1

ME2113-2
TORSION OF CIRCULAR SHAFTS




FORMAL LAB REPORT
Semester 3
2011/2012







Name : SIBHICKKUMARAN SARAVANAN
Matric Number : A0074891U
Group : 2M2
Date : 26/08/2011



2

Objectives:

To study how a hollow shaft would behave compared with a solid shaft, in terms of
strength, stiffness and rigidity.

Theory:

Whether the shaft is solid or hollow, its response to an applied torque may be expressed
mathematically by the well-known torsional formula

t |
= =
L
G
I
T
p
(1)

For a hollow shaft having D
h
and d
h
as the outer and inner diameters respectively, its polar
second moment of area is

( ) ( ) I D d
p
h
h h
=
t
32
4 4
(2)

For a solid shaft of diameter D
s
, its polar second moment of area is given by

( ) I
p
s
=
t
32
D
s
4
(3)

Equation (1) also shows that the shear stress varies linearly from zero at the shaft centre to
the maximum at the outer surface of the shaft. Thus, in torsional shaft design, the shaft
diameter must be so chosen that the shear stress at its outer surface is less than the
allowable stress.

The torsional twist of the shaft while transmitting power should also be limited to a
specified value. In this connection, the term torsional stiffness (K), as defined by the torque
that is necessary to twist the shaft one unit angle is used extensively in the study of torsion
of shafts. It is convenient to have the torsional stiffness expressed mathematically as

K
T
=
|
(4)

Since its magnitude is given by the slope of the T-| graph.

Looking at Equation (1) again, it is seen that for a specific value of torque, the behaviour of
torsional shafts depends on the polar second moment of area, shaft material and shaft
length. The objective of this experiment is to study how a hollow shaft would behave
compared with a solid shaft, in terms of strength and rigidity.




3


From Equation (1), the theoretical % change in torsional stiffness between hollow and solid
shafts is as follows:

i) for shafts having the same outer diameter

AK
d
D
h
s
=
|
\

|
.
|
4
100 (5)

ii) for shafts having the same volume

AK
D
D
D
D
s
h
s
h
=

|
\

|
.
|
|
\

|
.
|
2
1
100
2
2


Sample Calculations:

The following sample calculations give an idea of how the values tabulated in Table 2 and 3
were calculated.

Table 2:

a) Calculating % change in torsional stiffness (for the same outer diameter):

Experimental:
Formula:

.
For 12/6mm : since K
h
= 369.66 Nm/rad ,K
s
= 399.44 Nm/rad (From Table 1.)
AK=(369.66-399.44)/ 399.44= -7.46%.
Theoretical:
Formula:

For 12/6mm dh/Dh=6/12=0.5:
AK = -(6/12)
4
= -6.25%.

b) Calculating % change in Volume:
Formula: A

4

For 12/6 mm:
A
h
2

h
2

s
2

s
2

= [ (12
2
- 6
2
) - 12
2
] / 12
2
x 100%
= -25.00%

c) Theoretical % change in maximum shear stress:
Formula: A t t
h
t
s
t
s

x100%
3
D
1
3
D
1
4
d
4
D
D
s
s h h
h

For 12/6 mm: A t =
12
12 6
1
12
1
12
100%
4 4 3
3
( ) ( ) ( )
( )

x = 6.67%

Table 3:

a) % change in torsional stiffness (for same volume):

Experimental:
Formula:

For Solid, 7.93 mm dia. hollow, 12/9 mm:
K
h
= 263.75Nm/rad ,K
s
= 100.81 Nm/rad (From table 1)
AK = (263.75-100.81)/ 100.81= 161.63%.

