STRENGTH OF

MATERIALS
Gate Mechanical Engineering concepts
STRESS & STRAIN
 Preview of Equilibrium Equations
Equilibrium of a body requires both
a balance of forces , and a balance of
moments

Mathematically, this can be represented as

z
∑Fx=0 ∑Mx=0

∑Fy=0 ∑My=0 x
y
∑Fz=0 ∑Mz=0
Preview of Equilibrium Equations

■ Often in engineering practice the loading on a body can be represented

as a system of coplanar forces
Assuming the plane to be the x-y plane y

∑Fx=0 ∑Fy=0 ∑Mo=0

O x
Stress

P P C/s
Area
Stress

P P
P – Force applied in Newtons (N)
A – Resisting area in m2
𝑷 σ – Stress (N/m2)
σ=
𝑨
C/s P
Area σ
Difference between Pressure and Stress
• Stress and Pressure have the same units (N/m2)

• Pressure – Intensity of External Forces

• Stress – Intensity of Internal Resistance to external forces

• Pressure always acts normal to the surface

• Stress acts normal as well as tangential to the surface

Types of Stresses ∆ Fz

Let us consider an element of small area ∆A

cross sectional area.

Normal Stress
Types of Stresses
∆ Fy

Let us consider an element of small area ∆A

cross sectional area.

Shear Stress
Types of Stresses
∆ Fx
Let us consider an element of small area ∆A
cross sectional area.

Shear Stress
General state of stress

𝜎𝑥 𝜁𝑥𝑦 𝜁𝑥𝑧
Stress = 𝜁𝑦𝑥 𝜎𝑦 𝜁𝑦𝑧
𝜁𝑧𝑥 𝜁𝑧𝑦 𝜎𝑧

𝑥 is the face on which stress acts

𝜁𝑥𝑦
𝑦 is the direction in which stress
acts
Strain
Whenever a force is applied to a body, it will tend to change the body’s
shape and size.
Strain
■ Strain is defined as change in length per unit length

∆L

∆L
𝜀=
L
L

𝜀 has no units
Types of strain
■ Normal Strain
Let us consider a small length ∆s in a body
Types of Strain
■ Shear Strain
Effect of Normal and shear strain
Normal strains
cause a change
in volume of the
∆L
element,
whereas the
Shear strains
cause a change
in its shape
θ
General state of strain
ε𝒙𝒚 is known as actual
𝜀𝑥𝑥 𝜀𝑥𝑦 𝜀𝑥𝑧 shear strain
Strain = 𝜀𝑦𝑥 𝜀𝑦𝑦 𝜀𝑦𝑧
𝜀𝑧𝑥 𝜀𝑧𝑦 𝜀𝑧𝑧 Engineering shear strain
is represented by γ𝒙𝒚
γ𝒙𝒚 γ𝒙𝒛 γ𝒙𝒚
𝜀𝑥𝑥 ε𝒙𝒚 =
2 2 𝟐
γ𝒙𝒚 γ𝒚𝒛
Strain = 𝜀𝑦𝑦
2 2
γ𝒛𝒙 γ𝒛𝒚
𝜀𝑧𝑧
2 2
Stress representation on an element
σy
𝜁𝑥𝑦

σx σx

𝜁𝑥𝑦
σy
Strain representation on an element
εy
ε𝑥𝑦

εx εx

ε𝑥𝑦
εy