EXPERIMENT NO.

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“To determine the Modulus of Rigidity of the given material of circular shaft”

Wasib Muzammil
2017-ME-151

October 10,2018

1 Objective
i. To determine the relationship for determining the modulus of rigidity of the given material of circular
shaft.
ii. To determine the Modulus of Rigidity of the given material of circular shaft.

2 Apparatus
i. Torsion of Shaft Apparatus
ii. Steel Rule
iii. Hangers and Weights
iv. Vernier Calipers
v. Micrometer Screw Gauge

3 Introduction
In this experiment, we will discuss the method which is used to determine the Modulus of Rigidity of the
material of circular shaft. We will understand the construction and working of Torsion of Shaft Apparatus and
how it is used to evaluate Modulus of Rigidity of the material of circular shaft.

4 Theory
4.1 Stress
The external forces acting on the body are called loads. All loads deform an elastic material and the material
develops an internal resistance to the deformation.
“The internal resistance force per unit area applied against the applied load or external force is called stress.”
Mathematically,
Force
Stress =
Area
or,
F
σ=
A

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 There are following types of stresses:

i. Normal Stress

ii. Volumetric Stress

iii. Shear Stress

iv. Torsional Stress

4.1.1 Normal Stress

“A normal stress is a stress that occurs when a member is loaded by an axial force. ”

4.1.2 Volumetric stress

“Volumetric stress is a particular stress state in which all three directions are uniformly loaded. This could
be compressive or tensile, but it is most often associated with compressive stress states.”

4.1.3 Shear Stress

“A shear stress is the component of stress co planar with a material cross section. Shear stress arises from
the force vector component parallel to the cross section of the material.”

4.1.4 Torsional Stress

“Torsional stress is the shear stress produced in the shaft due to the twisting. This twisting in the shaft is
caused by the couple acting on it.”[1]

Figure 1: Torsional Stress [2]

4.2 Types of loads

There are following types of loads:

i. Compression

ii. Tension

iii. Torsion

iv. Bending

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4.2.1 Compression
“Compression loading is an effect in which the component reduces it size. During compression load there
is reduction in volume and increase in density of a component.”

4.2.2 Tension
“Tension is the act of stretching rod, bar, spring, wire, cable etc. that is being pulled from the either ends.”

4.2.3 Torsion
“Torsion is the act of twisting of an rod, wire, spring etc. about an axis due to applied couple (torque).”

4.2.4 Bending
“Bending is act of changing component from straight form into a curved or angular form.”[3]

Figure 2: Types of Loads [4]

4.3 Torsion
“In the field of solid mechanics, torsion is the twisting of an object due to an applied torque.”

Torsion is expressed in newtons per square metre (Pa) or pounds per square inch (psi) while torque is expressed
in newton metres (Nm) or foot-pound force (ftlbf).
Twisting can be produced in the shaft when two equal and opposite couples acting in parallel planes.

“A couple is two equal and opposite parallel forces acting upon a body with a different line of acting points.”

When a machine member is under the twisting force then it is said to be the shaft is subjected to torsion. Due
to this torsion in the shaft, the stresses induced in the shaft are known as the Torsional shear stress or simply
Torsional stress. [5]

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 Figure 3: Torsion [6]

4.4 Moment of Inertia

“The moment of inertia of a rigid body is a tensor that determines the torque needed for a desired angular
acceleration about a rotational axis; similar to how mass determines the force needed for a desired
acceleration.”

The term “moment of inertia” is often used generically, but depending on the context and application, it can
refer to one of three different moments of inertia: mass, planar, or polar. [7]

4.4.1 Mass Moment of Inertia

“Mass moment of inertia describes the object’s ability to resist angular acceleration, which depends on
how the object’s mass is distributed with respect to the axis of rotation (i.e., the object’s shape).”

Mass moment of inertia is typically denoted as “I”.In many applications, an object is modeled as a point
mass, and the mass moment of inertia is simply the object’s mass multiplied by the radius (distance to axis of
rotation) squared. [8]
Mathematically, Z
I= r2 dm
M

Figure 4: Mass Moment of Inertia [9]

4.4.2 Planar Moment of Inertia

“Planar moment of inertia describes how an area is distributed relative to a reference axis (typically the
centroidal, or central axis).”

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This is important because it specifies the area’s resistance to bending.
Mathematically, ZZ
I= x2 dA
A

Figure 5: Planar Moment of Inertia [10]

4.4.3 Polar Moment of Inertia

“Polar moment of inertia is analogous to planar moment of inertia but is applicable to a cylindrical
object and describes its resistance to torsion (twisting due to an applied torque).”

