UNIT-I

COMPOUND BARS: COMPOSITE SECTIONS

A structural member, composed of two or more elements of different materials rigidly connected
together at their ends to form a parallel arrangement and subjected to axial loading is termed a compound
bar. Such a section is also known as composite section. Such a problem is statically indeterminate, since
equation of statics alone based on conditions of equilibrium, will provide only one equation for the stresses
in the individual sections. Other equation can be obtained from the consideration of the deformation of the
whole structure.
Consider the effect of a compressive load P upon a composite bar consisting of a rod and enveloping
tube having the same length, but made of different material. Let the end collars be rigid. Let us use suffix 1
for the rod and 2 for the tube.
From the conditions of equilibrium,
P1 + P2 = P …….. (i)
Since the members are of the same initial length and are shortened by the same amount under load,
∆1 = ∆2
P1L1 = P2L2 ……. (ii)
A1E1 A2E2
The second equation is known as the equation of compatibility.

……… (iii)
EQUIVALENT MODULUS OF A COMPOUND RAR
Fig(a). shows a compound bar of length L, consisting of two materials of modulus E1 and E2 and having
areas of cross-section A1 & A2. The equivalent bar, of length L and made up of a material having modulus E
and cross-sectional area A= A1 + A2, is shown in Fig(b). Such equivalent bar should have the same
deformation under the load as that of the compound bar.

σ1/E1 = σ2/E2 σ1 σ2 . E1 / E 2

σ1A1 + σ2A2 = P
{σ2 . E1 / E2} A1 + σ2A2 = P
h

σ2

∆ = σ2 L /E2
STRESSES IN BOLTS AND NUTS

Fig. shows a bolt passing through a tube. The bolt is tightened by turning the nut. When the nut is
tightened by placing washers as shown, the nut will be easily turned initially, till the space between the two
washers is exactly equal to the body of the bolt (and hence length of the tube) between them. If the bolt is
tightened further, the bolt will be subjected to tension while the washers and the tube will be subjected to
compression. The following criteria apply to such an arrangement,

(i) From statical equilibrium, the tensile load in the bolt will be equal to the compressive Load in the
tube
(ii) From compatibility point of view, the axial advancement of the nut is equal to be sum of
extension of the bolt and the contraction of the tube.

TEMPERATURE STRESSES IN UNIFORM BARS

When the temperature of an object changes, its dimensions are changed. Consider a block of
homogeneous and isotropic material that is free to expand in all the directions. If this block is subjected to
uniform changes in temperature (t, increase), the sides of the block will increase, and will take the shape
shown by the dotted lines, with corner C taken as the reference point. If α is the coefficient of thermal
expansion (or contraction), the uniform thermal strain (ɛt) is given by

(ɛt) = α (t)

The coefficient α is a property of the material and has a unit reciprocal of temperature change. In SI
units, α has the dimensions of either 1/K (the reciprocal of kelvins) or 1/C (the reciprocal of degree Celsius),
because the change in temperature is numerically the same in both kelvins and degrees Celsius. Ordinary
materials expand when heated and contract when cooled. Increase in temperature produces a positive
thermal strain while decrease in temperature cause negative thermal strains. Also, thermal strains are
reversible in nature, meaning thereby that the member returns to its original shape when the temperature
returns to its original value. However, there are some special materials, recently developed which do not
behave in customary manner; these special metals decrease in the dimensions when heated and increase
when cooled, over certain temperature range. Another example of unusual material is water which expands
when heated above 4ᵒC and also expands when cooled at temperature below 4ᵒC, thus attaining its maximum
density at 4ᵒC .Consider a bar of length L (Fig. a), subjected to uniform temperature increase t, the bar being
free to expand. Then the increase in the length of bar will be

∆t = ɛt .L= α.t.L

It should be clearly noted that since the bar is free to expand, there will be no thermal stress in the bar.

In contrast to this, consider a bar (Fig. b) of length L, fixed at both ends between rigid supports.

If the supports do not yield, the bar is not free to expand by the amount ∆, and hence it will be subjected to
thermal stress σt given by
σt =∆t E/L= Lαt.E/L=αtE
This stress will be compressive when the change in temperature (t) is positive ( i . e . increase) and
tensile when the change in temperature is negative (i.e. decrease). Note that the thermal stress σt does not
depend upon the cross-sectional area.

Lastly, consider the case shown in Fig.(c), in which one of the support yields by an amount a. In this
case, the total amount of expansion checked will be (∆t - a) . Hence the resulting temperature stress is
σt =(∆t –a) E/L=(Lαt-a).E/L
TEMPERATURE STRESSES IN BARS OF TAPERING SECTION

Consider a bar of uniformly tapering section, shown in Fig., rigidly fixed between two end supports.
When the temperature is raised by t, compressive force P will be induced since the bar is not free to expand.
This force is the same for all cross-sections, and hence maximum stress will be induced at section AA where
diameter is d1.If the bar were free to expand, we have
∆t = α.t.L ………(i)
The force induced in the bar will be a compressive force P which is required to prevent free expansion
of ∆ given by (i). Now, for an element of length dx, the deformation due to P is

σt

σt
TEMPERATURE STRESSES IN COMPOSITE BAR

When a composite bar, consisting of two materials having different coefficients of thermal expansion, is
subjected to temperature change, opposite kinds of stresses (i.e. tensile and compressive) will be set up in the
two materials. Consider a composite bar of steel (S) and copper (C), subjected to increase in temperature.
The free expansion (∆ct) of copper due to temperature rise will be more than the free expansion (∆st) of steel
since α (= αc) for copper is more than α (= αs) of steel. In order to have common expansion (∆), tensile stress
will be developed in steel and compressive stress in copper. From statics,

Tensile force in steel = Compressive force in copper

Ps = Pc = P …(i)
From compatibility equation,
Final extension of copper = Final extension of steel
 ….(vi)

σs σc = P/Ac

σs σc

σɛcs + ɛc

(vi)