Tutorial 03 Mechanics of Materials I (CE 201C)

1) A tensile test is performed on a brass specimen having a diameter of 10.0 mm. When the
tensile load reaches 20 kN, the distance between two gauges marks which was generally
50.0 mm is increased by 0.122 mm.
a) What is the modulus of elasticity 𝐸 of the brass? Clearly state any assumptions
you make.
b) If, at this load, the diameter decreases by 0.0083 mm what is the value of the
Poisson’s ratio?

2) 2-D rectangular element of linear elastic material and the associated x-y coordinate system
are shown in Fig. Q2(a). This element is subjected to a stress of 𝜎𝑥 along the x-direction
and a stress of 𝜎𝑦 along the y-direction. Denote the resulting strains along the x and y
directions by 𝜀𝑥 and 𝜀𝑦 . Using the principal of superposition show that the stress-strain
relations in this 2D case are given by:
1 1
𝜀𝑥 = (𝜎𝑥 − 𝑣𝜎𝑦 ); 𝜀𝑦 = (𝜎𝑦 − 𝑣𝜎𝑥 );
𝐸 𝐸
Where 𝐸 and 𝑣 are the Young’s modulus and the Poisson’s ratio of the material.

Fig. Q2(b) shows a rectangular block of material placed between two rigid vertical walls.
A vertical stress of s0 is applied on the top and the bottom faces. Determine:
a) the stress between the material and the walls, and
b) the strain in the material in the vertical direction.

σ0
y
σy

σx σx

σy
x σ 0

Fig. Q2(a) Fig. Q2(b)

3) Fig. Q3 shows a solid base in the shape of a truncated cone. It supports a load of 20
kN. The Young’s modulus of the material is 30.0 GPa. Calculate the shortening of
this base under the action of the load.

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Tutorial 03 Mechanics of Materials I (CE 201C)

20 kN

50

500
300
50

100

(Dimensions are in mm) (Dimensions are in mm)

Fig. Q3 Fig. Q4
4) A circular metal cylinder of diameter 50 mm and height 300 mm is held between two rigid
plates as shown is Fig. Q4. The plates are held firmly at a separation of 300 mm. The
temperature of the metal cylinder is raised by 50°C.
a) What is the force exerted on each end plate?
b) What is the change in the diameter of the cylinder?
(The Young s modulus 𝐸, Poisson’s ratio 𝜈. and the co-efficient of thermal
expansion 𝛼, of the metal are 200 GPa, 0.15, and 1 2 x 1O-6 /°C respectively.)

5) Shown in Fig. Q5 is a truncated cone

held firmly between two rigid end
plates. The height of the cone is H and ∆Tt
the radius changes from R at the top to
λR at the bottom. While the end plates R
are held firmly at a separation of H, the
temperatures at the top and the bottom H
of the cone are is raised by ∆Tt and ∆Tb
λR
respectively. Assuming that the
temperature variation along the cone is
linear estimate the force exerted on the ∆Tb
end plates.
Can we use this general result to obtain Fig. Q5
the answer to problem (4) above?

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