BACHELOR OF SCIENCE (PCM)

PHB-1111 Mechanics and Wave Motion

Block 2: Rotational Mechanics

Unit 8: Relations Between Elastic Constants, Bending of Beams and Torsion of

Cylinder

Structure
8.0 Objectives
8.1 Introduction
8.2 Elastic Constants
8.3 Elastic Limit
8.4 Relation between Young’s Modulus, Bulk Modulus and Poisson’s Ratio
8.5 Let Us Sum Up
8.6 Glossary
8.7 Aids to Activities
8.8 Unit End Questions
8.9 References

8.0 Objectives
The study of elastic constants, bending of beams, and torsion of cylinders are fundamental concepts in the
field of solid mechanics and materials engineering. Each of these topics has specific objectives and
applications in understanding and analyzing the behavior of materials under various loading conditions.
Here are the objectives for each:
The study of elastic constants aims to characterize and quantify the elastic behavior of materials. Elastic
constants are parameters that describe how a material deforms under the influence of external forces and
how it returns to its original shape upon the removal of those forces.
The objective of studying the bending of beams is to analyze how beams deform under the influence of
external loads. It involves understanding the distribution of stress and strain within a beam and predicting
its deflection.
Torsion involves the twisting of a structural element, such as a cylinder, due to a torque applied to one
end. The objective is to understand the distribution of stresses and strains in the material and predict the
resulting deformation.
In summary, the objectives of studying elastic constants, bending of beams, and torsion of cylinders are
rooted in understanding and predicting the mechanical behavior of materials and structures under different
types of loading conditions. This knowledge is crucial for engineers and designers in ensuring the
structural integrity, safety, and efficiency of various components and systems in engineering applications.

8.1 Introduction
The study of elastic constants, bending of beams, and torsion of cylinders is fundamental in the field of
solid mechanics and materials engineering. Elastic constants, such as Young's modulus and Poisson's
ratio, play a pivotal role in characterizing a material's response to external forces, providing insights into
its deformability and resilience. Bending of beams involves the analysis of how beams deflect under
loads, enabling engineers to design and optimize structures like bridges and buildings. This discipline
addresses the distribution of stress and strain within beams, ensuring that materials remain within their
elastic limits. Torsion of cylinders, on the other hand, focuses on the twisting of structural elements
subjected to torque, such as shafts in machinery. Understanding the stresses and deformations in
cylindrical components is crucial for designing robust systems and ensuring the reliable performance of
rotating elements. Collectively, the study of these topics equips engineers with the knowledge needed to
predict and manage the mechanical behavior of materials and structures under different loading
conditions, contributing to the safe and efficient design of various engineering systems.

