Chapter 2

Torsion Stresses in Thin-Walled

Multi-Cell Box-Girders
2.1 Torsion of Uniform Thin-Walled Two-Cell Box-Girders
The thin-walled box section with uniform thickness t as shown in Fig. 2.1, is
subjected to a torsion moment T.
The shear ow and angle of twist for the thin-walled two cell structure shown in
Fig. 2.1 could be determined as follows.
The exural warping coefcients are given by
d
11
1=G
_
s
1
ds=t
1=Gt AC CD DB BA
d
22
1=Gt DC CF FH HD
d
12
1=G CD=t
Since the angle of twist is the same for the two cells, then the basic equations
are given by
d
11
q
1
d
12
q
2
2A
1
h 0 2:1
d
12
q
1
d
22
q
2
2A
2
h 0 2:2
From equations (2.2.1) and (2.2.2) we get
d
11
d
22
q
1
d
12
d
22
q
2
2d
22
A
1
h
d
2
12
q
1
d
12
d
22
q
2
2d
12
A
2
h
Hence
q
1
d
11
d
22
d
2
12
2d
22
A
1
h 2d
12
A
2
h
M. Shama, Torsion and Shear Stresses in Ships,
DOI: 10.1007/978-3-642-14633-6_2, Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2010
21
The solution of equations (2.1) and (2.2) gives
q
1
h 2d
22
A
1
2d
12
A
2

_
d
11
d
22
d
2
12
_ _
D
1
h
q
2
h 2A
1
D
1
d
11
=d
12
D
2
h
where
D
1
2d
22
A
1
2d
12
A
2

_
d
11
d
22
d
2
12
_ _
D
2
2A
1
D
1
d
11
=d
12
The equilibrium condition gives
T 2A
1
q
1
2A
2
q
2
D
3
h
where
D
3
2A
1
q
1
2A
2
q
2

Hence
h 1=D
3
T
q
1
D
1
=D
3
T
q
2
D
2
=D
3
T
q
12
q
1
q
2
D
1
D
2
=D
3
T:
Example 2.1 Determine the torsion shear stress and angle of twist for the two
uniform thickness thin-walled box-girder shown in Fig. 2.2.
Solution The shear ow and angle of twist for the thin-walled two cell structure
shown in Fig. 2.2 could be determined as follows.
Fig. 2.1 Shear ow due to
torsion of a thin-walled box
girder with two unequal cells
22 2 Torsion Stresses in Thin-Walled Multi-Cell Box-Girders
The torsional moment is given by
T 2 q
1
A
1
q
2
A
2
2:3
The angle of twist for cells 1 and 2 are given by
h
1

1
2GA
1
q
1
_
1
ds=t q
2
_
12
ds=t
_
_
_
_
2:4
h
2

1
2GA
2
q
2
_
2
ds=t
_
q
1
_
21
ds=t
_
_
_
_
2:5
Since the angle of twist is the same for the two cells, then we have
h
1
h
2
h
3
Reformulating equations (2.4) and (2.5), we get
1
G
q
1
_
1
ds=t q
2
_
12
ds=t
_
_
_
_
2A
1
h 2:6
1
G
q
2
_
2
ds=t q
1
_
21
ds=t
_
_
_
_
2A
2
h 2:7
Let
d warping flexibility
d
11

1
G
_
1
ds=t
d
22

1
G
_
2
ds=t
Fig. 2.2 A uniform thin-
walled box-girder with two
cells
2.1 Torsion of Uniform Thin-Walled Two-Cell Box-Girders 23
d
12
d
21

