INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY

TALLAGHT
Bachelor of Engineering (Honours)
Bachelor of Engineering (Ab Initio)

Mechanical Engineering

Full Time

Semester Five : January 2018

Mechanics 4

Internal Examiners
Mr S. Tiernan

External Examiners
Mr P. McCormick

Day: Tuesday
Date: 09/01/2018
Time: 9.30 to 11.30am

Instructions to Candidates

Answer any 4 questions

Start each question on a new page
Write your student number on all answer books and loose sheets
Graph paper provided
 Bachelor of Engineering in Mechanical Engineering Academic Year 2017/2018
Semester 5 Jan 2018 Mechanics 4

Question 1 25 marks
(a) A simply supported wooden beam is loaded centrally with weights and the
central deflection measured (figure Q1(a)). The results are shown in figure
Q1(b). The beam has a rectangular cross section 25mm x 5mm. Calculate
the Modulus of Elasticity (E) of the wood.

FL3
Deflection 
48EI

Deflection Measured
0.25m

Loads
Reaction Reaction
A 0.5m
B

Figure Q1(a) Figure Q1(b)

(6 marks)

(b) Two plastic strips (2mm x 25mm) are now bonded onto each side of the
wood as shown in Figure Q1(c). Using the method of transformation
calculate the deflection of the composite beam when the central load is
40N.

Note: E for wood = 6 GPa and E for plastic =18 GPa

2mm
Plastic

5mm Wood

2mm 25mm

Figure Q1(c)

(8 marks)

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Bachelor of Engineering in Mechanical Engineering Academic Year 2017/2018
Semester 5 Jan 2018 Mechanics 4

(c) Calculate the maximum stress in the wood and in the plastic, of the
composite beam, when the 40N load is applied.

(8 marks)

(d) Calculate the factor of safety in the wood and in the plastic given that the
yield stress of the wood is 10 MPa and the yield stress of the plastic is 30
MPa. If the beam is loaded excessively how will it fail?

(3 marks)

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Bachelor of Engineering in Mechanical Engineering Academic Year 2017/2018
Semester 5 Jan 2018 Mechanics 4

Question 2 25 marks
(a) A simply supported beam is as shown below (figure Q2(a)). It has a central
load W.
L
X /2
W
W

x
L
L

Figure Q2(a)

Derive the equation below for the displacement of the beam, at a distance x:

1 Wx3 WL2 x 
y   
EI  12 16 
(8 marks)

WL3
(b) Hence show that the maximum deflection is y  
48EI
(2 marks)

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Bachelor of Engineering in Mechanical Engineering Academic Year 2017/2018
Semester 5 Jan 2018 Mechanics 4

(c) A simply supported beam is loaded as shown in figure Q2(b).

(i) Write down an equation in terms of x for the bending moment about
‘XX’. ‘x’ is the distance measured for the left hand side of the beam.
(3 marks)
(ii) Using Macaulay’s method derive an equation for the deflection of the
beam at a distance x from the left hand side.
(8 marks)
(iii) Calculate the deflection of the beam, shown in figure Q2(b), 2m from
the left hand end.
(4 marks)
Given that:
d2y
BM xx  EI
. dx 2
X
30kN 30kN

2m
4m
6m

RB
RA x

X
Figure Q2(b)

Note: E = 200 GN/m2 and I = 1 x 10-5 m4

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Bachelor of Engineering in Mechanical Engineering Academic Year 2017/2018
Semester 5 Jan 2018 Mechanics 4

Question 3 (25 Marks)

(a) Draw a sketch of a cylinder showing the directions of the hoop, longitudinal
and radial stresses.
(3 marks)

(b) A pressurised thin boiler cylinder with a diameter of 0.5m and wall
thickness of 30mm. The internal pressure is 2 MPa.
(i) Calculate the hoop and longitudinal stresses in the cylinder.
(ii) If the cylinder is manufactured from a material with a yield strength of
160MPa, calculate the factor of safety.
(iii) Is this an appropriate factor of safety if it contains an inflammable gas?
(6 marks)

(c) An external pressure of 5 MPa is applied to a thick cylinder of internal

diameter 240mm and external diameter 320mm. If the maximum hoop
stress permitted on the inside of the cylinder is limited to 30 MPa.

Note: E= 207 GPa, Poissons ratio = 0.29.

(i) What is the maximum internal pressure can be applied?

