Theory of Elasticity

Temesgen Wondimu, Ph.D.

5. Solution of Plane Problems

Introduction
In the analysis of a body or structure, the geometry of
the structure and the loads are given. A solution may be
obtained by analytical, numerical, and experimental
methods. In the analytical methods, the derivation of the
load-stress relations depends on the following conditions:
• The equilibrium equations
• The compatibility equations
• The stress-strain relations
• The material responses

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 Differential Equations of Equilibrium
of a Deformable Body

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 Differential Equations of Equilibrium
of a Deformable Body

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Equilibrium Equations: Plane
Problem

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Equilibrium Equations in Polar Coordinate:
Plane Problem

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CENG6011 Theory of Elasticity 7
Equilibrium Equations in Polar
Coordinate: Plane Problem
Expanding the previous two equations, setting sin =
and neglecting the higher order terms, we have the
equilibrium equations in the polar coordinate, as shown
below.

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Example: One dimensional problem
Determine the states of stresses and the axial
displacement for every point in the bar shown below.

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Example: One dimensional problem
Assumption: The bar is in state of uniaxial stress. This
assumption may not be valid at the fixed end because of
the Poisson’s effect. However, by St. Venant’s principle
the effect is localized.
1. Equilibrium Equation
Differential equation of
equilibrium which must be
satisfied for all x from 0 to L

Let = and the bar is prismatic. Integrating the above

equation yields:

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Example: One dimensional problem
The integration constant C1 can be found by using the
boundary condition of stress at = , = 0. Hence, 1
= 2/2 and

2. Displacement
To determine the axial displacement, we need first
consider how the differential element deformed under the
load ( ) = and then obtain the strain-displacement
relation.

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Example: One dimensional problem

uniaxial stress-displacement relation

uniaxial stress-strain relation

Substituting into the differential equation of equilibrium,

we have

Boundary conditions:

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Example: One dimensional problem
Performing the second integration with respect to x and
using the displacement boundary condition at x = 0, u =
0, we obtain:

Therefore, the displacement equation is:

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 Two-Dimensional Problems
Strain-displacement Compatibility:
relation:

Equilibrium:
Strain-stress relationship:
é 1 u u ù
ê E - - 0 0 0ú
E E
ê ú
ê- u 1
-
u
0 0 0 ú ìs x ü
ìex ü ê ú
ïe ï ê E E E
ú ïs y ï
ï yï ê u u 1 ï ï
ïï e z ïï ê E- - 0 0 0 úï 0 ï
E E úï ï
í ý=ê úí 0 ý
ïg yz ï ê 0 0 0
1
0 0 úï ï
ïg xz ï ê G úï 0 ï
ï ï ê 1 ú ït ï
ïîg xy ïþ ê 0 0 0 0 0 ú ïî xy ïþ
ê G ú
êCENG6011 1ú
Theory of Elasticity 14
êë 0 0 0 0 0
Gûú
 Two-Dimensional Problems

Boundary Conditions
1. Geometric or displacement
boundary condition pertains to
the compatibility conditions and
required that the displacement
at the structural boundary must
be satisfied.
2. Natural or force boundary
condition pertains to the
equilibrium conditions and
requires that the forces at the
structural boundary must be
satisfied.
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Two-Dimensional Problems
Defining surface traction as
where Fx, and Fy are the components of a force vector F
acting on the surface having a boundary area dA .

The force boundary conditions along the boundary BC are

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Example

Stress boundary condition at y = +c , txy = 0 .