The equation for polar moment of inertia is essentially the same as that for planar moment of inertia, but in
the case of polar moment, distance is measured to an axis parallel to the area’s cross-section. Polar moment of
inertia is sometimes denoted with the letter J.
ZZ
I= r2 dA
A

4.5 Derivation for Modulus of Rigidity of the material of Circular Shaft

Figure 6: Circular Shaft Subjected to couple [11]

Consider a shaft of radius r and length L is fixed at one end and another end is subjected to the torque.
As a result, each and every cross section of the shaft is subjected to the Torsional shear stress. Due to the
Circular section of the shaft, It has been considered that the shear stress at the centre axis will be zero and it

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is maximum at the outer surface of the shaft.
The torsion equation for the circular member is
T τ Gθ
= =
J r L
Hence,
TL
G=
Gθ
where
τ = Torsional stress induced at the outer surface of the shaft (Maximum Shear stress)
r = Radius of the shaft
T = Twisting Moment or Torque
J = Polar moment of inertia
G = Modulus of rigidity for the shaft material
L = Length of the shaft
θ = Angle of twist in radians on a length L [12]

4.6 Torsion of Shaft Apparatus

Torsion of shaft apparatus includes a shaft of circular section, two measuring scales and a pulley with a frame.
The main purpose of pulley with hanger is to apply some load on the circular shaft.Similarly, the scales attached
to the frame are used to measure torsion in the circular shaft. Actually, the two scales are used, one at the
front and one at the back.
The measuring arms are used to measure the torsion at the front and back of the circular shaft respectively.
The front is the portion of the shaft that is near to the pulley and back is the portion of the shaft near the
back support of the pulley.

Figure 7: Torsion of Shaft Apparatus [13]

5 Procedure
i. Place the apparatus on a smooth horizontal surface.

ii. Measure the effective length of the shaft using steel rule.

iii. Measure the diameter of the shaft using micrometer.

iv. Adjust the zeros at 1st and 2nd measuring arms.

v. Put a load of one pound (1lb) in the hanger.

vi. Measure the 1st and 2nd angle of twist of the shaft.

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 vii. Take a set of six readings of increasing value of load and then take readings on unloading.

viii. Calculate the “Modulus of Rigidity” of the material of the shaft using the formula:
TL
G=
Jθ

6 Observations and Calculations

Effective length of shaft(L) = 10.0625 in
Diameter of shaft(d) = 0.19685 mm
Diameter of torque pulley(D) = 4.72 in
Radius of torque pulley(R = D 2 ) = 2.36 in
4
Polar Moment of Inertia of the shaft(J = πd −5 in4
32 )= 5.5 × 10

Load Torque Angle of twist at 1st measuring arm θ1 Angle of twist at 2nd measuring arm θ2 Angle of twist for effective length Modulus of Rigidity
No. of Obs. TL
W T=WR Loading Unloading Average Loading Unloading Average θ = θ1 − θ2 G= Jθ

(lb) (lb.in) (rad) (rad) (rad) (rad) (rad) (rad) (rad) (psi)
1. 0.5 1.18 0.0174 0.0349 0.0261 0.001 0.0087 0.0044 0.0210 10.3 × 106
2. 1 2.36 0.0436 0.0523 0.048 0.0087 0.0087 0.0087 0.0393 10.8 × 106
3. 1.5 3.54 0.0698 0.0785 0.0742 0.0174 0.0174 0.0174 0.0568 11.3 × 106
4. 2 4.72 0.0959 0.01047 0.100 0.0261 0.0261 0.0261 0.0739 11.5 × 106
5. 2.5 5.9 0.131 0.131 0.131 0.0349 0.0349 0.0349 0.0961 11.1 × 106

Table 1: Modulus of Rigidity of the material of the material of circular shaft

Average Value of G = 11 Mpsi

11.46 − 11
Percentage error = × 100 = 4.18%
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7 Graphs
TL
A graph between J and θ is shown in the figure below:

Tl
Figure 8: Graph between J and θ

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8 Comments
The factors affecting the results of the experiment are as follows:

i. Human Error

ii. Wears and tears of apparatus

iii. External conditions such as atmospheric pressure and temperature etc.

iv. Friction

v. Zero error of the instrument such as micrometer,vernier caliper etc.

vi. Non-gradual loading

References
[1] Beer, Ferdinand Pierre; Elwood Russell Johnston; John T. DeWolf (1992). Mechanics of Materials. McGraw-
Hill Professional. ISBN 0-07-112939-1

[2] https://mechanicalc.com/static/img/StrengthOfMaterials/Optimized/torsional-stress-01.png

[3] Case and Chilver “Strength of Materials and Structures”

[4] https://cdn.me-mechanicalengineering.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/types-of-loads.jpg

[5] Seaburg, Paul; Carter, Charles (1997). Torsional Analysis of Structural Steel Members. American Institute
of Steel Construction. p. 3

[6] https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4f/Twisted bar.png

[7] Paul, Burton (June 1979). Kinematics and Dynamics of Planar Machinery. Prentice Hall. ISBN 978-
0135160626.

[8] Halliday, David; Resnick, Robert; Walker, Jearl (2005). Fundamentals of physics (7th ed.). Hoboken, NJ:
Wiley. ISBN 9780471216438.

[9] https://d2vlcm61l7u1fs.cloudfront.net/media%2F765%2F765292b1-edf0-4a95-867d-
896bf39bbb9b%2FphpLsQZDW.png

[10] https://i.pinimg.com/originals/91/5c/55/915c55002fa178655b7d5fe1c304ca13.png

[11] https://www.engineeringtoolbox.com/docs/documents/947/torsion of shafts square-Model.png

[12] Walter D. Pilkey, Analysis and Design of Elastic Beams: Computational Methods, John Wiley, 2002.

[13] http://bestoinstruments.com/product/252322.jpg

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