1
G
_
12
ds=t
Substituting in equations (2.2.4) and (2.2.5), we get
d
11
q
1
d
12
q
2
2A
1
h 0 2:8
d
12
q
1
d
22
q
2
2A
2
h 0 2:9
Solving equations (2.2.3), (2.2.8) and (2.2.9), q
1
and q
2
could be determined.
Example 2.2 Determine the torsion shear stresses and the rate of twist for the thin-
walled 2-cell box-girder shown in Fig. 2.3. The girder is subjected to a constant
torque T.
Solution Area of cell (1) is given by
A
1
2a
2
Area of cell (2) is given by
A
2
a
2
Let
d warping flexibility
d
11
1=G
_
ds=t 6a=Gt
d
22
4a=Gt
d
12
a=Gt
The basic equations are
d
11
q
1
d
12
q
2
2A
1
h 0 2:10
d
12
q
1
d
22
q
2
2A
2
h 0 2:11
Fig. 2.3 A thin-walled box-
girder with two unequal cells
24 2 Torsion Stresses in Thin-Walled Multi-Cell Box-Girders
The equilibrium equation gives
T 2 q
1
A
1
q
2
A
2
2a
2
2q
1
q
2
2:12
From equations (2.10) and (2.11), we get
d
11
q
1
A
2
d
12
q
2
A
2
d
12
q
1
A
1
d
22
q
2
A
1
0
q
1
d
11
A
2
d
12
A
1
q
2
d
12
A
2
d
22
A
1
0
Hence
q
1
q
2
d
22
A
1
d
12
A
2
d
11
A
2
d
12
A
1
q
2
2d
22
d
12
d
11
2d
12
From equation (2.12), we get
T 2a
2
q
2
2
2d
22
d
12
d
11
2d
12
1
_ _
T 2a
2
q
2
4d
22
4d
12
d
11
d
11
2d
12
_ _
From which q
2
is given by
q
2

T
2a
2
d
11
2d
12
4d
22
4d
12
d
11
_ _
q
1

T
2a
2
2d
22
d
12
4d
22
4d
12
d
11
_ _
Substituting in equation (2.10), we get
h
1
2A
1
d
11
q
1
d
12
q
2

1
4a
2

T
2a
2

2d
11
d
22
d
11
d
12
d
12
d
11
2d
2
12
4d
22
4d
12
d
11
_ _

T
4a
4

d
11
d
22
d
2
12
4d
22
4d
12
d
11
_ _
Substituting for d
12
, d
11
and d
22
, we get
q
1

T
2a
2
G
8 a=t a=t = 16 a=t 4 a=t 6 a=t
T
2a
2
G

9
26
q
2

T
2a
2
G
6 a=t 2 a=t = 26a=t
T
2a
2
G

8
26
h
T
4a
4
G
24 a
2
_
t
2
a
2
_
t
2
_ __
26 a=t
_

T
4a
4
G
23=26 a=t
2.1 Torsion of Uniform Thin-Walled Two-Cell Box-Girders 25
But
h T=GJ
Hence
J T=Gh 104=23 a
3
t:
2.2 The General Case of a Uniform Two-Cell Box Girder
This is an indeterminate structural problem and its solution is based on the
assumption that the rate of twist for each cell is the same as for the whole section,
see Fig. 2.4.
i.e.,
h
1
h
2
0 and h du=dz
h T=GJ
The torque T is given by
T 2q
1
A
1
2q
2
A
2
h
1

1
2GA
1
_
1
q=t ds
and
h
2

1
2GA
2
_
2
q=t ds
Fig. 2.4 Idealized section and torsion shear ow of a thin-walled two cell structure
26 2 Torsion Stresses in Thin-Walled Multi-Cell Box-Girders
i.e.,
1
G
q
1
_
1
q=t ds q
2
ds=t
12
_
_
_
_
2A
1
h
1
2:13
1
G
q8
2
_
2
ds=t q
1
ds=t
21
_
_
_
_
2A
2
h
2
2:14
Equations (2.13) and (2.14) are simplied to
d
11
q
1
d
12
q
2
2A
1
h
d
21
q
1
d
22
q
2
2A
2
h
d
11
d
12
d
21
d
22
_ _
q
1
q
2
_ _

A
1
A
2
_ _
2h
or
d q f g 2h A f g
The shear ow in each cell is given by
q f g d
1
2h A f g
i.e.,
q f g 2h d
1
A f g
d
11