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Stress Field Solution for Plane Stress
Problem
To solve problems in either plane stress and plane
strain, one may begin by finding stresses that satisfy the
equation of equilibrium.
These two equations have three
unknowns stresses. Hence, an
infinite number of stress
solutions can be obtained. Let
the body forces per unit volume
are defined as derivatives of a

potential function = ( , ) where

In addition, let = ( , ) be an arbitrary function and
let
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 Stress Field Solution for Plane Stress
Problem
Note that these functions satisfy the equations of equilibrium.
Therefore, as far as the equations of equilibrium are concerned,
the assumed stress functions constitute a general solution. The
problem is reduced to finding a function = ( , ) that
satisfies the compatibility conditions and the boundary conditions.
The strain-stress relations of the plane stress problems
are: 2
ì¶ F ü
ï 2 +V ï
ï ¶y ï
ìex ü é1 -u 0 ù 2
ï ï 1ê ú ïï ¶ F ïï
í e y ý = ê -u 1 0 ú í 2 +V ý
ïg ï E ê 0 0 ú
2 1+u û ï ¶x ï
î xy þ ë ï ¶ F ï2

ï- ï
ïî ¶x ¶y ïþ
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Stress Field Solution for Plane Stress
Problem
The strain compatibility relation of the plane stress
becomes:

Now, the problem is reduced to the solution of

boundary-value problem associated with bi-harmonic
differential operator ∇4F and harmonic differential
operator ∇2V which can be solved by using theory of
functions of a complex variable.
If the body forces are absent, ∇4F = 0.
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Stress Field Solution for Plane Stress
Problem
The function = ( , ) is called the Airy stress function
which is discovered by Sir George Biddell Airy in 1863.

EXAMPLE
A rectangular block having the mass density stands on
a rigid horizontal support and is loaded by its own weight
as shown below. As a proposed solution of this problem,
investigate the equation

Determine the displacement = ( , ) and

= ( , ) of the block due to its own
weight.
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Example: Airy Stress Function
From the Airy stress function, we obtain

The results satisfy the free-surface boundary conditions

of the top and the vertical edges of the block:
top edge
vertical edge
bottom edge

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Example: Airy Stress Function
Determine the displacement = ( , ) and = ( , )
From the stress-strain relations,
Thus, by integration, the
displacement functions are
in the form of:

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Example: Airy Stress Function
¶u ¶v
Substituting = ( , ) and = ( , ) into g xy = +
¶y ¶x

Each expression in the parentheses must be a constant. If

not, we could vary x alone (or y alone) and violate the
equality. Thus,
n df x df y
-r g x + = a1 ; = -a1 and
E dx dy
æ n ö n 2
f x = ò ç a1 + r g x ÷dx = a1 x + r g x + a2
è E ø 2E
f y = -a1 y + a3
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Example: Airy Stress Function
Rewriting the displacement functions, we get

By using the boundary conditions of the block and the

symmetry, at , = 0, 0 , , = 0, 0 , we obtain
2 = 0 and 3 = 0. At ( , ) = (0, 0),

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 Example: Airy Stress Function
Hence, we get the displacement functions in the
form of
n
u = -r g y - L -1 x
E
r g é y2 n 2 ù
v= ê - Ly + x -n x ú
E ë2 2 û
It should be noted that
• The block shortens vertically and become wider toward the base
due to Poisson's effect.
• All right angles are preserved since txy= 0.
• The deflection at the base is incompatible with the rigid
horizontal support
• According to the Saint-Venant's principle, the solution should be
exact for y > 2c .
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Solution by Polynomials
For the plane problems with long rectangular strip and the
body forces are absent, the solutions of the biharmonic
differential operator ∇4F = 0 in the form of polynomial are
of interest. By considering polynomials with various
degrees and suitably adjusting their coefficients, a number
of practical problems can be solved.
A quadratic polynomial is the lowest order polynomials
that yield nonzero stresses from an Airy stress function.
Consider the function

where a2, b2 and c2 are constants.

This Airy stress function satisfies the equation ∇4F = 0 and
the stress components in this case are:
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Solution by Polynomials

These stress boundary conditions are constant throughout

the body. Thus, the stress function F represents a
combination of uniform tensions or compressions in two
perpendicular directions and a uniform shear as shown
below.