(ii) Hence calculate the hoop and radial stresses at the inside, mid-way
through and the outside of the cylinder.
(iii) Draw a sketch of the variation of hoop and radial stress through the
thickness of the cylinder.
(16 marks)

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Bachelor of Engineering in Mechanical Engineering Academic Year 2017/2018
Semester 5 Jan 2018 Mechanics 4

Question 4 25 marks

(a) At a given section a shaft is subjected to a stress in the x direction of

20MN/m2 , in the y direction of 30MN/m2 and a shear stress of 40MN/m2 (as
shown in Figure Q4). Calculate:

(i) The principal stresses and the angles at which they act.
(ii) The max shear stress and the angle of the plane on which it acts.
(iii) Von Mises Stress
(iv) The normal and shear stresses on a plane at 150 to the horizontal.
(12 marks)

2
30MN/m

2
40MN/m

2
20MN/m

Figure Q4

(b) Given that the shaft is manufactured from aluminium with a yield stress of
270MPa. Will the component fail and determine the factor of safety based
on the following theories:
(i ) Max shear stress theory.
(ii ) Von Mises theory.
(iii ) Max principal stress theory.
(7 marks)

(c) State when it is appropriate to use each failure theory. (6 marks)

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Bachelor of Engineering in Mechanical Engineering Academic Year 2017/2018
Semester 5 Jan 2018 Mechanics 4

Question 5 25 marks
(a) Describe what is meant by buckling and when it should be considered in
mechanical designs.
(4 marks)
(b) A steel framed building is to use I beams as vertical columns. Each column
is to support 100kN and is 8m high. Both ends of the beam may be
regarded as fixed. A factor of safety of 6 is to be used.

(i) If the beam will fail by buckling, calculate the minimum second moment
of area (I) required.
(5 marks)
(ii) Select a suitable steel column from the table below.
(3 marks)
(iii) What load will cause this column to yield in direct compression?
(4 marks)
(iv) Calculate the buckling loads if the column is 4, 6 and 8m long.
(4 marks)
(v) Sketch a graph of the load versus column length. Mark on this graph the
failure lines due to buckling and pure compression. Explain what this
graph means in terms of column length and failure load.
(5 marks)

Note: For steel E= 200 GPa and the yield stress = 420 MPa

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Bachelor of Engineering in Mechanical Engineering Academic Year 2017/2018
Semester 5 Jan 2018 Mechanics 4

M  E T  G
Bending   Torsion  
I y R J r L

𝒅𝟐 𝒚
Slope & Deflection 𝑀 = 𝐸𝐼
𝒅𝒙𝟐

Thick and Thin Cylinders

Hoop Strain  H 
1
 H   L  Longitudinal strain  L 
1
 L   H 
E E

         H 
Hoop Stress  H  E H 2 L  Longitudinal Stress  L  E L 
 1    1 
2

Thin Cylinders

PD PD
Hoop Stress H  Longitudinal stress  L 
2t 4t

Pd 2
Change in Length L 
Pd
1  2 L Change in Diameter d  2  
4tE 4tE

Change in Volume V 
Pd
5  4 V Bulk Modulus K 
PV
4tE V

Thick Cylinders - Lamé Equations

B B
Radial Stress r  A Hoop stress H  A
r2 r2
Pr  P r
2 2

Longitudinal stress  L  1 1 2 22 2
r2  r1

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Bachelor of Engineering in Mechanical Engineering Academic Year 2017/2018
Semester 5 Jan 2018 Mechanics 4

Stresses (2D)

 x  y  x  y
2

Principle Stresses  1 , 2      xy2
2  2 

2 xy
tan 2 P 
Angle of one Principle Plane
 x  y 

  y   x  y 
n    Cos 2   xy Sin 2
x

2  2 
 x  y 
 n    Sin 2   xy Cos 2
 2 

Von Mises Stress (2D)  von   12   1 2   22

Buckling
 L pin  pin
0.7 L fixed  pin

Le  
0.5L fixed  fixed
 2 L fixed  free

 2 EI
Critical Load PCrit 
L2e

𝐼 = 𝐴𝑟 2 , r = radius of gyration
𝐿
𝑆𝑙𝑒𝑛𝑑𝑒𝑟𝑛𝑒𝑠𝑠 𝑅𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜 =
𝑟

2nd Moment of Area

𝑏𝑑 3
Rectangle about mid line: 𝐼=
12

𝜋𝑑 4
Circle about diameter: 𝐼=
64

𝜋𝑑 4
Circle about axis: 𝐼=
32

Parallel Axis Theorem: I1 = I2 +Ah2

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