DEPARTMENT OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERING

JORHAT ENGINEERING COLLEGE, JORHAT-785 007, ASSAM

MODULE 2: Combined Stresses

2.1 Axial Load and Torsion:

Let us consider an element which is subjected to a perfect axial load and torsion
simultaneously as shown in the Figure 2.1.

Let us assumed that, the element has circular cross-section as shown in the Figure 2.1 (a) and
(b). in case of axial compressive load, it should be careful that the member is not too long and
slender, such that the axial load does not produce buckling effect of the member.

Figure 2.1 Circular shaft subjected to torsion and axial load

Due to the combined loading as shown, any small element on the component is subjected to
the stress state which can be shown in the Figure 2.2. it is clear from the figure that the stress
state is two-dimensional: 𝜎𝑥𝑥 due to load 𝑃 and 𝜏𝑥𝑦 due to torque, 𝑇.

Figure 2.2 Stress on any small element due to torsion and axial loading

We know that, for plane stress we can find the maximum normal stress, (𝜎𝑛 )𝑚𝑎𝑥 and
maximum shear stress, 𝜏𝑚𝑎𝑥 for the element as given by

𝟏
(𝝈𝒏 )𝒎𝒂𝒙 = [𝝈 + √𝝈𝒙𝒙 𝟐 + 𝟒𝝉𝒙𝒚 𝟐 ] … 𝟐. 𝟏(𝒂)
𝟐 𝒙𝒙

𝟏
𝝉𝒎𝒂𝒙 = √𝝈𝒙𝒙 𝟐 + 𝟒𝝉𝒙𝒚 𝟐 … 𝟐. 𝟏(𝒃)
𝟐

Now, axial stress due to axial load 𝑃 (tensile or compressive) is given by

𝐿𝑜𝑎𝑑 𝑃
𝜎𝑥𝑥 = =
𝐴𝑟𝑒𝑎 𝜋𝑑 2
4

Module 2: Combined Stresses Page 1

 DEPARTMENT OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERING
JORHAT ENGINEERING COLLEGE, JORHAT-785 007, ASSAM

4𝑃
∴ 𝜎𝑥𝑥 = [𝑤ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑒, 𝑑 = 𝑑𝑖𝑎𝑚𝑒𝑡𝑒𝑟 𝑜𝑓 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑠𝑜𝑙𝑖𝑑 𝑠ℎ𝑎𝑓𝑡]
𝜋𝑑 2
Again, shear stress due to torsion, 𝑇 is given by

𝜏𝑥𝑦 𝑇 𝜋𝑑 4
= [𝑤ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑒, 𝐽 = 𝑃𝑜𝑙𝑎𝑟 𝑀𝑜𝑚𝑒𝑛𝑡 𝑜𝑓 𝐼𝑛𝑒𝑟𝑡𝑖𝑎 = ]
𝑑 𝐽 32
2
16𝑇
∴ 𝜏𝑥𝑦 =
𝜋𝑑 3
In case of hollow circular shaft of outside diameter 𝑑𝑜 and inside diameter 𝑑𝑖 , the induced
axial stress and shear stress will be

4𝑃 16𝑇𝑑𝑜
𝜎𝑥𝑥 = 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝜏𝑥𝑦 =
𝜋(𝑑𝑜 2 − 𝑑𝑖 2 ) 𝜋(𝑑𝑜 4 − 𝑑𝑖 4 )

2.2 Axial Load and Bending:

Let us consider a rectangular element subjected to combined effect of a perfectly axial load
𝑃 (can be tensile or compressive) and a bending moment 𝑀 as shown in the Figure 2.3.

Figure 2.3 Rectangular element subjected to axial load and bending moment

Though, here a rectangular section is shown, any section can be used.

Now, maximum normal stress, (𝜎𝑛 )𝑚𝑎𝑥 and maximum shear stress, 𝜏𝑚𝑎𝑥 for the element are
given by
𝑃 𝑀
(𝜎𝑛 )𝑚𝑎𝑥 = ± ( + )
𝐴 𝑍
𝑤ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑒, 𝐴 = 𝐶𝑟𝑜𝑠𝑠 𝑠𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛𝑎𝑙 𝑎𝑟𝑒𝑎 𝑜𝑓 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑠𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 = 𝑏ℎ