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Solution by Polynomials
Consider a stress function in the form of a cubic function
= 3+ 2 + 2 + 3
× ×
This function satisfies the equation ∇4F = 0 and the
stress components in this case are:

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 Solution by Polynomials
If all coefficients except d3 are zero and d3 = 6a1 = a
constant, σx = 6a1y, σy = 0 and =0

(a) state of the normal (b) state of the normal (c) solution has no
stresses due to a pure stresses due to bending practical interest
bending applied at the plus axial load applied to
ends of the beam the ends of the beam.
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Solution by Polynomials
In taking the stress function in the form of quadratic and
cubic polynomial equations, we are completely free in
choosing the magnitudes of the coefficients, since the
equation ∇4F = 0 is always satisfied whatever values they
may have. In the case of polynomials of higher degrees,
the equation ∇4F = 0 is satisfied only if certain relations
between the coefficients are satisfied.
Let us consider the stress function in the form of a
polynomial of the fourth degree:

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 Solution by Polynomials
We can find that the function is satisfied the equation
∇4F = 0 only if
The stress components in this case are
¶2 F 2 2
If all coefficients except
s x = 2 = c4 x + d 4 xy - 2c4 + a4 y ; d4 are zero and d4 = 6ϕ4
¶y
= a constant
¶2 F
s y = 2 = a4 x 2 + b4 xy + c4 y 2 ; s x = 6f4 xy;
¶x
¶ 2 F -b4 2 d4 2 s y = 0;
t xy = = x - 2c4 xy - y
¶y¶y 2 2 t xy = -3f4 y 2
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Solution by Polynomials

The solution appears to

lack practical interest. Now,
let us remove the shear
stress on = ± by
superimposing the stress
function = −3 4 2 on
the previous stress
function.

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 Solution by Polynomials

This stress function is satisfied the equation ∇4F = 0 and

the stress components are:

Stress distribution corresponds to a cantilever beam having fixed support at x

= L and is subjected to both a parabolic distribution of shear stress and pure
bending at x = 0.
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Solution by Polynomials
End Effects
In some problems in which the structure is subjected to
loads producing stress concentrations in the area of
loading point, we need to use the St. Venant’s principle to
simplify the problems by replacing the loads with a
statically equivalent load.

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 Example: Bending of a cantilevered
beam loaded at the end
Q. Determine the
displacements of a
cantilevered beam having a
unit width and loaded at the
end as shown
Solution
P may be replaced by a quadratic distribution of surface
traction Φy = − xy that is zero at y = ±c and maximum at
y = 0. We may use the stress functions discussed before:

Force BC:
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Example: Bending of a cantilevered
beam loaded at the end
Since the moment of inertia of the cross section having
a unit thickness is 2 3/3 , the stress components
equations can be written as:

Using Hooke’s law for plane stress, we have

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Example: Bending of a cantilevered
beam loaded at the end
The strain-displacement relations of the plane stress are

Integrating and , we have

where and are unknown functions of y only and x only,

respectively. They may not be a constant since we are dealing
with partial derivative. Substituting the values of u and v
into the shear strain-displacement relation,

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 Example: Bending of a cantilevered
beam loaded at the end

In this equation, we can see that

Function of x only Function of y only Independent of x

&y

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 Example: Bending of a cantilevered
beam loaded at the end
This equation means that F (x) must be some constant
A and G (y) must be some constant B . If not, F (x)
and G (y) would vary with x and y , respectively. In
addition, by varying x alone or y alone, the equality
would be violated. Hence,

Integrating / and / , we have

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Example: Bending of a cantilevered
beam loaded at the end
Substituting into the expressions of u and v , we have

Assuming that the centroid of the cross section is fixed,

the expressions of u and v are zero at x = L and y = 0.

