MIDDLE EAST TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY

DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL ENGINEERING

Division of Construction Materials

CE 241  Materials Science

Solutions of Problem Set 3
Concepts of Stress and Strain - Mechanical Properties (Isotropy, Anisotropy, Generalized Hooke’s
Law) - Elastic Constants
1. A steel bar is 100 mm long, and has a 20 mm by 10 mm cross-section. Its Young's modulus 𝐸 is
207 GPa, and Poisson’s ratio 𝜐 is 0.26. It is subjected to following load combination: a tensile load of
104 N on its 20 mm × 10 mm− face, a compressive load of 105 N on its 100 mm × 20 mm− face,
and a tensile load of 105 N on its 100 mm × 10 mm− face.

Determine:

a) the change in volume of the bar,

b) the new value of the compressive load so that there is no volume change.

a)
𝐸 = 207 GPa 𝜐 = 0.26

10 000
𝜎x = = 50 MPa
10 ∙ 20

100 000 𝑉 = 10 ∙ 20 ∙ 100 = 20 000 mm3

𝜎y = = 100 MPa
10 ∙ 100

−100 000
𝜎z = = −50 MPa
20 ∙ 100
 (50 + 100 − 50)
𝛥𝑉 σav 3 100 ∙ (1 − 2 ∙ 0.26)
= = = = 0.000232
𝑉 𝐾 𝐸 207 ∙ 103
3(1 − 2𝑣)

𝛥𝑉 = 20000 ∙ 0.000232 = 4.64 mm3

b)
𝛥𝑉 = 0 ⇒ 𝜎av = 0

(50 + 100 + 𝜎)
⇒ = 0 ⇒ 𝜎 = −150 MPa
3

𝐹𝑐omp. = −150 ∙ (20 ∙ 100) = −300 000 N = −300 kN

2. A tensile load of 2 ∙ 103 N is applied to a steel bar of cross sectional area 600 mm2. If the same load
was applied to an aluminum bar to achieve the same strain with the former, what would be its cross
sectional area? (𝐸st = 2.1 ∙ 105 MPa, 𝐸al = 0.7 ∙ 105 MPa)

Since 𝜀st = 𝜀al ,

𝜎al 𝜎al
2000 𝜀al = ⇒ 1.587 ∙ 10−5 =
𝜎st = = 3.333 MPa 𝐸al 0.7 ∙ 105
600
𝜎st 3.333 𝜎al = 1.111 MPa
𝐸st = ⇒ 2.1 ∙ 105 = 𝐹
𝜀st 𝜀st 𝜎al =
𝜀st = 1.587 ∙ 10 −5 𝐴
2000
1.111 = ⇒ 𝐴 = 1800 mm2
𝐴
3. When iron is compressed hydrostatically with 2 ∙ 102 N/mm2, the volume is changed by 0.1 %.
Determine the volume change:

a) If it is subjected to an axial compressive stress of 6 ∙ 102 N/mm2?

b) When it is confined under a biaxial compressive stress of 3 ∙ 102 N/mm2?

𝜎𝑥 = 𝜎𝑦 = 𝜎𝑧 = −2 ∙ 102 N/mm2 ⇒ 𝜎av = −2 ∙ 102 N/mm2

𝜎av −2 ∙ 102
𝐾= = = 2 ∙ 105 MPa = 2 ∙ 102 GPa
𝛥𝑉⁄ −0.1⁄
𝑉0 100

a)
𝜎x = −6 ∙ 102 N/mm2

𝜎y = 𝜎z = 0

−6 ∙ 102
𝜎av = = −2 ∙ 102 N/mm2
3
𝜎av −2 ∙ 102
𝐾= ⇒ 2 ∙ 105 =
𝛥𝑉⁄ 𝛥𝑉⁄
𝑉0 𝑉0

𝛥𝑉
= −0.1 %
𝑉0

b)

𝜎x = 𝜎y = − 3 ∙ 102 N/mm2
𝜎z = 0

−(3 ∙ 102 + 3 ∙ 102 + 0)

𝜎av = = −2 ∙ 102 N/mm2
3
𝜎av −2 ∙ 102
𝐾= ⇒ 2 ∙ 105 =
𝛥𝑉⁄ 𝛥𝑉⁄
𝑉0 𝑉0
𝛥𝑉
= −0.1 % again
𝑉0
 4. A bar having a cross sectional area 𝐴, the density 𝜌, the modulus of elasticity 𝐸, and length 𝑙 is hanged
vertically. What is the total deformation due to its own weight?