1
G
_
1
ds=t
d
22

1
G
_
2
ds=t
d
12
d
21

1
G
ds=t
12
2:15
The torque is given by
T 2q
1
A
1
2q
2
A
2
2:16
Solving equations (2.15) and (2.16), we get q
1
, q
2
and h
The torque T is given by
T G J h
2.2 The General Case of a Uniform Two-Cell Box Girder 27
Hence J is given by
J T=Gh:
Example 2.3 Determine the torsion shear stresses and angle of twist for the thin-
walled box section having uniform thickness t as shown in Fig. 2.5. The section is
subjected to a torsion moment T.
Solution Condition for Compatibility (Consistent Deformation). The warping
exibilities are given by
d
11
1=Gt AB BC CD DA
d
22
1=Gt CH HF FN NC
d
12
1=G CD=td
12
1=G CD=t
The basic equations of consistent deformation are given by
d
11
q
1
d
12
q
2
2A
1
h 2:17
d
12
q
1
d
22
q
2
2A
2
h 2:18
Solving equations (2.17) and (2.18) we get
q
1

2d
22
A
1
2d
12
A
2
d
11
d
22
d
2
12
h D
1
h
q
2

2A
1
d
12
h D
1
d
11
d
12
h D
2
h
Equation for equilibrium condition is given by
T 2A
1
q
1
2A
2
q
2
h D
3
h 2:19
The solution of equations (2.17), (2.18) and (2.19) gives
h T=D
3
q
1
T D
1
=D
3
Fig. 2.5 Shear ow due to
torsion of a box-girder with
two cells
28 2 Torsion Stresses in Thin-Walled Multi-Cell Box-Girders
q
2
T D
2
=D
3
q
12
q
1
q
2
T D
1
D
2
=D
3
:
2.3 Torsion Stresses in a Two Identical Cells Box-Girder
The two identical thin-walled cells box girder, see Fig. 2.6, behaves exactly as a
single cell box girder.
Since the two cells are identical we have
q
I
q
II
q:
2.3.1 Shear Flow q
The shear ow q is the same for the two cells and is given by
q T=2A
where
A B D:
2.3.2 Shear Stress s
The shear stress in the sides, top, bottom and the internal partition plating are given
by
s
S
q=t
s
; s
D
q=t
D
; s
B
q=t
B
; s
L
0:
Fig. 2.6 A thin-walled box
girder with two identical cells
2.2 The General Case of a Uniform Two-Cell Box Girder 29
2.3.3 Rate of Twist h
The rate of twist is given by
h T=GJ
where
J 4A
2
__
ds=t
_
ds=t 2B=t
B
2D=t
S
2.4 Torsion of Three-Cell Box-Girder
Following the same principle that the angle of twist is the same for the three cell
box-girder shown in Fig. 2.7.
Then
h
1
h
2
h
3
h
The equations of consistent deformation are given by
d
11
q
1
d
12
q
2
2A
1
h
1
0 2:20
d
12
q
1
d
22
q
2
2A
2
h
2
0 2:21
d
32
q
1
d
33
q
2
2A
3
h
3
0 2:22
The torque is given by
T 2A
1
q
1
2A
2
q
2
2A
3
q
3
h 2:23
Solving equations (2.20)(2.23), we get q
1
, q
2
, q
3
, q
4
and h.
Fig. 2.7 Torsion of a three-
cell box-girder
30 2 Torsion Stresses in Thin-Walled Multi-Cell Box-Girders
Hence
d
11
d
12
0
d
21
d
22
d
23
0 d
32
d
33
_ _
q
1
q
2
q
3
_ _
2h
A
1
A
2
A
3
_ _
2:24
d q f g 2h A f g
Hence the shear ow in each cell is given by
q f g d
1
_
A f g2h
and
T 2h

A
i
q
i
where
d
11

_
1
ds=t
d
22

_
2
ds=t
d
33

_
3
ds=t
d
12
d
21
ds=t
12
d
23
d
32
ds=t
23
:
Example 2.4 Determine the shear ow, shear stress and rate of twist for the three-
cell box girder shown in Fig. 2.8.
Fig. 2.8 Shear ow due to
torsion of a 3-cell thin-walled
box girder
2.4 Torsion of Three-Cell Box-Girder 31
Solution Following the same principle that the angle of twist is the same for all
cells, see Fig. 2.8, we get
d
11
q
1
d
12
q
2
2A
1
h
d
21
q
1
d
22
q
2
d
23
q
3
2A
2
h
2
d
32
q
2
d
33
q
3
2Ah
3
2:25
but
h
1
h
2
h
3
h
Then
d
11
d
12
0
d
21
d
22
d
23
0 d
32
d
33
_ _
q
1
q
2
q
3
_ _
2h
A
1
A
2
A
3
_ _
d q f g 2h A f g 2:26
q f g d
1
_
A f g2h 2:27
The torque is given by
T 2q
1
A
1
2q
2
A
2
2q
3
A
3
2:28
Solving equations (2.26) and (2.28) we get
q
1
2hh
1
A
1
q
2
2hh
1
A
2
q
3
2hh
1
A
3
Substituting in equation (2.25), we get
h 1=2A
1
d
11
q
1
d
12
q
2

