What you should know
Before you start with this unit, you should be able to do
the following:
• Determine the modulus of rigidity of a material.
• Derive and apply the torsion formula.
• Draw a free-body diagram.
• Apply the conditions for static equilibrium.
Expected Outcomes
Upon completion of this unit, you should be able to do
the following:
• Derive and apply a formula for the shear stress in a close-
coiled helical spring subjected to a load.
• Define strain energy.
• Derive and apply a formula for the deflection of a close-
coiled helical spring subjected to a load.
• Derive and apply a formula for the proof resilience of a
close-coiled helical spring.
• Derive and apply a formula for the stiffness of a close-
coiled helical spring.
• Design a system containing compound springs.
Chapter 5
Close-coiled helical springs
Assumptions:
(1) It will be assumed that the torsion formula (4.3) is
applicable to this problem. Hence the equations
derived in this chapter will be approximate since the
torsion formula was established for straight shafts. It
also follows that the equations should only be used on
springs manufactured from round wire.
(2) The spring is assumed to be close-coiled so that the
plane of each coil of the spring is perpendicular to the line
of action of the applied load. Hence it may be assumed
that the spring is subjected to pure torsion and that the
effect of the bending moment and shear force in the wire is
negligible.
Maximum shear stress
Let the close-coiled helical spring have a mean coil diameter D
and a wire diameter d, and let there be n free coils. The spring
is subjected to an axial load W.
D = Mean coil diameter
d = Wire diameter
n = Free coils
l = Length of wire
= Axial deflection
The torque at any section through the wire
T = axial load x radius of the coils
D
T W
2
T
J r
T
r
J
D
W
2 d
d4 2
32
8WD
3
d
Angle of twist
The length of wire that will be subjected to the torque caused by
the application of an axial load is equal to the length of wire in
each coil multiplied by the number of coils.
.'. Length of wire The total angle of twist over this length of wire
T Gθ
J l
Tl
θ
JG
D
W πDn
θ 2
π
G d4
32
16WD 2 n
θ 4
rad
Gd
Deflection
D
δ θ
2
D 16WD 2 n
δ
2 Gd 4
8WD 3 n
δ
Gd 4
8WD 3 n
δ
Gd 4
Stiffness of a spring
The stiffness S of a spring is the load required to cause unit deflection
of the spring.
W
s
δ
W
s
8WD 3 n
Gd 4
Gd 4
s
8D 3 n
Strain Energy
Consider the load-extension graph of an elastic material. If a load W causes an
extension , then the work done in stretching the material, termed the strain energy U, is
represented by the shaded area under the load-extension graph.
1
U Wδ
2
1 8WD3 n
U W
2 Gd 4
4W 2 D 3 n
U
Gd 4
2
8WD Dnd 2 π 2
U
πd3 16G
τ2 π 2
U πDn d
4G 4
τ2
U Volume
4G
Springs joined in series
If W1, and W2 are the loads carried by springs 1 and 2 respectively and 1 and 2,
are the resulting deflections, then:
δ tot δ1 δ 2
W W1 W2
If U1 and U2 are the strain energies in
springs 1 and 2 respectively, then:
U tot U1 U 2
Let S be the stiffness of the compound spring and S1 and S2 the stiffness of spring 1
and 2 respectively.
δ tot δ1 δ2
W W W
1 1 1
s s1 s2
1 S2 S1
S S1 S 2
S1 S2
S
S1 S2
Springs in parallel
W W1 W2
δ tot δ1 δ2
U tot U1 U 2
S S1 S2