Theoretical:
Formula:

For Solid, 7.93 mm dia. hollow, 12/9 mm:
AK = x100%
2
)
12.00
7.93
(
2
)
12.00
7.93
( 1
2x

= 257.98%
5


b) Theoretical % change in maximum shear stress:
Formula: A t = (t
h
- t
s
) / t
s
x 100% =
x100%
3
D
1
3
D
1
4
d
4
D
D
s
s h h
h

For Solid, 7.93 mm dia. hollow, 12/9 mm:
A t =
12
12 9
1
7 93
1
7 93
100%
4 4 3
3
( ) ( ) ( . )
( . )

x = -57.78%
Results:

Table 1: Experimental data for solid and hollow shafts

Angular
Displacements
Torque (Nm) for Solid Shafts Torque (Nm) for Hollow Shafts
Degrees Radians 7.93
mm
8.94
mm
9.74
mm
10.39
mm
12.0 mm 12/9 mm 12/8
mm
12/7
mm
12/6 mm
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
0.20 0.003491 0.29 0.35 0.69 0.81 1.31 0.73 0.90 1.08 1.19
0.40 0.006981 0.59 0.74 1.47 1.69 2.61 1.51 1.90 2.17 2.36
0.60 0.010472 0.91 1.17 2.23 2.61 3.98 2.34 2.91 3.34 3.56
0.80 0.013963 1.24 1.63 3.06 3.55 5.31 3.20 3.98 4.57 4.82
1.00 0.017453 1.59 2.13 3.91 4.52 6.69 4.11 5.11 5.78 6.09
1.20 0.020944 1.95 2.64 4.81 5.55 8.10 5.03 6.22 7.04 7.41
1.40 0.024435 2.31 3.19 5.71 6.53 9.50 5.98 7.34 8.32 8.68
1.60 0.027925 2.68 3.74 6.64 7.55 10.96 6.99 8.57 9.62 10.04
1.80 0.031416 3.06 4.30 7.60 8.58 12.37 7.96 9.72 10.93 11.39
2.00 0.034907 3.44 4.88 8.55 9.59 13.85 8.98 10.94 12.26 12.79
I
p
(mm
4
) 388.23 627.12 883.56 1144.09 2035.75 1391.63 1633.6 1800.1 1908.52
K (Nm/rad) 100.81 145.37 250.97 281.13 399.44 263.75 320.49 357.4 369.66
6





y = 100.81x - 0.1293
y = 145.37x - 0.314
y = 250.97x - 0.3513
y = 281.13x - 0.2993
y = 399.44x - 0.2007
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
0 0.005 0.01 0.015 0.02 0.025 0.03 0.035 0.04
T
o
r
q
u
e
,

T

(
N
m
)

Angle of twist, (rad)
7.93mm 8.94mm 9.74mm 10.39mm
12.0mm Linear (7.93mm) Linear (8.94mm) Linear (9.74mm)
Linear (10.39mm) Linear (12.0mm)
GRAPH 1: Torsion stiffness for solid shafts
y = 263.75x - 0.3807
y = 320.49x - 0.394
y = 357.4x - 0.3507
y = 369.66x - 0.264
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
0 0.005 0.01 0.015 0.02 0.025 0.03 0.035 0.04
12/9mm 12/8mm 12/7mm
12/6mm Linear (12/9mm) Linear (12/8mm)
Linear (12/7mm) Linear (12/6mm)
GRAPH 2: Torsion stiffness for hollow shafts
T
o
r
q
u
e
,

T

Angle of twist, (rad)
7

Table 2: Strength and stiffness of hollow and solid shafts having the same outer diameter


Solid Shaft

D
s
= 12 mm

V
s
= 11309.73mm
3


K
s
= 399.44Nm/Rad


% change in torsional stiffness



AK
K K
K
h s
s
=

100%


% change in volume

AV
V V
V
h s
s
=

100%

Theoretical % change in
maximum shear stress

At
t t
t
=

h s
s
h
h h s
s
D
D d D
D
100%
1
1
100%
4 4 3
3

Experimental Theoretical
Hollow Shafts
1. 12/6 mm
d
h
/D
h
= 0.500
-7.46 -6.25 -25.00 6.67
2. 12/7 mm
d
h
/D
h
= 0.583
-10.52 -11.58 -34.03 13.10
3. 12/8 mm
d
h
/D
h
= 0.667
-19.76 -19.75 -44.44 24.62
4. 12/9 mm
d
h
/D
h
= 0.750
-33.97 -31.64 -56.25 46.29


