MECHANICS OF SOLIDS

MECHANICS OF SOLIDS

A substance which has definite shape and definite

volume is called solid.
Solids can be classified into two classes.
• Crystalline Solids : These are the solids in which
atoms or molecules are arranged in a regular pattern
e.g. quartz, mica, sugar, etc.
• Amorphous Solids : These are the solids in which
atoms or molecules are arranged in an irregular
pattern e.g. glass, rubber, etc.
These solids are also called glassy solids.
Elasticity
It is defined as the property of matter by virtue of
which it regains its original shape and size after the
removal of deforming force.

Elastic Body
A body that regains its original shape and size on the
removal of deforming force, within the elastic limit,
is called an elastic body.

Plastic Body
A body that doesn’t regain its original shape and size
after the removal of deforming force is called a
plastic body.
 Stress
It is defined as the restoring force per unit area set
up in the body when deformed by an external force.
Restoring Force
Stress = ,
Area

within the limit of elasticity.

Restoring force set up in the body is equal to the
applied external force, therefore,
Applied external force
Stress =
Area

 Normal Stress : It refers to the deforming force per

unit area acting normal to the surface of the body.
• Tensile stress – When there is increase in length of
the body in the direction of the applied force.
• Compressive stress – When there is decrease in
length of the body in the direction the applied force.

 Tangential Stress : It refers to the deforming force

acting per unit area tangential to the surface of the
body.
SI unit of stress is Nm-2 and CGS unit is dyne cm-2
and dimensional formula is [ML-1T-2].

Strain
It is defined as the ratio of the change in dimension
of the body to the original dimension of the body.
• It has no unit, therefore, it is dimensionless.
Strain is of three types :

 Longitudinal Strain : It is defined as the ratio of the

increase in length to the original length when a
deforming force is applied. It is also known as tensile
or linear strain i.e.
l
Longitudinal strain =
l
 Volumetric Strain : It is defined as the ratio of the
change in volume to the original volume when a
deforming force is applied.
V
Volumetric strain = -
V
 -ve sign shows the decrease in volume on applying
deforming force.
 Shearing Strain : It is defined as the angle through
which a line initially perpendicular to the fixed face
gets turned on applying a tangential deforming force.
Shearing strain = 
= angle of shear
l
=
L F
l

L
 Hooke’s Law:
It states that within the limit of elasticity, stress is
directly proportional to strain, i.e.
stress  strain
stress = constant  strain
stress
or = constant
strain

where, this constant is called ‘coefficients of

elasticity ’.
The coefficients of elasticity are of three types :
 Young’s modulus : It is defined as the ratio of normal
stress to the longitudinal strain.
It is represented by Y.
Normal stress
Y =
Longitudinal strain
F/A l
 Y =
l/l

F/A
 Y =
A l l

It ‘r ’ be the radius of cylindrical F

wire, then area, A = r 2.
Fl
 Y =
 r 2 l
 where, F = external normal force
l = change in length
l = original lengths

Its unit is Nm-2 in SI system and dyne cm-2 in CGS

system.
1Nm-2 = 10dyne cm-2

 Bulk Modulus : It is defined as the ratio of normal

stress to the volumetric strain and is represented by
K.
Normal stress
K =
Volumetric strain
 F/A
 K =
V/V
F
-ve sign shows the decrease in volume V
Also, F = Pressure applied on the sphere.
A
PV
 K =-
V

Its unit is Nm-2 in SI system. l

Compressibility : It is (V -V)
defined as the reciprocal of
the bulk modulus of a
material.
It is denoted by ‘B’.
1
 B= l
K F

PV
 B= 
V L 

Its SI unit is N-1 m2.

Modulus of Rigidity : It is defined as the ratio of the

tangential stress to the shearing strain and is
represented by ‘’.
Tangential stress
=
Shearing strain
 F/A
 =

F
 =
A
If the body is a cube of side ‘L’, then we have,
A = L2
l
 =
L
Thrust or Tension Developed in a metal rod clamped
at both the ends when temperature is changed :
Consider a metallic rod of length L, having area of
cross-section A. Let Y be the Young’s modulus and
the coefficient of linear expansion of the metallic rod.
When the temperature of the metallic rod is
increased by t C, then according to thermal linear
expansion, change in length of the metallic rod,
L = Lt
If ‘F ’ be the tension
developed in it at its fixed L
ends, then we can write,
F/A
Y=
L/L
F/A
 Y=
t
or F =YAt
 Stress- Strain Curve
During testing of a material
sample, the stress–strain
curve is a graphical
representation of the
relationship between stress,
derived from measuring the
load applied on the sample,
and strain, derived from
measuring the deformation of
the sample, i.e. elongation,
compression, or distortion.
The nature of the curve varies from material to material.
 If we begin from origin and follows the graph a
number of points are indicated.