8.2 Elastic Constants

Elastic constants are physical parameters that quantify the elastic properties of a material. These constants
describe how a material responds to deformation caused by an applied force, stress, or strain. The study of
elastic constants is essential in understanding and predicting the mechanical behavior of materials under
different loading conditions. The key elastic constants include Young's Modulus (E), Shear Modulus (𝜂),
Bulk Modulus (K), and Poisson's Ratio (𝜎).
Young's Modulus (Y): Measures a material's stiffness and its ability to resist deformation in the direction
of an applied force.
Shear Modulus (𝜂): Describes a material's resistance to shear deformation, providing insights into its
response to torsional or shear loads.
Bulk Modulus (K): Represents a material's response to uniform compression or volume change, helping
understand its behavior under pressure.
Poisson's Ratio (𝜎): Indicates the lateral contraction of a material when subjected to axial deformation,
showing how a material deforms in response to applied stress.
These elastic constants are crucial in engineering and material science, influencing the design and analysis
of structures, components, and devices. They play a key role in determining whether a material will return
to its original shape after deformation and how it will behave under different mechanical conditions.
Experimental techniques, such as tensile testing and shear testing, are commonly employed to measure
these elastic constants for specific materials.
8.4 Elastic Limit
Elastic limits: The body naturally deforms in some way when it is subjected to an external force. An
elastic body is one that returns to its original size and shape after an external force is removed. Elasticity is
the quality that allows some materials to revert to their initial position when an external force is removed.
Only when the distortion brought on by the external force is within a predetermined range will the body
return to its original size and shape. As a result, there is a force limit beyond which, upon removal of the
force, the deformation totally vanishes. The elastic limit of the material is the degree of stress that
corresponds to this limiting force.
It states that when a material is loaded within elastic limit, the stress is proportional to the strain produced
by the stress. This means the ratio of the stress to the corresponding strain is a constant within the elastic
limit. We know,
Stress /Strain = Constant
This constant is known as elastic constant.
Elastic Constants are of Three Types.
 Normal stress/ Normal strain = Young’ smodulus or Modulus of elasticity (E)
 Shear stress/ Shear strain = Shear modulus or Modulus of Rigidity (G)
 Direct stress/ Volumetric strain = Bulk modulus (K)
Young’s Modulus or Modulus of elasticity (E): It is defined as the ratio of normal stress (σ) to the
longitudinal strain (e).
E = (σn) / (e)
Modulus of Rigidity or Shear Modulus (G or C): It is the ratio between shear stress (τ) and shear strain
(es). It is denoted by G or C.
G= τ/es
Bulk Modulus or Volume Modulus of Elasticity (K): It may be defined as the ratio of normal stress (on
each face of a solid cube) to volumetric strain. It is denoted by K. Bulk modulus is a measure of the
resistance of a material to change of volume without change of shape or form.
K = Direct Stress / Volumetric strain
= σ/ev
8.4 Relation between Young’s Modulus, Bulk Modulus and Poisson’s Ratio
Consider a cubical element subjected to volumetric stress σ which acts simultaneously along the mutually
perpendicular x, y and z-direction. The resultant strains along the three directions can be worked out by
taking the effect of individual stresses.
Strain in the x-direction,
ex = strain in x-direction due to σx - strain in x-direction due to σY - strain in x-direction due to σZ
= σx/E – σy/mY – σz/mY
But σX = σY = σZ = σ
So

Similarly,
σY = σ/Y (1–2/m) and σZ = σ/Y (1–2/m)
Now Volumetric strain
eV = eX + eY + eZ = 3σ/Y(1–2/m)
Since bulk modulus K = σ/ eV
K = σ/ {3σ/E (1–2/m)}
On simplification, we have
Y = 3K (1-2/m) or Y = 3K (1-2 𝝈)
Relation between E, G and Poisson’s Ratio (𝝈): Consider a cubic element ABCD fixed at the bottom face
and subjected to shearing force at the top face. The block experiences the following effects due to this
shearing load:
 1. Shearing stress τ is induced at the faces DC and AB
2. Complimentary shearing stress of the same magnitude is set up on the faces AD and BC.
3. The block distorts to a new configuration ABC'D'.
4. The diagonal AC elongates (tension) and diagonal BD shortens (compression). Longitudinal strain
‘e’ in diagonal AC = (AC’ – AC)/AC
= (AC’ – AE)/AC
= EC’/AC
Where CE is perpendicular from C onto AC’.
Since CC’ is too small, assume
Angle ACB = Angle ACB = 450
Therefore EC’ = CC’cos450 = CC’/√2
Longitudinal strain ‘e’ = CC’/AC√2
= CC’/√2.BC.√2
= tanΦ/2 = Φ/2 = eS/2
Where, Φ = CC’/BC represents the shear strain (eS)
In terms of shear stress τ and modulus of rigidity G, shear strain (eS) = τ/G
Putting shear strain (eS) = 2. Longitudinal strain Longitudinal strain of diagonal AC = τ/2 The strain in
diagonal AC is also given by
= strain due to tensile stress in AC - strain due to compressive stress in BD
= τ/E – (–τ/mE) = τ/E (1 + 1/m)
From equation (4) and (5), we get
τ/2G = τ/E(1 + 1/m)
or E = 2G(1 + 1/m) or E = 2G(1+µ)
Relation between E, G and K: With reference to the above relations we have,
 E=2G(1+µ)=3K(1-2µ)
To eliminate 1/m from these two expressions for E, we have
E = 9KG/ (G + 3K)
Finally; E = 2G (1 + µ) = 3K (1 – 2 µ)
or
E = 9KG/ (G + 3K)
This is required relation.