If the bar is cut at an arbitrary position x, and equilibrium

condition is derived on a slice element of infinetesmal length d𝑥
seperated from the bar as below. The weight of the infinitesmall
slice and two normal forces, 𝜎(𝑥)𝐴 − 𝜎(𝑥 + d𝑥)𝐴, at the ends
of the element is shown on the free-body diagram.

𝜎(𝑥)𝐴
𝑥
𝑔
𝑔𝜌𝐴d𝑥
gravitational
d𝑥
acceleration

𝑥 + d𝑥
𝜎(𝑥 + d𝑥)𝐴

(+) : −𝜎(𝑥 + d𝑥)𝐴 + 𝜎(𝑥)𝐴 − 𝑔𝜌𝐴d𝑥 = 0

Divide both sides by 𝐴d𝑥,

−𝜎(𝑥 + d𝑥) + 𝜎(𝑥)

− 𝑔𝜌 = 0
d𝑥
When taking limits on both sides,

−𝜎(𝑥 + d𝑥) + 𝜎(𝑥)

lim − 𝑔𝜌 = 0 ⇒ −𝜎 ′ (𝑥) − 𝑔𝜌 = 0
d𝑥→0 d𝑥

Take indefinite integral of the both sides,

∫ 𝜎 ′ (𝑥) d𝑥 = − ∫ 𝑔𝜌 d𝑥

𝜎(𝑥) = −𝑔𝜌𝑥 + 𝑐
Stress boundary condition,
𝜎(𝑥 = 𝑙) = 0 → − 𝑔𝜌𝑙 + 𝑐 = 0 → 𝑐 = 𝑔𝜌𝑙
Therefore,
𝜎(𝑥) = 𝑔𝜌(−𝑥 + 𝑙)
𝑥

𝑙 𝑙0
𝑣(𝑥) ⏞ + d𝑥 + 𝑣(𝑥 + d𝑥) − (𝑥 + 𝑣(𝑥))] − (𝑥
[(𝑥 ⏞+ d𝑥 − 𝑥 )
𝜀=
d𝑥

𝑥 + d𝑥

𝑣(𝑥 + d𝑥)
 Again, when taking limits on both sides,

𝑣(𝑥 + d𝑥) − 𝑣(𝑥) 𝜎(𝑥) 𝑔𝜌(𝑙 − 𝑥)

𝜀 = lim ⇒ 𝜀(𝑥) = 𝑣 ′ (𝑥) = =
d𝑥→0 d𝑥 𝐸 𝐸

Then, taking integral from 0 to L of the both sides,

𝑥=𝑙 𝑥=𝑙
𝑔𝜌(𝑙 − 𝑥)
∫ 𝑣 ′ (𝑥) d𝑥 = ∫ ( ) d𝑥
𝑥=0 𝑥=0 𝐸

𝑔𝜌 2 𝑙 𝑔𝜌 𝑙 2⁄
𝑣 (𝑙) − 𝑣 (0) = (𝑙𝑥 − (𝑥 ⁄2)) | = ( 2)
𝐸 0 𝐸

𝜌𝑔𝑙 2
𝑣 (𝑙) =
2𝐸

Since 𝑊 = 𝐴 ∙ 𝑙 ∙ 𝑔𝜌
𝑤𝑙
𝑣 (𝑙) =
2𝐸𝐴

5. “A cubic specimen of 50 mm side is sheared with a force of 600 kN. The shear strain measured is 6 ∙
10−3. If the Poisson’s ratio 𝜐 is 0.25, calculate the change in length of the same cubic material when it
is subjected to a uniaxial tensile force of 1000 kN. 𝐹=600 kN 𝜏=240 MPa

Calculate shear stress 𝜏:

𝛾
5
6 ∙ 10
𝜏= = 240 MPa 50 mm
(50 ∙ 50)

Calculate shear modulus 𝐺:

𝜏 240
𝐺= = = 40000 MPa = 40 GPa
𝛾 0.006

Now, by using shear modulus 𝐺 and poisson ratio′s 𝑣, calculate Modulus of elasticity 𝐸:

𝐸 = 2𝐺 ∙ (1 + 𝑣) = 2 ∙ 40 ∙ (1 + 0.25) = 100 GPa 1000 kN

Calculate axial tensile stress 𝜎:

106
𝜎= (50∙50)
= 400 MPa = 0.4 GPa

Calculate the elongation 𝛥𝑙:

𝐿 ∙ 𝜎 50 ∙ 0.4
𝛥𝑙 = 𝐿 ∙ 𝜀 = = = 0.2 mm 1000 kN
𝐸 100
6. An aluminum rod with 10 mm diameter is subjected to a tensile load of 6 kN. Aluminum has the
following properties: 𝜎y = 145 MPa, 𝐸 = 70 GPa, and 𝜐 = 0.33

a) Calculate the resulting diameter.

b) Calculate the diameter if the rod is exposed to a compressive load of 6 kN.

6 kN 6 kN

a)

6 ∙ 103
𝜎= = 76.4 MPa < 𝜎y = 145 MPa → elastic deformation
(π ∙ (10⁄2)2 )

𝜎 76.4
𝜀l = = = 1.09 ∙ 10−3 (elongation)
𝐸 7 ∙ 104
𝑑f = 𝑑0 + 𝜀t ∙ 𝑑0 = 10 − 𝜀l ∙ 𝑣 ∙ 𝑑0 = 10 − 1.09 ∙ 10−3 ∙ 0.33 ∙ 10 = 9.996 mm

b)
𝜎 −76.4
𝜀𝑙 = = = −1.09 ∙ 10−3 (contraction)
𝐸 7 ∙ 104
𝑑f = 𝑑0 − 𝜀l ∙ 𝑣 ∙ 𝑑0 = 10 − (−1.09 ∙ 10−3 ) ∙ 0.33 ∙ 10 = 10.004 mm

7. When a cubic material of 120 mm side is loaded uniaxially with a compressive load of 6 ∙ 104 N, its volume
changes by 0.1%. How much will the volume change be if the same amount of load is applied biaxially and
triaxially? 6 ∙ 104 N

−6 ∙ 104
𝜎= = −4.17 N/mm2
120 ∙ 120
𝜎av (−4.17 ⁄3)
𝐾= = = 1390 MPa 6 ∙ 104 N
(ΔV⁄𝑉 ) −0.001 6 ∙ 104 N

Biaxial loading
6 ∙ 104 N
ΔV 𝜎av (−4.17 ∙ 2⁄3) 6 ∙ 104 N
( ⁄𝑉 ) = = = −0.002
𝐾 1390
ΔV = −0.002 ∙ (120 ∙ 120 ∙ 120) = −3456 mm3 (reduction in volume) 6 ∙ 104 N

Triaxial loading 6 ∙ 104 N 6 ∙ 104 N

𝜎𝑎𝑣𝑒 (−4.17 ∙ 3⁄3) 6 ∙ 104 N

(ΔV⁄𝑉 ) = = = −0.003
𝐾 1390 6 ∙ 104 N
6 ∙ 104 N
ΔV = −0.003 ∙ (120 ∙ 120 ∙ 120) = −5184 mm3 (reduction in volume)
6 ∙ 104 N
8. A tensile load of 142 kN is applied to a cylindrical specimen of a steel alloy (displaying the stress-strain
behavior shown in the figure below) that has a cross-sectional diameter of 10 mm.

a) Will the specimen experience elastic and/or plastic deformation? Why?

b) If the original specimen length is 500 mm, how much will it elongate when the given load is applied?
c) Determine the elastic deformation in the specimen when it is fully unloaded from the
given loading state.