where
d
11
1=G
_
1
ds=t
d
22
1=G
_
2
ds=t
d
33
1=G
_
3
ds=t
d
12
d
21
1=G ds=t
12
d
23
d
32
1=G ds=t
23:
32 2 Torsion Stresses in Thin-Walled Multi-Cell Box-Girders
2.5 Torsion of Uniform Thin-Walled Multi-Cell Box-Girder
The multi-cell thin-walled structure when subjected to pure torsion is a statically
indeterminate problem; see Fig. 2.9.
The torque T is given by
T

n
i1
2A
i
q
i
GJhJ
where T = applied uniform torque; A
i
= enclosed area of the ith cell; J = torsion
constant
J 4

n
i1
A
i
d
1
A
i
The angle of twist per unit length
h du=dz
h
i
h
j
h
ij
h
jn
where
h
i
1=2GA
i
q
i
_
ds=t
_ _
The angle of twist for cell i is given by
h
i
1=2GA
i
q
i
_
ds=t q
i1
_
ds=t q
i1
_
ds=t
_ _
2:29
Equation (2.29) represents a series of simultaneous equations which gives
q
1
; q
2
; q
3
; . . .; q
n
.
The set of equations of consistent deformation is given by
d
11
q
1
d
12
q
2
2A
1
h 0 2:30
Fig. 2.9 Torsion of a multi-cell thin-walled box-girder
2.5 Torsion of Uniform Thin-Walled Multi-Cell Box-Girder 33
d
12
q
1
d
22
q
2
2A
2
h 0 2:31
d
32
q
1
d
33
q
2
2A
3
h 0 2:32
This set of equations could be put in the following form
d q f g 2h A f g
Hence, for a multi cell box girder, the shear ow in each cell is given by
q f g d
1
2h A f g i 1; 2; . . .; n
where
d
d
11
d
12
0 0 0 0
d
21
d
22
d
23
0 0 0
0 d
32
d
33
d
34
0 0
0 0 d
43
d
44
d
45
0
0 0 0 d
54
d
55
d
56
0 0 0 0 d
65
d
66
_
_
_
_
_
_
_
_
_
_
_
_
The torsion shear stresses are given by
s
1
q
1
=t
1
; s
2
q
2
=t
2
; s
3
q
3
=t
3
:
2.6 Combined Open and Closed Thin-Walled Sections
For the combined open and closed section, see Fig. 3.1, the angle of twist is the
same for the whole section whether it is an open or closed section.
2.6.1 Combined Open Section with One Closed Cell
The total torque T for the thin-walled section shown in Fig. 2.10 is given by
T =

2
I1
T
i
G J h
Fig. 2.10 Combined open
and closed one-cell thin-
walled section
34 2 Torsion Stresses in Thin-Walled Multi-Cell Box-Girders
Hence
h T=GJ
where
T
1
GJ
1
h
J
1
= torsion constant of the open section; J
2
= Torsion constant of the closed
section.
For the open part of the structure, the shear ow q
1
is given by
q
1
T
1
t
2
1
=J
1
T
1
G J
1
h
For the closed section of the structure, the shear ow q
2
is given by
q
1