8.5 Let Us Sum Up

The study of elastic constants, bending of beams, and torsion of cylinders are fundamental concepts in the
field of solid mechanics and materials engineering. Each of these topics has specific objectives and
applications in understanding and analyzing the behavior of materials under various loading conditions.
Here are the objectives for each:
Elastic Constants: The study of elastic constants aims to characterize and quantify the elastic behavior of
materials. Elastic constants are parameters that describe how a material deforms under the influence of
external forces and how it returns to its original shape upon the removal of those forces.
Applications: Predicting the deformation of materials under various loads.
Designing structures to ensure they stay within elastic limits.
Understanding material response to stress and strain.
Bending of Beams: The objective of studying the bending of beams is to analyze how beams deform
under the influence of external loads. It involves understanding the distribution of stress and strain within
a beam and predicting its deflection.
Applications:
Design of structural elements like beams, bridges, and buildings.
Evaluation of deflections and stresses in mechanical components.
Optimization of material usage for structural efficiency.
Torsion of Cylinders: Torsion involves the twisting of a structural element, such as a cylinder, due to a
torque applied to one end. The objective is to understand the distribution of stresses and strains in the
material and predict the resulting deformation.
Applications:
Designing and analyzing shafts and cylindrical components in machinery.
Evaluating the performance of rotating elements under torsional loads.
Ensuring that materials can withstand torsional stresses without failure.
In summary, the objectives of studying elastic constants, bending of beams, and torsion of cylinders are
rooted in understanding and predicting the mechanical behavior of materials and structures under different
types of loading conditions. This knowledge is crucial for engineers and designers in ensuring the
structural integrity, safety, and efficiency of various components and systems in engineering applications.

8.6 Glossary
Elastic constants describe the mechanical properties of materials and how they respond to deformation.
There are several elastic constants, and their relationships depend on the material's properties and the type
of deformation. The most common elastic constants include Young's modulus (E), shear modulus (G), and
bulk modulus (K).
Young's Modulus (E): Young's modulus is a measure of a material's stiffness in tension or compression.
It relates the stress (force per unit area) applied to a material to the resulting strain (deformation).

Shear Modulus (G): Shear modulus represents a material's resistance to shear deformation. It is the ratio
of shear stress to shear strain.

Bulk Modulus (K): Bulk modulus measures a material's resistance to uniform compression or volume
change.

Where ΔP is the change in pressure and ΔV is the change in volume.

The relationships between these elastic constants for isotropic materials (materials with the same
properties in all directions) are given by the following formulas:
Poisson's Ratio (ν):

Relation between Young's Modulus, Shear Modulus, and Bulk Modulus:

These relationships hold for isotropic materials. For anisotropic materials (materials with different
properties in different directions), the relationships become more complex and depend on the material's
crystal structure and orientation.
8.7 Aids to Activities

8.8 Unit End Questions

1. What is Young's Modulus?

Answer: Young's Modulus (E) measures a material's stiffness in tension or compression.
2. What does Shear Modulus (G) quantify?
Answer: Shear Modulus quantifies a material's resistance to shear deformation.
3. Define Bulk Modulus (K).
Answer: Bulk Modulus measures a material's resistance to uniform compression or volume
change.
4. What is Poisson's Ratio?
Answer: Poisson's Ratio represents the ratio of lateral contraction to axial extension in a material.
5. How are Young's Modulus (E) and Shear Modulus (G) related?

6. What does anisotropic mean in the context of elastic constants?

Answer: Anisotropic materials exhibit different mechanical properties in different directions.
7. What is the significance of elastic constants in material science?
Answer: Elastic constants describe a material's response to deformation, aiding in the
understanding and prediction of mechanical behavior.
8. Define the elastic limit of a material.
Answer: The elastic limit is the maximum stress a material can endure without permanent
deformation after which it behaves plastically.
8.9 References
1. Tolman, R. C. (1938). The Principles of Statistical Mechanics. Oxford: Clarendon Press. Reissued
(1979) New York: Dover ISBN 0-486-63896-0.
2. Schmidt, Paul W. (2019). "Collision (physics)". Access Science. doi:10.1036/1097-8542.149000.
3. Alciatore, David G. (January 2006). "TP 3.1 90° rule" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on
2022-10-09. Retrieved 2008-03-08.

***