2500

2000
Stress [MPa]

1500

1000

500

0
0 0.02 0.04 0.06 0.08
Strain [-]

For 𝑃 = 142 kN and 𝑑 = 10 mm

a) σ = 1805 MPa both elastic and plastic deformation since this stress level exceeds the
linear portion of the given stress - strain diagram.

σ = 1805 MPa ⇒ 𝜀 ~ 0.028 (from the given graph)

b) Δl = 500 ∙ 0.028 = 14 mm

c) After the unloaded path, parallel to the elastic loading curve, some amount of residual
strain, also known as permanent elongation or deformation, and elastic recovery take
place on the specimen.

2500

2000
1805
Stress [MPa]

1500

1000

500

0
0 0.02 0.028 0.04 0.06 0.08
Strain [-]
 From the graph, the residual strain, and total strain by a stress of 1805 MPa are
approximately 0.018 and 0.028, respectively.

Thus,
𝜀total = 𝜀elastic + 𝜀residual
0.028 = 𝜀elastic + 0.018
𝜀elastic = 0.01
Δl𝑒𝑙𝑎𝑠𝑡𝑖𝑐 = 500 ∙ 0.01 = 5 mm

9. Determine the modulus of elasticity 𝐸 and the Poisson’s ratio 𝜐 of the Hookean solid whose circular
cross sectional area is 1 ∙ 104 mm2 and length is 100 mm by using data in the following table.

Load [N] Longitudinal Deformation [mm] Lateral Deformation [mm]

1 ∙ 104 0.023 −0.0035

2 ∙ 104 0.028 −0.0042

𝜎
𝐸=
𝜀
2∙104 𝑃
𝜎=
𝐴
∆𝐿
P [N]

𝜀=
𝐿

1∙104

23∙10-3 28∙10-3
∆L [mm]

2 ∙ 104 − 1 ∙ 104
𝐸= 1 ∙ 104 = 2 ∙ 104 N/mm2
0.028 − 0.023
100
𝜋𝑑0 2
𝐴= = 1 ∙ 104 mm2 → 𝑑0 = 112.87 mm
4
−∆𝑑⁄ (−0.0042 − (−0.0035))⁄
𝑑 − 112.87 = 0.124
𝜈= =
∆𝑙⁄ (0.028 − 0.023)⁄
𝑙 100
10. A test bar with a diameter of 128 mm and gage length of 500 mm is loaded elastically with the tensile
load 16 ∙ 104 N and is elongated 3.6 mm. Its diameter is 127.8 mm under load.

a) What is the bulk modulus of the bar?

b) What is the shear modulus of the bar?

a)
16 ∙ 104
𝜎= 𝜋 = 12.43 N/mm2
2
4 ∙ (128)
𝜋
𝑉o = 500 ∙ ∙ (128)2 = 6433981 mm3
4
𝜋
𝑉f = 503.6 ∙ ∙ (127.8)2 = 6460071 mm3
4

𝛥𝑉 𝑉𝑓 − 𝑉0 6460071 − 6433981
⇒ = =
𝑉0 𝑉0 6433981

∆𝑉
= 0.00406
𝑉0

12.43
𝜎av = = 4.14 N/mm2
3

𝜎av 4.14
𝐾= = = 1019.7 N/mm2
𝛥𝑉 0.00406
𝑉0

b)
127.8 − 128 Δl 3.6
𝜀y = 𝜀z = 𝜀transvers = 𝜀x = 𝜀longitudinal = = = 0.0072
128 𝐿 500

= −0.001563

−0.001563
𝜐= − = 0.217
0.0072
𝐸 3 ∙ 𝐾 ∙ (1 − 2𝜐) 3 ∙ 1019.7 (1 − 2 ∙ 0.217)
𝐺= = =
2 ∙ (1 + 𝜐) 2 ∙ (1 + 𝜐) 2 ∙ (1 + 0.217)

= 711.36 N/mm2
11. When a rubber cube is subjected to hydrostatic pressure 𝑝 = 7 N/mm2, its sides shorten by 1.2%. When
the same material is loaded uniaxially under the tensile stress 𝜎 = 1.2 N/mm2 , it elongates by 2.1%.
Calculate the Poisson’s ratio 𝜐 of this material.

