M.

Vable Mechanics of Materials: Chapter 5

Torsion of Shafts
• Shafts are structural members with length significantly greater than
the largest cross-sectional dimension used in transmitting torque from
one plane to another.

Learning objectives
• Understand the theory, its limitations and its applications for design
and analysis of Torsion of circular shafts.
• Develop the discipline to visualize direction of torsional shear stress
and the surface on which it acts.
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 M. Vable Mechanics of Materials: Chapter 5

C5.1 Three pairs of bars are symmetrically attached to rigid discs at

the radii shown. The discs were observed to rotate by angles φ 1 = 1.5° ,
φ 2 = 3.0° , and φ 3 = 2.5° in the direction of the applied torques T1, T2,
and T3 respectively. The shear modulus of the bars is 40 ksi and the area
of cross-section is 0.04 in2. Determine the applied torques.
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 M. Vable Mechanics of Materials: Chapter 5

Internal Torque

T = ∫ ρ dV = ∫ ρ τxθ dA 5.1
A A
• Equation is independent of material model as it represents static equiv-
alency between shear stress and internal torque on a cross-section
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 M. Vable Mechanics of Materials: Chapter 5

C5.2 A hollow titanium (GTi = 36 GPa) shaft and a hollow Alumi-

num (GAl = 26 GPa) shaft are securely fastened to form a composite
shaft as shown in Fig. C5.2. The shear strain γxθ in polar coordinates at
the section is γ xθ = 0.05ρ where ρ is in meters and the dimensions of
the cross-section are di= 40 mm, dAl= 80 mm and dTi = 120 mm. Deter-
mine the equivalent internal torque acting at the cross-section.
Titanium Aluminum

θ
ρ

di
d Al
d Ti

Fig. C5.2
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 M. Vable Mechanics of Materials: Chapter 5

Theory for Circular Shafts

Theory Objective
• (i) to obtain a formula for the relative rotation (φ2 - φ1) in terms of the
internal torque T.
• (ii) to obtain a formula for the shear stress τxθ in terms of the internal
torque T.
y

T2
r␪
x
z

x2
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 M. Vable Mechanics of Materials: Chapter 5

Kinematics
Original Grid

Deformed Grid

Ao B1
Ao,Bo —Initial position
A1 Bo
A1,B1 —Deformed position ␾ ␾

Assumption 1 Plane sections perpendicular to the axis remain plane during

deformation. (No Warping)
Assumption 2 On a cross-section, all radials lines rotate by equal angle during
deformation.
Assumption 3 Radials lines remain straight during deformation.
φ = φ(x)
• φ is positive counter-clockwise with respect to the x-axis.
y γxθ

ρ
A
θ
x
γxθ B
γxθ γmax
Δφ
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B1
ρ
C
Δx ρ
z
R
dφ
Assumption 4 Strains are small. γ xθ = ρ
dx

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 M. Vable Mechanics of Materials: Chapter 5

Material Model
Assumption 5 Material is linearly elastic.
Assumption 6 Material is isotropic.
dφ
From Hooke’s law τ = Gγ , we obtain: τ xθ = Gρ
dx
θ Failure surface in aluminum shaft due to τxθ

τθx

x
τxθ

Failure surface in wooden shaft due to τθx

Sign Convention
• Internal torque is considered positive if it is counter-clockwise with
respect to the outward normal to the imaginary cut surface.
Positive T
Positive τxθ

Positive τxθ Positive T

Outward normal
x Outward normal
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August 2012 5-7

 M. Vable Mechanics of Materials: Chapter 5

Torsion Formulas

2 dφ dφ 2
T = ∫ Gρ dx
dA =
dx ∫
Gρ dA
A A
Assumption 7 Material is homogenous across the cross-section.

dφ T
= -------
dx GJ
• J is the polar moment of inertia for the cross-section.
• The quantity GJ is called the torsional rigidity.
π 4 π 4
• Circular cross-section of radius R or diameter D, J = --- R = ------ D .
2 32
τxθ

Tρ τmax
τ xθ = -------
J ρ

φ2 x2
T
φ2 – φ1 = ∫ dφ = ∫ GJ- dx
------
φ1 x1
Assumption 8 Material is homogenous between x1 and x2.
Assumption 9 The shaft is not tapered.
Assumption 10 The external (hence internal) torque does not change with x
between x1 and x2.
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T ( x2 – x1 )
φ 2 – φ 1 = -------------------------
GJ

