16:635:513 MECHANICAL BEHAVIOR OF MATERIALS

Problem Set 2: due Thursday September 30, 2021 at start of lecture

Instructions: Start each question at the top of a new sheet and show all of your work. Put a box
around your final answer to each part of question.

1. An hexagonal silicon carbide (SiC) crystal is deformed by the following stress state when
expressed in the crystallographic coordinate system:

100 −20 5
𝛔 = #−20 −150 500) MPa
5 500 0

in the crystallographic coordinate system. What is the resulting strain state using the
anisotropic elastic constants given in Meyers and Chawla? Express the strain state as a matrix.
Suppose that the stress is suddenly reduced by a factor of 2.5; without doing any additional
arithmetic, describe how the new state of strain relates to the old state of strain and why.

2. Consider the pair potential:

𝐴 𝐵
𝑈=− !
+ "
𝑟 𝑟
Given that the atoms form a stable molecule at a separation r = r0, with a binding energy U =
U0, derive:
(a) the expressions for the constants A and B in terms of m, n, r0, and U0
(b) the expression for the stiffness S = df/dr of the bond at r0, where f is the force between the
atoms (express in terms of m, n, r0, and U0)
(c) the expression for the distance rc of the maximum tensile force (needed to break the bond
between atoms) (express in terms of m, n, r0, and U0)

3. For problems with cylindrical symmetry, it is common to express the stress tensor using
cylindrical coordinates with basis vectors er (pointing in the radial direction), eq (pointing in
the angular direction), and ez.
(a) Determine the change-of-basis matrix Q for a transformation from cylindrical to Cartesian
(x-y-z) coordinates.

For the questions below, assume that the solid is isotropically elastic with Young’s modulus E
and Poisson’s ratio ν. Also assume plane strain conditions (meaning that ezz = erz = eqz = 0).
Given the stress field expression below for an infinite elastic solid containing a pressurized
cylindrical hole:
 (b) Find the corresponding strain field. Express the strain field in Cartesian (x-y-z)
components.
(c) Verify that the displacement field ur = C/r, uθ = 0 is consistent with the strain field, and
express the coefficient C in terms of A, E, and n. In cylindrical coordinates, the following
relationships hold between displacements and strains:

4. Viscoelastic material models are often developed on the basis of viscous dampers (dashpots)
and elastic springs. These are drawn as shown below and the relationship between stress (σ)
and strain (ε) for each is: dashpot (left) σ = η(dε/dt); spring (right) σ = Eε.

They can be put together in various combinations, two examples are shown by (i) and (ii).
When construction material models in this way, the following assumptions are made:
1) The stress s in each “chunk” of the system that is in series is the same.
2) The strain from each chunk sums together to produce the total strain e.
3) The strain for any components in parallel (within a chunk) is the same.

Consider the response of a material under creep loading, where at t = 0 a constant stress of s
= 10 MPa is applied and held.

(a) For configurations (i) and (ii), what is the strain at t = 0 immediately after the stress is
applied?
(b) For configurations (i) and (ii), what is the strain at t®¥?
(c) For configuration (i), determine an ordinary differential equation relating s, e, ds /dt, and
de /dt. After a period of 100 seconds the strain is 3% and after 200 seconds the strain is
4%. Using your ODE, determine the values of η and E for the dashpot and spring.
(d) Configuration (ii) uses two springs and a dashpot with the same properties as in part (b).
As with part (a), obtain a governing ODE for this configuration relating s, e, ds /dt, and
de /dt.

(i)

(ii)