𝜎t 1.2
𝐸= = = 57.14 N/mm2
𝜀 0.021

1
𝜀x = (𝜎 − 𝜐(𝜎y + 𝜎z ))
𝐸 x

Under hydrostatic pressure 𝜎x = 𝜎y = 𝜎z = −7 N/mm2

1
𝜀x = −0.012 = (−7 − 𝜐(−7 + (−7)))
57.14

1
𝜀x = −0.012 = (−7 − 𝜐(−14)))
57.14

𝜐 = 0.451
12. A material is being tested in a loading frame to measure its mechanical properties. The diameter and
the gage length of the specimen are 20 mm and 200 mm, respectively. The applied tensile load and the
measured displacements are provided in the figure and the table below (see also the supplementary
data file).

a) Determine the type and rate of loading.

b) Plot the engineering stress-strain diagram.
c) Estimate the modulus of elasticity by the initial tangent method.

160

140

120

100
Load [kN]

80

60

40

20

0
0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140 160
Time [s]

16
14
Displacement [mm]

12
10
8
6
4
2
0
0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140 160
Time [s]
Time Load Displacement Time Load Displacement
[𝑠] [kN] [mm] [s] [kN] [mm]
0 0 0.000 80 80 0.240
2 2 0.006 82 82 0.246
4 4 0.012 84 84 0.252
6 6 0.018 86 86 0.258
8 8 0.024 88 88 0.264
10 10 0.030 90 90 0.270
12 12 0.036 92 92 0.276
14 14 0.042 94 94 0.282
16 16 0.048 96 96 0.288
18 18 0.054 98 98 0.294
20 20 0.060 100 100 0.300
22 22 0.066 102 102 0.306
24 24 0.072 104 104 0.312
26 26 0.078 106 106 0.318
28 28 0.084 108 108 0.324
30 30 0.090 110 110 0.330
32 32 0.096 112 112 0.336
34 34 0.102 114 114 0.342
36 36 0.108 116 116 0.348
38 38 0.114 118 118 0.354
40 40 0.120 120 120 0.360
42 42 0.126 122 122 0.366
44 44 0.132 124 124 0.372
46 46 0.138 126 126 0.378
48 48 0.144 128 128 0.384
50 50 0.150 130 130 0.390
52 52 0.156 132 132 0.660
54 54 0.162 134 134 3.960
56 56 0.168 136 136 4.200
58 58 0.174 138 138 4.320
60 60 0.180 140 140 4.560
62 62 0.186 142 142 4.800
64 64 0.192 144 144 5.160
66 66 0.198 146 146 5.700
68 68 0.204 148 148 6.180
70 70 0.210 150 150 7.080
72 72 0.216 152 152 8.340
74 74 0.222 154 154 10.740
76 76 0.228 156 156 13.140
78 78 0.234 158 158 14.820
 a) Type of loading: stress-controlled
Rate of loading: 1 kN/s from the slope of load-time curve.

b)

600

500

400
Stress [MPa]

300

200

100

0
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
Strain [%]

c) 𝐸 = 212.2 GPa (slope of the linear portion of the above graph)

13. For a linear elastic material with Young’s modulus 𝐸 = 20 MPa:

a) Calculate the amount of longitudinal strain when a specimen made of this material is subjected
to uniaxial tension at the stress level 𝜎 = 0.006 MPa.

b) Draw the stress-strain diagrams corresponding to the respective loading protocols 𝜀1 (𝑡) and
𝜀2 (𝑡) given in the figure below

ε [-] 𝜀1 (𝑡)
𝜀2 (𝑡)
0.04

5 10 20 𝑡[𝑠]

Loading 𝜀1 (𝑡) Loading 𝜀2 (𝑡)

2 2
σ [N/mm ] σ [N/mm ]

ε [-] ε [-]
a)

𝜎t 0.006
𝜀= = = 3 ∙ 10−4
𝐸 20

b)

σ [N/mm2] Loading 𝜀1 (𝑡) σ [N/mm2] Loading 𝜀2 (𝑡)

0.8 0.8

0.04 ε [-] 0.04 ε [-]