Assignments

1. Describe the similarities and the differences between a plane stress problem and a plane strain
problem.
Answer

2. The state of stress in a rectangular plate under uniform biaxial loading, as shown in the
following figure, is found to be
X
ij 0
0

0
Y
0

0
0
0

Determine the traction vector and the normal and shearing stresses on the oblique plane S.

ANSWERS

3. For the case of pure shear, the stress matrix is given by

0 0
ij 0 0
0 0 0

where

is a given constant. Determine the principal stresses and directions.

ANSWERS

4. A two-dimensional problem of a rectangular bar stretched by uniform end loadings results in the
following constant strain field: x C1 , y C2 and xy 0 ,where C1 and C2 are constants.
Assuming the field depends only on x and y, integrate the strain-displacement relations to
determine the displacement components and identify any rigid-body motion terms.

3
3
5. Show that the following strain field: x Ay , y Ax and xy 2 Bxy ( x y )

gives continuous, single-valued displacements in a simply connected region

only if the constants are related by A

2
B
3

6. Express all boundary conditions for each of the problems illustrated in the following figure.

Answer

7. Saint-Venants principle allows particular boundary conditions to be replaced by their

equivalent resultant. For problems (b),(d), and (f) in exercise 6, the support boundaries that had
fixed displacement conditions can be modified to specify the statically equivalent reaction
loadings. Develop the resultant loadings over the fixed boundaries for each of these cases.
Answer

2
2
2
2
2
2
8. Given the following stress state: x C y ( x y ) , y C x ( y x ) ,

z C ( x 2 y 2 ) , xy 2C xy , yz zx 0
Discuss why this stress state may not be a solution of a problem in elasticity.

9. Explicitly show that the fourth order polynomial Airy stress function ax 4 bx 2 y 2 cy 4 will not
satisfy the bi-harmonic equation unless 3a b 3c 0 .

10. Examine that the function a ( x 4 y 4 ) (a>0) may be used as stress function. Derive the

h/2

stress components and determine the surface forces acting on the edges of the rectangular plate
shown below (Body forces are not involved).

h/2

l/2

l/2
y

11. A beam, as shown in the figure, is subjected to pure bending in a plane stress state. The
solution to the problem in terms of Airy stress function is given by ay 3 . (1) Express the
constant a in terms of the applied bending moment M. (2) Find the expressions for the stresses. (2)
Find the expressions for the strains. (2) Find the expressions for the displacements.
y
t
h

12 A thin square plate has in it stresses x Cy and y Cx , and possibly some shearing
stresses xy . Determine the stresses and displacements.

y
b

b
x

13. The cantilever beam shown in the figure is subjected to distributed shearing forces with
resultant force FP on the right face. Determine the stresses and displacements of the beam without
considering the self weight. Using plane stress theory and thickness of the beam is unit 1.

h/2

h/2

x
FP
l
y

14. Through a shrink-fit process, a rigid solid cylinder of radius r1 is to be inserted into the
hollow cylinder of inner radius r1 and outer radius r2 (as shown in the following figure). This
process creates a displacement boundary condition ur (r1 ) . The outer surface of the hollow
cylinder is to remain stress free. Assuming plane strain conditions, determine the resulting stress
field within the cylinder ( r1 r r2 ).

15. A long composite cylinder is subjected to the external pressure loading as shown. Assuming
idealized perfect bonding between the materials, the normal stress and displacement will be
continuous across the interface r r1 . Under these conditions, determine the stress and
displacement fields in each material.