• Point A: At origin, there is no initial stress or strain in

the test piece. Upto point A Hooke's Law is obeyed
according to which Stress is directly proportional to
Strain. That's why the point A is also known as
proportional limit. This straight line region is known
as Elastic Region and the material can regain its
original shape after removal of load.

• Point B: The portion of the curve between AB is not a

straight line and strain increases faster than stress at
all points on the curve beyond point A.
 Point B is the point after which any continuous stress
results in permanent, or inelastic deformation. Thus,
point B is known as the elastic limit or yield point.

• Point C & D: Beyond the point B, the material goes to

the plastic stage till the point C is reached. At this
point the cross- sectional area of the material starts
decreasing and the stress decreases to point D. At
point D the work piece changes its length with a little
or without any increase in stress upto point E.

• Point E: Point E indicates the location of the value of

the ultimate stress.
 The portion DEis called the yielding of the material at
constant stress. From point E onwards, the strength
of the material increases and requires more stress
for deformation, until point F is reached.

• Point F: A material is considered to have completely

failed once it reaches the ultimate stress. The point
of fracture, or the actual tearing of the material,
does not occur until point F. The point F is also called
Ultimate Point or Fracture Point.

• Features of Stress Strain Curve

Features of Stress Strain Curve varies for different
types of materials i.e. Ductile and Brittle.
Features for Ductile Material: The capacity of being
drawn out plastically (permanently) before fracture
is called the ductility of the material. In case of
ductility the material obeys the Hooke's Law and
take time for fracture. In ductile material stress
strain curve the plastic region is long and material
will bear more strain before Fracture.
Features for Brittle Material: Materials which show
very small or negligible elongation before they
fracture are called brittle materials for e.g., Cast
Iron, Tool steel, concrete etc. They get fractured in
two or more parts without any prior notice. In brittle
material stress strain curve the plastic region is
small and the strength is high.
Energy Stored in a Stretched Wire : Consider a wire
of length L having an area of cross section ‘A ’ being
suspended from a fixed rigid support. When the
change in length of the wire is l, force acting on it is
F. Then, amount of work done on the wire in
stretching its length gets stored in it in the form of
potential energy. For a very small change in length,
F/A
Y=
l/L
YAl
or F=
L
or F  l
Now, the average force on the wire in stretching the
wire o+ F
= = F/ 2
2
The amount of work done in increasing its length by
l,
W = Force  increase in length in the direction of
force
F
= l
2
 Potential Energy stored in the wire is,
U =W
1
 U = F l
2
Also, potential energy (U ) stored in the wire per unit
volume (V ),
U 1 F l
=
V 2 AL
U 1
or = stress × strain
V 2
U 1
= Y ×  strain 
2
or
V 2
Thus, work done per unit volume in stretching a wire
for all types of strain
1
= × stress × strain
2
Example 1:
The following four wires are made of the same
material. Which of these will have the largest
extension when the same tension is applied ?
(a) length = 50 cm, Diameter = 0.5 mm
(b) length = 100 cm, diameter = 1 mm
(c) length = 200 cm, diameter = 2 mm
(d) length = 300 cm, diameter = 3 mm.

Solution 1. We should express l in terms of L and

diameter.
FL FL where D = Diameter of wire.
Y= = ,
Al D 
2
  l
 Al 
 4F  L  L
 L    (constant) 2
 Y  D 2  D
L 50
In (a),   2  10 4
cm 1

D2  0.05 2

L 100 1
In (b),   10 4
cm
D2  0.12

L 200 1
In (c),   5  103
cm
D2  0.2 2
L 300 300 100 1
In (d),   =3.3  103
cm
D2  0.3 2 9
 L is maximum in case (a).
Example 2:
The Young’s modulus of brass and steel are
respectively 1.0  1011 Nm-2 and 2.0  1011 Nm-2. A
brass wire and a steel wire of the same length are
extended by 1 mm each under the same force. If radii
of brass and steel wires are RB and RS respectively,
then, find the relation between RB and RS.
FL FL
Solution 2. As we know that L  
Y. A Y.  R 2
As F, L and L are same hence,
hence, Y. R2 = a( constant)
 2.0 1011 R s2  1.0 1011 R 2 B
RB
 RS =
2
Thank You…