CE2103: MECHANICS OF SOLIDS/UNIT-1/MODULE-1/INTRODUCTION
General Introduction:
Statics and Dynamics are concerned about the effects of external forces on a rigid body
where the deformation of the body is neglected. Where as, Mechanics of materials or
Mechanics of solids deal with the bodies which are subjected to deformation or the
change of physical shape under the effects of external load. In this area of study the
internal effects due to the deformations are analyzed. These internal effects and
deformation play an important role in designing the members or the components of the
body.
A structure should be able to perform the expected functions under a system of
external loads. To assess the performance of the building structures the effects of the
external loads on the structure as a whole as well as on individual components or
parts of the structure must be analyzed.
Different types of Structures:
1. Building Structures:
Different types of loading on a building structure:
• Loads from the external environment, such as, wind load, earthquake load
etc.
• Load due to machineries, furniture, human beings etc.
• Loads due to the weights of different parts of the structures itself which is
termed as the self-weight.
Purpose of the analysis of building structures:
• Checking its performance against structural failure.
• Checking its performance against serviceability conditions.
• Checking for structural stability.
2 Bridge structure:
In addition to the loads from the external environment and the self-weight a
bridge structure are subjected to the loads due to the movement of water and the
vehicular load which is dynamic in nature.
3 Spacecraft structure:
Other than the self weight this structure may come under the loading for the
movement of the spacecraft.
The body material of such a structure should be such that the whole structure
should be lighter in nature.
4 Machine structure:
Dynamic loading due to the movement of different parts of the machine is the
predominant load in a machine structure in addition to the self weight.
* Appropriate sizing of different parts of a structure is necessary to safely withstand
the applied forces (loading) on them at an optimal cost.
Design consideration:
The following points needed to be considered while designing a structure,
• Safety against failure.
• Checking the stability and the serviceability conditions.
• Cost effectiveness.
* It is essential to study the behavior of the material from the strength and
deformation point of view as well as characterization of different kinds of forces, which
cause different types of forces in the material.
The subject, which deals with the analytical determination of strength,
deformation characteristics (stiffness) and stability of different members of a
structure and the structure as a whole is designated as ‘Strength of Materials’/
‘Mechanics of Solids’.
3 ‘S’ of ‘Strength of Materials’:
- Strength.
- Stiffness.
- Stability.
Historical Background:
• Galileo Galilei- Early part of 17th century.
• Leonhard Euler (1707-1783)- developed the theory of columns.
• French investigators- Cauchy, Navier, Poisson, Coulomb, St. Venant and
others.
Specific Instructional Objectives:
• On completion of the course one should be able to understand:
1. The classification of different kinds of forces that structural components
(parts) are subjected to.
2. Effects of different forces on such components and their solution
techniques.
3. Different types of stresses and deformations that develop due to forces.
Scope:
• The scope of this course includes:
1. Identification of different types of forces that the structural components
are subjected to.
2. Systematic evaluation of effects of these forces on structural components.
Approach:
• Mainly confined to material useful in engineering application.
• Laws of Newtonian Mechanics that govern the equilibrium of
forces.
• Essential to know the mechanical characteristics of the material
with which the member is fabricated.
Units:
SI units will be used in the course
The basic units in this system are,
• Meter (m) for length.
• Kilogram (kg) for mass.
• Second (s) for time.
Derived Units:
Hence the derived units are,
Area → L(m) × L(m) → m 2
Velocity → L / T → m / s
Acceleration → L / T 2 → m / s 2
Force( P ) → Mass (kg ) × Acceleration ( m / s 2 ) → kg .m / s 2 → Newton( N )
kN → 103 × N
MN → 106 × N
P
Stress → → N / m 2 → Pa
A
3
kPa → 10 × Pa
MPa → 106 × Pa
GPa → 109 × Pa
1N / mm 2 = 106 × N / m 2 = 106 × Pa = 1MPa
Body force:
The body forces act throughout the body and associated with the unit of volume of the
body.
• Gravitational force
• Inertia force
• Magnetic force
Surface forces:
The surface forces act on the surface or area elements of a body. A Surface force may be
a concentrated force or a distributed force.
• Surface Traction
When the surface forces act on the boundary of a body these are called as surface
traction.
Internal forces:
• Free-Body Diagrams
Active and reactive forces keep a body in equilibrium condition.
The external and internal forces keep a body part in equilibrium condition.
Concept of Stresses:
• Definition of Stress – Normal Stress
∆P
Stress = Lim (Stress at a point)
∆A→ 0 ∆A
∆Px
Stress at a point in the ' x ' direction, τ xx = Lim
∆A→ 0 ∆A
∆Py
Stress at a point in the ' y ' direction, τ xy = Lim
∆A→ 0 ∆A
∆P
Stress at a point in the ' z ' direction, τ xz = Lim z
∆A →0 ∆A
The symbol 'τ ' signifies ‘normal stress’, which is either tensile or compressive in nature,
when its two subscripts are same, otherwise it signifies ‘shear stresses’. Hence, the
normal stress acts perpendicular to the plane, whereas, shear stress acts parallel to the
plane.
Stresses multiplied by the respective areas on which they act give forces. At a section the
vector sum of these forces, known as stress resultants keeps a body in equilibrium. In a
problem of ‘strength of materials’ we are interested to evaluate the stress resultants and
from those stress resultants we compute the values of the stresses in a body which are
subjected to different kind of loads.
Example 1:
Draw Free-Body Diagram
Solution:
Example 2:
Draw Free-Body Diagram
Solution:
Summary:
This lesson included,
• A general idea about the scope of the subject.
• Typical application areas.
• Concept of different forces.
• Concept of free-body diagrams.
• Concept of stress.
Question Set:
• What are the units of ‘Force’ and ‘stress’?
• What is the definition of ‘Normal stresses?
• What is meant by ‘Free-body diagram’?
• What are the axioms on which behavior of deformable member subjected to
forces depend?
