = 3000 hp = 3000 × 745.7 W/hp = 2237100 W

P 2237100
Hence, power in each shaft = = = 1118550 W
2 2

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© John Bird & Carl Ross Published by Taylor and Francis
 2πNT 2π× 300 × T
Thus, 1118550 = =
60 60

60 ×1118550
from which, torque, T = = 35604.6 N m
2π× 300

Final torque = 0.9 × T = 32044 N m

Maximum shear stress, τ = 80 MPa

τ T 80 ×106 32044
From = , =
r J d πd 4
2 64
d4 32044 × 64
i.e. =
d 80 ×106 × π× 2

from which, =d 3 4.07997 ×10−3

and diameter, d = 3
4.07997 ×10−3 = 0.159 m = 159 mm

EXERCISE 71, Page 165

Answers found from within the text of the chapter, pages 161 to 165.

EXERCISE 72, Page 166

1. (a) 2. (b) 3. (a) 4. (c) 5. (b) 6. (a)

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