𝑏ℎ2 𝐴ℎ
𝑍 = 𝑆𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝑀𝑜𝑑𝑢𝑙𝑢𝑠 = = 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑟𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑔𝑢𝑙𝑎𝑟 𝑠𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛
6 6
𝑷 𝟔𝑴
∴ (𝝈𝒏 )𝒎𝒂𝒙 = ± ( + ) … 𝟐. 𝟐(𝒂)
𝑨 𝑨𝒉
[+ 𝑠𝑖𝑔𝑛 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑡𝑒𝑛𝑠𝑖𝑙𝑒 𝑎𝑛𝑑 − 𝑠𝑖𝑔𝑛 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑐𝑜𝑚𝑝𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑠𝑖𝑣𝑒 𝑠𝑡𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑠]

Module 2: Combined Stresses Page 2

 DEPARTMENT OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERING
JORHAT ENGINEERING COLLEGE, JORHAT-785 007, ASSAM

And,

𝟏
𝝉𝒎𝒂𝒙 = (𝝈 ) … 𝟐. 𝟐(𝒃)
𝟐 𝒏 𝒎𝒂𝒙

2.3 Bending and Twisting:

Let us consider an element of circular cross-section which is subjected to simultaneously

bending and torsion as shown in the Figure 2.4 (a). Any element on the shaft such as P and Q,
as shown in the Figure 2.4 (b) will be subjected to stress state as shown in the Figure 2.4 (c).

Figure 2.4 A circular shaft subjected to bending and twisting with its stress state

For a solid circular shaft of diameter 𝑑, the bending stress, 𝜎𝑥𝑥 and the shearing stress, 𝜏𝑥𝑦
due to bending moment 𝑀 and twisting moment 𝑇, respectively are

𝑀 𝑀 32𝑀
𝜎𝑥𝑥 = = =
𝑍 𝜋𝑑3 𝜋𝑑 3
32
𝑇 𝑇 16𝑇
𝜏𝑥𝑦 = = =
𝑍𝑝 𝜋𝑑 3 𝜋𝑑 3
16
For any hollow circular shaft of inside diameters 𝑑𝑖 and outside diameters 𝑑𝑜 , the bending
stress, 𝜎𝑥𝑥 and the shearing stress, 𝜏𝑥𝑦 due to bending moment 𝑀 and twisting moment 𝑇,
respectively are

32𝑀𝑑𝑜
𝜎𝑥𝑥 =
𝜋(𝑑𝑜 4 − 𝑑𝑖 4 )

16𝑇𝑑𝑜
𝜏𝑥𝑦 =
𝜋(𝑑𝑜 4 − 𝑑𝑖 4 )

Module 2: Combined Stresses Page 3

 DEPARTMENT OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERING
JORHAT ENGINEERING COLLEGE, JORHAT-785 007, ASSAM

Now, considering as a solid shaft the maximum principal stress is given by

𝜎𝑥𝑥 𝜎𝑥𝑥 2 2
(𝜎𝑛 )𝑚𝑎𝑥 = + √( ) + (𝜏𝑥𝑦 )
2 2

16𝑀 16𝑀 2 16𝑇 2

= √
+ ( 3 ) + ( 3)
𝜋𝑑 3 𝜋𝑑 𝜋𝑑

16
= [𝑀 + √𝑀2 + 𝑇 2 ]
𝜋𝑑3
32 1
= × [𝑀 + √𝑀2 + 𝑇 2 ]
𝜋𝑑3 2
32
∴ (𝜎𝑛 )𝑚𝑎𝑥 = 𝑀
𝜋𝑑 3 𝑒
Where,

1
𝑀𝑒 = [𝑀 + √𝑀2 + 𝑇 2 ]
2
= 𝐸𝑞𝑢𝑖𝑣𝑎𝑙𝑒𝑛𝑡 𝐵𝑒𝑛𝑑𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑀𝑜𝑚𝑒𝑛𝑡

Again, considering as a solid shaft the maximum shearing stress is given by

𝜎𝑥𝑥 2 2
(𝝉)𝒎𝒂𝒙 = √( ) + (𝜏𝑥𝑦 )
2

16𝑀 2 16𝑇 2
√
= ( 3 ) + ( 3)
𝜋𝑑 𝜋𝑑

16
= [√𝑀2 + 𝑇 2 ]
𝜋𝑑3
16
= [√𝑀2 + 𝑇 2 ]
𝜋𝑑3
16
∴ (𝝉)𝑚𝑎𝑥 = 𝑇
𝜋𝑑3 𝑒
Where,

𝑇𝑒 = √𝑀2 + 𝑇 2

= 𝐸𝑞𝑢𝑖𝑣𝑎𝑙𝑒𝑛𝑡 𝑇𝑤𝑖𝑠𝑡𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑀𝑜𝑚𝑒𝑛𝑡

Module 2: Combined Stresses Page 4