Strain and

elastic
deformations

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Why study deformations?

• Too much deformation can lead to a machine/structure no longer fit for use
• Sometimes it is impossible to determine stresses only by principle of statics.
Deformation makes the problem statically indeterminate
• Load is sometimes specified in terms of displacements and not Forces

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Strain under axial loading

• Stress = ???
• Strain is deformation per unit length
• Denoted by ε
• Dimensionless quantity

𝛿
𝜀=
𝐿

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Difference between the two?

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Technical definition of strain
𝛿
• Like stress, it is simplification to use 𝜀 =
𝐿
• Strictly speaking strain is defined at a point, Q as follows:

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 𝛿𝑥 𝑑𝛿
𝜀 = lim =
Δ𝑥→0 Δ𝑥 𝑑𝑥

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 A

60 cm
C 180cm
D

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• The guy wire AB of a building frame is originally unstretched. Due to an
earthquake, the two columns of the frame tilt Determine the approximate
normal strain in the wire when the frame is in this position. Assume the
columns are rigid and rotate about their lower supports.

16.8*10-3 m/m
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Hooke’s Law

• Deals with question on how to relate the deformation and stress?

𝜎 = 𝐸𝜀
E = Young’s Modulus,
Same unit as stress, MPa

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Calculating deformations

𝜎 = 𝐸𝜀
𝜀 = 𝜎/𝐸
𝛿 𝑃
𝜀= ; σ=
𝐿 𝐴
𝑃𝐿
𝛿=
𝐴𝐸
Where 𝛿 = deformation
𝑃 = applied load, N
𝐿 = length, m
A = Area, m2
E = Young’s modulus, N/m2

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Section with varying cross sections

ith section
𝑃𝑖 𝐿𝑖
𝛿=෍
𝐴𝑖 𝐸𝑖

𝑃𝑑𝑥
𝛿=න
𝐴𝐸

Can be used when P and/or

A is a function of x
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Problem-I

50kN
100kN

Area = 50mm2 , Length =

Area = 100mm2 , Length =
80mm
200mm

Calculate the net deformation if E = 70 GPa

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A single axial load of magnitude P = 58 kN
is applied at end C of the brass rod ABC.
Knowing that E =105 GPa, determine the
diameter d of portion BC for which the
deflection of point C will be 3 mm.

d= 16.52 mm
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Both portions of the rod ABC are made of an
aluminum for which E=70 GPa. Knowing that the
magnitude of P is 4 kN, determine (a) the value of Q
so that the deflection at A is zero, (b) the
Q=32.8kN
corresponding deflection of B.
Δ_AB = 0.0728mm

The specimen shown has been cut from a 6-mm-thick sheet

of vinyl (E = 3 GPa) and is subjected to a 2000-N tensile
load. Determine (a) the total deformation of the specimen, (b)
the deformation of its central portion BC.
a.) 0.912 mm
b.) 0.556 mm
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Find the relation between P and FBC
P = 0.9509FBC
190 = FBC_1/A
6*10^ (-3) = FBC_2 L/(AE)

P = 0.9509 * min (FBC_1, FBC_2)

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Problem 8, 9, 10 and 11

Calculate the reactions at B and C

Calculate the deflection at a by noting that ABC remains

Calculate the displacements at B and C (in terms of P) straight and does not deform

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Members ABC and DEF are joined with steel links (E = 200 GPa).
Each of the links is made of a pair of 25 × 35-mm plates.
Determine the change in length of (a) member BE, (b) member
CF.
At what point (if any) in member ABC is the deflection zero?
Poisson’s Ratio

Stress in normal
direction is P/A
In other directions,
stress = 0

Can the same

be said about
strain?

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Poisson’s Ratio

• Answer is NO!

• Most materials suffer some transverse contraction when axial load is applied

Can we calculate the

transverse deformation by
assuming that the volume Area is not the same
remains constant?
Answer is again NO!

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Poisson’s ratio

• Mathematically,
𝑙𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑟𝑎𝑙 𝑠𝑡𝑟𝑎𝑖𝑛
𝜈=− y
𝑎𝑥𝑖𝑎𝑙 𝑠𝑡𝑟𝑎𝑖𝑛
Denoted by Greek letter, nu
Dimensionless x
𝜀𝑦
𝜈=−
𝜀𝑥

𝜈𝜎𝑥
𝜀𝑦 = 𝜈𝜀𝑥 =
𝐸

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Beer and Johnston, Problem 2.07

Calculate the Young’s modulus and Poisson’s ratio

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A line of slope 4:10 has been scribed on a cold-rolled yellow-brass plate, 150 mm wide and 6 mm thick.
Knowing that E = 105 GPa and v = 0.34, determine the slope of the line when the plate is subjected to a
200-kN centric axial load as shown.

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Problem

• Calculate change in AB, BC and AC. E= 200 GPa and nu = 0.3

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Strain for generalized loading

• Consider a general loading condition, ignoring shear stresses for the time being

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Continued

• Each applied load leads to

strain in axial direction and two
strains in transverse direction

𝜎𝑥 → 𝜀′𝑥 , −𝜈𝜀′𝑥 , −𝜈𝜀′𝑥

𝜎𝑦 → −𝜈𝜀′𝑦 , 𝜀′𝑦 , −𝜈𝜀′𝑦
𝜎𝑧 → −𝜈𝜀′𝑧 , −𝜈𝜀′𝑧 , 𝜀′𝑧

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Linear superposition

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Shear strain

• So far we have learnt how to deal with normal stresses

• What about shear stresses?

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Shear strain

• Shear stress causes deformation

as shown
• Change in angle γ is indicative of
the shear strain

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Shear strain
𝑥
𝛾=
𝐿

Same unit as other strains

Perpendicular lengths are of interest
Shear strain has no Poisson’s effect
Strictly speaking there should be
𝑥
tan(𝛾) =
𝐿
1 𝛿𝑢𝑥 𝛿𝑢𝑦
𝜈𝑥𝑦 = ( + )
𝜏𝑥𝑦 = 𝐺𝛾𝑥𝑦 2 𝛿𝑦 𝛿𝑥

𝜏𝑦𝑧 = 𝐺𝛾𝑦𝑧
𝜏𝑥𝑧 = 𝐺𝛾𝑥𝑧

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Problem

Deflection is 1.5 mm, determine

the shear modulus, P = 25 kN, if
the value of the Poisson’s ratio is
0.25, what is the Young’s
Modulus?

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Calculate shear strain at A,
Normal strain along AC and
BD
Relation between stress and strain

• Six components of strain can be calculated by these 6 formula if stresses are

known

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Generalized Hooke’s Law

𝜀𝑖𝑗 = 𝐶𝑖𝑗 𝜎𝑖𝑗

6 × 1 = 6 × 6 [6 × 1]

Derive the
stiffness matrix
Cij

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How does ductile material behave under tensile loading?

Imagine isotropic material is

represented by matrix of
circles

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Ductile failure

At low loads, the material

behave linearly

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Ductile failure

At higher loads, the material behavior is still

linear but resistance to deformation becomes
stronger

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Ductile failure

At yield stress, material begins to behave

differently, material begins to slide along
maximum shear plane
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Ductile failure

Relative motion between planes results in the material

deforming noticeably without increase in stress- Yield
point
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Ductile failure

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Brittle materials

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