The deflection curve of the beam at y = 0 is

Using
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Example: Bending of a cantilevered
beam loaded at the end

Substituting these constants into the expressions of u

and v , we have:

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Example: Bending of a cantilevered beam
loaded at the end
The deflection curve of the beam at = 0 can be
rewritten as:

At x = 0, the deflection of the beam at y = 0 is

Identical to the one obtained by using the
mechanics of materials method

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Example: Bending of a cantilevered beam
loaded at the end
Consider the horizontal displacement u at the support x = L

This rotation of the

cross section is due to
the shearing stress
= 3 /4 and having
the clockwise direction.

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Example: Bending of a cantilevered beam
loaded at the end
Consider the second case where =0 =0 =

Comparing this equation with

the equation

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Example: Bending of a cantilevered beam
loaded at the end
The deflection of the cantilevered beam increased by

Estimate of the
effect of shearing
force on the deflection

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General Solution to Symmetrical
Bending
Based on our previous discussion, using Airy Stress
Function approach, plane elasticity formulation with zero
body forces reduces to a single governing bi-harmonic
equation, which can be used to formulate a general
solution to symmetrical bending.
In Cartesian coordinates it is given by

and the stresses are related to the stress function by

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Cartesian Coordinate Solutions
Using Polynomials

Generally in Cartesian coordinates we choose Airy stress

function solution of polynomial form

where are constant coefficients to be determined from

the boundary conditions and the requirement that it satisfy
the bi-harmonic equation.
 Example: Pure Bending of a Beam

Stress Field Displacement Field (Plane Stress)

Boundary Conditions:

Expecting a linear bending stress

distribution, try second-order stress
function of the form

Moment boundary condition implies that

3
03 = − /4 , and all other boundary
conditions are identically satisfied. Thus the “Fixity conditions” to determine RBM
stress field is terms:
Example: Pure Bending of a Beam
Solution Comparison of Elasticity
with Elementary Mechanics of Materials

Mechanics of Materials
Elasticity Solution Solution
Uses Euler-Bernoulli beam theory to find bending
stress and deflection of beam centerline

Two solutions are identical, with the

exception of the y-displacements
Example: Bending of a Beam by
Uniform Transverse Loading

Boundary Conditions: Stress Field

BC’s
 Example: Beam Problem
Stress Solution Comparison of Elasticity
with Elementary Mechanics of Materials

Elasticity Solution Mechanics of Materials

Solution

Shear stresses are identical, while normal stresses are not

 Example: Beam Problem
Normal Stress Comparisons of Elasticity
with Elementary Mechanics of Materials

sx – Stress at sy - Stress
x=0

Maximum differences between two theories

Maximum difference between two theories is
exist at top and bottom of beam, difference in
w and occurs at top of beam. Again this
stress is w/5. For most beam problems (l >>
difference will be negligibly small for most
c), bending stresses will be much greater than
beam problems where l >> c. These results
w, and differences between elasticity and
are generally true for beam problems with
strength of materials will be relatively small.
other transverse loadings.
 Example: Beam Problem
Normal Stress Distribution on Beam Ends

End stress distribution does

not vanish and is nonlinear
but gives zero resultant
force.
 Example: Beam Problem

Displacement Field (Plane Stress)

Choosing Fixity Conditions

Strength of Materials:

Good match for beams where l >> c

 Cartesian Coordinate Solutions
Using Fourier Methods
Fourier methods provides a more general solution scheme for
biharmonic equation. Such techniques generally use separation of
variables along with Fourier series or Fourier integrals.

Choosing
 Example: Beam with Sinusoidal Loading

Boundary Conditions: Stress Field:

Example: Beam Problem
Bending Stress
 Example: Beam Problem

Displacement Field (Plane Stress)

For the case l >> c

Strength of Materials
 Example: Rectangular Domain with
Arbitrary Boundary Loading
Must use series representation for Airy
stress function to handle general
boundary loading.

Boundary Conditions

Using Fourier series theory to handle

general boundary conditions, generates
a doubly infinite set of equations to
solve for unknown constants in stress
function form. See text for details
 Assignment: Pbs. 8.1 - 8.8 of Sadd
End of Part V

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