GATE Aerospace Coaching by Team IGC

Aircraft Structures Basics

Topics to Study

• Basic Elasticity

• Stresses

• Strain

• Stress-Strain Relationship

• Volumetric Strain

• Strain Energy

• Thermal Stress

• Compatibility Eqn and Airy Stress Function

• Axially loaded Member

• Torsion of Shaft

• Beam

• SFBM Diagram

• Bending and Shear Stresses

• Deflection of Beam

• Indeterminate Beam

• Thin Shell (Cylindrical and Spherical Shell)

• Buckling of Column (Euler Buckling Theory)

• Theory of Failure

Ref: Mechanics of Material by GERE

Aircraft Structures by Megson (1st Two Chapter)

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 BASIC ELASTICITY

Topics:-

1. Stresses
2. Strains
3. Stress-strain relationships
4. Volumetric Strain
5. Strain Energy
6. Thermal Stress
7. Compatibility equations
8. Airy stress function

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  Stress

When a body undergoes deformation under the application of external forces, a

restoring/resistance force is induced within the body. The intensity of force, i.e.
restoring force per unit area is termed as stress.

𝛿𝑃
𝑠𝑡𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑠 (𝜎) = lim
𝛿𝐴→0 𝛿𝐴

Consider an arbitrary shaped body subjected to several loads as shown in figure

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Under complex loading, for any given small area A the resultant force can be at any
inclination. This resultant force (here stress) is resolved in two components.

Normal Stress: - (Normal to plane)

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 𝛿𝑃𝑛
𝜎 = lim
𝛿𝐴→0 𝛿𝐴

Shear Stress: - (Parallel to plane)

𝛿𝑃𝑠
𝜏 = lim
𝛿𝐴→0 𝛿𝐴

Stress is a tensor quantity (2nd order tensor) (i.e.), it depends on magnitude, direction
and the plane on which it acts.

Normal stress (  ) can be tensile or compressive in nature depends on loading.

Generally, normal stress pointing away from plane or section is considered as tensile
stress (+ve) while normal stress pointing towards the plane or section is considered as
compressive stress (-ve).

→Normal stress is also termed as direct stress.

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  Notation and Direction of stresses

In tonsorial notation the stress is generally termed as  ij or  ij two suffix for 2nd order
tensor, where

i – Indicates plane in which it acts

j – Indicates direction of action

In above figure plane ABCD is ‘X-plane’. There is a normal force and two shear stress
in a plane of ‘3-D structure’. The normal stress in plane ABCD is noted as  xx .

Similarly, shear stress  xy in y-direction and  xz in z-direction.

Some time,  xx is also termed with  x (single  x ).

Direction:-

The normal stresses are defined as positive when they are directed away from their
related surface.

Direction of shear stress depends on the corresponding direction of Normal stress

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If the tensile stress is in positive direction of the axis (say x), then corresponding shear
stress are positive in other two positive direction of axis (y and z), while if tensile stress
in opposite direction of axis (say -x), then corresponding positive shear stress are in
direction opposite to positive direction of axis (-y and –z).

 Stresses in 3-D Body

If any 3D body is subjected to external load it undergoes deformations which include

strains and stresses. Consider a small (infinitesimal) particle of a 3-D body.

There are 3-planes in a cubical partial (X, Y, Z). In each plane (one normal stress and
two shear stress).

There are total 9-stresses in a 3-D body. In terms of matrix,

 xx  xy  xz 
    yx  yy  yz 
 zx  zy  zz 
 

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 →Row indicate plane

→Column indicate direction

o Stresses in 2-D Body

Consider a plate of unit thickness as shown

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o Equations of Equilibrium

For 2-D stress system

Consider the variation of stress along the element as well. Let the body forces in x and
y directions are X and Y per unit volume.

⇒ Taking moments about an axis through the centre of the element parallel to the z-
axis,

∑Moz =0
dx ∂σxy dx dy ∂σyx dy
(σxy dy) + (σxy + dx) dy − σyx dx − (σyx + dy) dx =0
2 ∂x 2 2 ∂y 2

Ignoring higher order term and dividing by dx.dy;

σ𝐱𝐲 = σ𝐲𝐱

Above expression shows that shear stresses are of complementary nature and on two
perpendicular plane, shear stresses has same magnitude and either they approach
each other or will go away from each other.

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Now Force Equilibrium

⇒ Considering the equilibrium of the element in x-direction, ∑Fx =0

∂σx ∂σyx
(σx + dx) dy − σx dy + (σyx + dy) dx − σyx dx + X dxdy = 0
∂x ∂y

∂σx ∂σyx
→ + +X=0 .................. (1)
∂x ∂y

Similarly,
∂σy ∂σxy
→ + +Y =0 .................. (2)
∂y ∂x

→These above two equations are equilibrium equations for stresses in 2-D system.

o For 3-D stress system

∂σx ∂σyx ∂σzx
→ + + +X =0 .................. (1)
∂x ∂y ∂z

∂σy ∂σyx ∂σyz

→ + + +Y =0 .................. (2)
∂y ∂x ∂z

∂σz ∂σzy ∂σzx

→ + + +Z =0 .................. (3)
∂z ∂y ∂x

σ𝐱𝐲 = σ𝐲𝐱

σ𝐲𝐳 = σ𝐳𝐳

σ𝐱𝐳 = σ𝐳𝐱

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Problems

1.

Sol. -

Applying Equilibrium Equation for 2D stress system in the absence of body forces
∂σx ∂σyx
→ + =0 .................. (1)
∂x ∂y

∂σy ∂σyx
→ + =0 .................. (2)
∂y ∂x

From equation-1

2Ax+ 12x=0

A= -6

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