-80
-60
-40
-20
0
20
40
60
0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8
% change in torsional
stiffness (experimental)
% change in torsional
stiffness (theoretical)
% change in volume
Theoretical % change in
maximum shear stress
GRAPH 3: Strength and stiffness of hollow & solid shafts
having same outer diameter
dh/Dh
%

C
h
a
n
g
e

GRAPH 3: Strength and stiffness of hollow & solid shafts
having same outer diameter
dh/Dh
%

C
h
a
n
g
e

GRAPH 3: Strength and stiffness of hollow & solid shafts
having same outer diameter
dh/Dh
%

C
h
a
n
g
e

GRAPH 3: Strength and stiffness of hollow & solid shafts
having same outer diameter
dh/Dh
%

C
h
a
n
g
e

8

Table 3: Strength and stiffness of hollow and solid shafts having the same volume


% change in torsional stiffness


AK
K K
K
h s
s
=

100%


Theoretical % change in
maximum shear stress

% 100

= A
s
s h
t
t t
t

Experimental Theoretical

1. solid, 7.93 mm dia.
hollow, 12/9 mm


2. solid, 8.94 mm dia.
hollow, 12/8 mm


3. solid, 9.74 mm dia.
hollow, 12/7 mm

4. solid, 10.39 mm dia.
holow, 12/6 mm


161.63



120.46



42.41


31.49

257.98



160.34



103.58


66.78

-57.78



-48.47



-39.52


-30.76




-100
-50
0
50
100
150
200
250
300
0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1
% change in
torsional stiffness
(experimental)
% change in
torsional stiffness
(theoretical)
Theoretical %
change in
maximum shear
stress
GRAPH 4: Strength and stiffness of hollow & solid
shafts having the same volume
%

C
h
a
n
g
e

Ds/Dh
9



Discussions:



1.
The torsional stiffness of solid shaft is higher than the hollow shafts of the same
diameter. This is clear from the data shown in Table 2, where the % change in
torsional stiffness is negative. Moreover the theoretical percentage change in
maximum shear stress is positive. This shows that the shear stress of hollow shafts is
larger than solid shafts with the same outer diameters. From table 3, we can see that
percentage change in torsional stiffness is positive. This shows that hollow shafts
have greater torsional stiffness than solid shafts of the same volume. But, the
theoretical percentage change for maximum shear stress is negative. This shows that
solid shafts have greater magnitude of maximum shear stress than hollow shafts of
same volume.

2.
From Table 2, AK
K K
K
h s
s
=

100% is always negative. This implies that K
h
< K
s
.
So, hollow shafts have lesser rigidity when compared to solid shafts of same outer
diameter as the torsional stiffness for hollow shafts is lower than solid shafts.
Moreover, the theoretical % change in maximum shear stress is positive. This implies
that the maximum shear stress of hollow shafts is higher than the solid shafts of
same outer diameter. So, hollow shafts of same outer diameter will be stronger than
solid shafts. Therefore, hollow shafts will be less rigid but, stronger than solid shafts
of same outer diameter.

3.
From table 3, we can see that K
h
is larger than K
s
since AK
K K
K
h s
s
=

100% is
always positive. This means that for given amount of material, hollow shaft is more
rigid and stiffer than solid shaft having the same volume. But,
h
t is lesser than
s
since
% 100

= A
s
s h
t
t t
t
is negative. This means that for a given amount of material,
solid shaft is stronger than hollow shafts having same volume. Therefore, if we need
the shaft to be more rigid (greater torsional stiffness), then we should design a
hollow shaft. However, if we need a shaft with greater magnitude of maximum shear
stress (more strength) then we should design a solid shaft.





10


Conclusion:


From this experiment, we have learned that the larger the diameter of a solid shaft,
the greater the stiffness and stronger the shaft using the equation,

t |
= =
L
G
I
T
p
. On
the other hand, larger the hole of a hollow shaft, the weaker the hollow shaft will be.
Moreover, hollow shafts are less rigid but, stronger than solid shafts of same outer
diameter. However, hollow shafts are more rigid but, weaker than solid shafts having
same volume.