Mechanics of Material

Experiment#02
Objective:
To investigate the relationship between shear stress and shear strain for rubber and
determine the modulus of rigidity of the material.

Apparatus:
1. Modulus of rigidity of rubber apparatus
2. Hangers and weights
3. Steel rule
4. Dial indicator

Construction:
A rubber block of 12*4*1 inch is bonded to two aluminum alloy plates. One plate is screwed to a
wall and the other has a shear load applied by a loaded weight hanger. A dial gauge measures the
deflection of the block. In this project, we are going to study the deformation of the rubber block by
carrying out an experiment. A rubber block is hang fixed to the wall with one side is screwed to the wall
and the other side has a shear load applied by loaded weight hanger. The side of rubber block which is
fixed to the wall is assumed to have zero displacement.

Theory:
The force which tends to cut off or parts off one portion of the component from the other is called shear
force. Stresses produced on the area under stress, due to shearing forces, are called Shearing stresses.
Shearing stress is denoted by toe with a unit newton per square meter or pascal or pounds per square
inch.
While the shearing strain is the angle of distortion. It is represented by

With the shear stress and shear strain is identified, the modulus of rigidity can be obtained as it is the
constant of proportionality relating shear stress and shear strain represented by G. It’s units are Newton
per square meter or Pascal or pounds per square inch.

Let us consider a deformation of a rectangular block where the forces acting on the block are known to
be shearing stresses as shown in the figure.

The change of the angle at the corner of an originally rectangular element is defined as the shear strain.
Let,

Ps= Shearing load or force acting on the body

L= length of the body

A= area under shear = l*t

t= Shear stress induced in the body

G= modulus of rigidity for the material of the body

Γ= Shear strain produced

δs= Deformation of the body

From the figure,

Cc = Dd = δs = Shear Deformation

tan Γ =Dd/BD = δs/w

For smaller angles:

Tan Γ = Γ = Shear Strain = δs/w

From the information in (i),(ii) and (iii):

G = t/ Γ

Or ,

G = (Ps/ δs) (w/ l*t)

Procedure:
1. Set the dial indicator so that its anvil rests on the top of the loading plate.
2. Set the dial indicator at zero.
3. With the hanger in position apply a load to the hanger and read the vertical displacement of the
loading plate relative to the fixing plate from the dial indicator.
 4. Repeat the experiment for increasing load and record the vertical displacement of the loading
plate in each case.
5. Unload and note the corresponding readings with the load decreasing.
6. Calculate the ‘Modulus of Rigidity (G)’ of the rubber material.

Objectives:
1. To measure the shearing stress for the rubber.
2. To measure the shearing strain for the rubber.
3. To determine the relation between them.
4. To determine the modulus of rigidity of the rubber.
5. Compare the value with the value obtained from the graph.

Observation and Calculation:

Length of rubber block (l) = 12.7 in

Width of rubber block (w) = 4.1 in

Thickness of rubber block = 1.25 in

Least count of dial indicator = 0.001 in

No. of Load Shear Deformation δs (in) Shear Shear Modulus of Rigidity

Observatio Ps Stress Strain
n
(lbs) Loading Unloadin Average t= Γ = G= t/ Γ G(psi)
g (Ps/ δs/w (psi) From
l*t) graph

1. 0 0 0.02 0.01 0 0.0024 0 0.1425

2. 1 1 2 1.5 0.062 0.3658 0.1714
5
3. 2 2 23.5 2.75 0.125 0.6707 0.1869
4
4. 3 3.9 5.2 4.55 0.188 1.1097 0.1694
5. 4 6.9 7.2 7.05 0.251 1.7195 0.1464
9
6. 5 8.6 8.6 8.6 0.314 2.0975 0.1501
9

Graph:
Slope= delta y / delta x = (0.188-0.1254) / (1.1097-0.6707) = 0.1425 psi
 Stress-strain curve
0.35

0.3

0.25

0.2

0.15

0.1

0.05

0
0 0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5

Factor affecting:
 Human error
 Instrumental inaccuracy error
 Environmental factors (temperature, humidity, pressure etc)

Conclusion:
From the stress-strain curve we have concluded that stress varies proportionally to the strain which can
be used to measure all the structural load ability of materials and hence rubber. It enables us to find out
how much force a material can withstand with regard to the cross-section used without deforming
permanently.

Modulus of rigidity can be used to find out the young’s modulus of the rubber using formula E=G(1+v).