T
2
=2
A2
T
2
2A
2
q
2
G J
2
h:
2.6.2 Combined Open Section with Two Closed Cells
The applied torque T for the thin-walled structure shown in Fig. 2.11 is given by
T

n
j1
2q
j
A
j

m
i1
GJ
i
h
In the above particular example
T 2q
1
A
1
2q
2
A
2
GJ
3
h
where J
3
= the torsion constant of the open section part of the structure and is
given by J
3
T 1=3

n
i1
b
i
t
3
i
Fig. 2.11 Combined thin-
walled open and closed
two-cell structure
2.6 Combined Open and Closed Thin-Walled Sections 35
The shear ow in the two cells is given by
d
11
q
1
d
12
q
2
2A
1
h
d
21
q
1
d
22
q
2
2A
2
h
d
11
1=G
_
1
ds=t
d
22
1=G
_
2
ds=t
d
12
d
21
1=G ds=t
12
In the general case, for combined open and closed sections, the shear ow in
each cell is given by
q
i
d
1
2hh
i
i 1; 2; . . .; n
And in each open member the shear ow is given by
q
i
T=J t
2
i
And the angle of twist is given by
h T=GJ
where T = the torque and is given by
T 4

n
i1
A
0
i
d
1
A
i

1
3

m
j1
b
j
t
3
j
:
Example 2.5 Determine the shear ow distribution and rate of twist for the ide-
alized ship section shown in Fig. 2.12. The ship section is subjected to a torque T.
Solution The torque T is distributed among the thin-walled structural members of
the ship section as follows
T

4
i1
T
i
where
T
1
2A
1
q
1
; T
2
2A
2
q
2
; T
3
2A
3
q
3
;
T
4
GJ
4
h
q
4
J
4
t
2
4
; J
4
1=3 St
3
4
36 2 Torsion Stresses in Thin-Walled Multi-Cell Box-Girders
because of symmetry of the ship section, we have
T
1
T
2
; T
4
T
5
Hence
T
1
T
2
2A
1
q
1
G J
1
h
Thus
T 2GJ
1
h 2GJ
4
h GJ
3
h

3
j1
G J h
where
G
E
21 t

E
2 6
J 2 J
1
2 J
4
J
3
where
J
1
4A
2
1
__
ds
t
4a b)
2
_
2b=t 2a=t
J
3
A(B h)
2
_
2B=t
3
2h=t
3

J
4
1=3 S
4
t
3
4
1=3 D a h) t
3
4
Hence
h T
_

GJ
Substituting, we get the torque carried by each structural element.
Fig. 2.12 Idealized ship
section
2.6 Combined Open and Closed Thin-Walled Sections 37
Hence
T
1
GJ
1
h
T
3
GJ
3
h
T
4
GJ
4
h
Substituting, we get the shear ow in each structural element as follows
q
1
T
1
=2A
1
; q
3
T
3
=2A
3
; and q
4
T
4
=2A
4
:
Example 2.6 Determine the shear ow and rate of twist for the ship section of
bulk carrier shown in Fig. 2.13.
Solution The torque T is given by
T 2 2A
1
q
1
2q
2
A
2
GJ
6
h 2A
3
q
3
2A
4
q
4
2A
5
q
5

The torsion constant J is given by
J 2

5
i1
4A
0
i
d
1
A
i
1=3 k
6
t
3
6
_ _
The rate of twist h is given by
h T=GJ
The set of equations of consistent deformation for cells (1) and (2) is given
by
d
11
q
1
d
12
q
2
2A
1
h 2T=J A
1
d
21
q
1
d
22
q
2
2A
2
h 2T=J A
2
Fig. 2.13 An idealized sec-
tion of a bulk carrier
38 2 Torsion Stresses in Thin-Walled Multi-Cell Box-Girders
This set of equations can be put in the matrix form as follows
d
11
d
12
d
21
d
22
_ _
q
1
q
2
_ _
2h
A
1
A
2
_ _
i.e.,
d q f g 2T=J A f g
Hence, the torsion shear ow in cells (1) and (2) are given by
q
1
d
1
2T=J A
1
q
2
d
1
2T=J A
2
Similarly, the torsion shear ow in cells (3), (4) and (5) are given by
q
3
d
1
2T=J A
3
q
4
d
1
2T=J A
4
q
5
d
1
2T=J A
5
where
d
d
33
d
34
0
d
43
d
44
d
45
0 d
54
d
55
_
_
_
_
d
ii
1=G

m
J1
k
j
_
t
j
_ _
; i 1; 2; . . .; n N of cells
d
rj
1=G k
rj
_
t
rj
_
i
where r, and j are cells, having a common boundary; i = cell No. i.
2.6 Combined Open and Closed Thin-Walled Sections 39
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