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 M. Vable Mechanics of Materials: Chapter 5

Two options for determining internal torque T

• T is always drawn in counter-clockwise direction with respect to the
outward normal of the imaginary cut on the free body diagram.
Direction of τxθ can be determined using subscripts.
Positive φ is counter-clockwise with respect to x-axis.
φ 2 – φ 1 is positive counter-clockwise with respect to x-axis
• T is drawn at the imaginary cut on the free body diagram in a direc-
tion to equilibrate the external torques.
Direction of τxθ must be determined by inspection.
Direction of φ must be determined by inspection.
Direction of φ 2 – φ 1 must be determined by inspection.

Torsional Stresses and Strains

• In polar coordinates, all stress components except τxθ are assumed
zero. Shear strain can be found from Hooke’s law.
Direction of τxθ by inspection

Torsional Shear Stress

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 M. Vable Mechanics of Materials: Chapter 5

C5.3 Determine the direction of shear stress at points A and B

(a) by inspection, and (b) by using the sign convention for internal torque
and the subscripts. Report your answer as a positive or negative τxy.

y B
x
T
A B
x

Class Problem 1
C5.4 Determine the direction of shear stress at points A and B (a)
by inspection, and (b) by using the sign convention for internal torque
and the subscripts. Report your answer as a positive or negative τxy.

A y
x
T
A B
x
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B
x

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 M. Vable Mechanics of Materials: Chapter 5

C5.5 Determine the internal torque in the shaft below by making

imaginary cuts and drawing free body diagrams.
20 kN-m

18 kN-m
A
12 kN-m
B
10 kN-m

C 0.4 m

D 1.0 m

0.5 m
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August 2012 5-11

 M. Vable Mechanics of Materials: Chapter 5

Torque Diagram
• A torque force diagram is a plot of internal torque T vs. x
• Internal torque jumps by the value of the external torque as one
crosses the external torque from left to right.
• An torsion template is used to determine the direction of the jump in T.
A template is a free body diagram of a small segment of a shaft created
by making an imaginary cut just before and just after the section where
the external torque is applied.

Template 1 Template 2
Template 1 Equation Template 2 Equation

T2 = T1 – T ext T2 = T1 + Text

C5.6 Determine the internal torque in the shaft below by drawing

the torque diagram.
20 kN-m

18 kN-m
A
12 kN-m
B
10 kN-m

C 0.4 m
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D 1.0 m

0.5 m

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 M. Vable Mechanics of Materials: Chapter 5

C5.7 A solid circular steel (Gs = 12,000 ksi) shaft BC is securely

attached to two hollow steel shafts AB and CD as shown. Determine: (a)
the angle of rotation of section at D with respect to section at A. (b) the
maximum torsional shear stress in the shaft (c) the torsional shear stress
at point E and show it on a stress cube. Point E is on the inside bottom
surface of CD.
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August 2012 5-13

 M. Vable Mechanics of Materials: Chapter 5

Statically Indeterminate Shafts

• Both ends of the shaft are built in, leading to two reaction torques but
we have only on moment equilibrium equation.
• The compatibility equation is that the relative rotation of the right wall
with respect to the left wall is zero.
• Calculate relative rotation of each shaft segment in terms of the reac-
tion torque of the left (or right) wall. Add all the relative rotations and
equate to zero to obtain reaction torque.

C5.8 Two hollow aluminum (G = 10,000 ksi) shafts are securely

fastened to a solid aluminum shaft and loaded as shown Fig. C5.8. Point
E is on the inner surface of the shaft. If T= 300 in-kips in Fig. C5.8,
Determine (a) the rotation of section at C with respect to rotation the wall
at A. (b) the shear strain at point E.
T

4 in 2 in A B C D
E

36 in
24 in 24 in

Fig. C5.8
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 M. Vable Mechanics of Materials: Chapter 5

C5.9 Under the action of the applied couple the section B of the
two tubes shown Fig. C5.9 rotate by an angle of 0.03 rads. Determine (a)
the magnitude maximum torsional shear stress in aluminum and copper.
(b) the magnitude of the couple that produced the given rotation.
aluminum
F

A
copper

Fig. C5.9
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August 2012 5-15