Mechanics of Materials Laboratory

ME 2140

Fall 2013

Lab Report No. 2

Circular Torsion
Kenneth Knowles

Lab Instructor: Lin Wang

October 8, 2013

Mechanics of Materials Laboratory

ME 2140

Fall 2013

Table of Contents
Objective....1
Raw Test Data...1
Analysis of the Raw Test Data..4
Conclusion.....6

Mechanics of Materials Laboratory

ME 2140

Fall 2013

Objective
To determine the shear stress and strain for three materials: steel, aluminum, and
brass, and obtain the angle of twist, torsion, and shear modulus of elasticity for the
test specimen. Shear stress is T*c/J, and shear strain is c*phi/L where J is
.5*pi*c^4. The angle of twist phi is s/c=T*L/(J*G) where G is the shear modulus
of elasticity for the material according to Hookes Law, G=shear stress/shear
strain.

Raw Test Data

Below is the raw data for the three test specimens:
Aluminum
Force(P) displacement(
)
(lbf)
(inch)
0
0
0.2
0.004
0.4
0.0095
0.6
0.0135
0.8
0.0185
1
0.023
1.2
0.0285
1.4
0.033
1.6
0.0385
1.8
0.0445
2
0.0495
2.2
0.0535
2.4
0.058
2.6
0.0635
2.8
0.069
3
0.076

Mechanics of Materials Laboratory

ME 2140

Fall 2013

Brass
Force(P) displacement(
)
(lb)
(inch)
0
0
0.2
0.0025
0.4
0.005
0.6
0.0065
0.8
0.0095
1
0.0115
1.2
0.014
1.4
0.0165
1.6
0.019
1.8
0.0215
2
0.024
2.2
0.0265
2.4
0.0285
2.6
0.0305
2.8
0.033
3
0.0365
Steel
Force(P) displacement(
)
(lb)
(inch)
0
0
0.2
0.001
0.4
0.003
0.6
0.0045
0.8
0.006
1
0.008
1.2
0.0095
1.4
0.011

Mechanics of Materials Laboratory

ME 2140

Fall 2013

1.6
1.8
2
2.2
2.4
2.6
2.8
3

0.0125
0.014
0.0155
0.0175
0.019
0.021
0.0225
0.0245

The material and dimensional properties of the three specimens are as follows:
L=10 in, d=0.310 in, L1=2 in, e=4 in
Poissons Ratio: Aluminum=.35, Brass=.33, Steel=.29

Mechanics of Materials Laboratory

ME 2140

Fall 2013

Analysis of the Raw Test Data

Torsion
(in*lb)
0
0.031
0.062
0.093
0.124
0.155
0.186
0.217
0.248
0.279
0.31
0.341
0.372
0.403
0.434
0.465

Shear Stress
Max.
(psi)
0
34.19128
68.38256
102.5738
136.7651
170.9564
205.1477
239.339
273.5303
307.7215
341.9128
376.1041
410.2954
444.4867
478.678
512.8692

Phi, Angle of Twist (rad)

Aluminum
0
0.025806
0.06129
0.087097
0.119355
0.148387
0.183871
0.212903
0.248387
0.287097
0.319355

Brass
0
0.016129
0.032258
0.041935
0.06129
0.074194
0.090323
0.106452
0.122581
0.13871
0.154839

Steel
0
0.006452
0.019355
0.029032
0.03871
0.051613
0.06129
0.070968
0.080645
0.090323
0.1

Mechanics of Materials Laboratory

ME 2140

Fall 2013

0.345161
0.374194
0.409677
0.445161
0.490323

0.170968
0.183871
0.196774
0.212903
0.235484

0.112903
0.122581
0.135484
0.145161
0.158065

Shear Strain Max (rad)

Aluminum
0
0.0004
0.00095
0.00135
0.00185
0.0023
0.00285
0.0033
0.00385
0.00445
0.00495
0.00535
0.0058
0.00635
0.0069
0.0076

Brass
0
0.00025
0.0005
0.00065
0.00095
0.00115
0.0014
0.00165
0.0019
0.00215
0.0024
0.00265
0.00285
0.00305
0.0033
0.00365

Steel
0
0.0001
0.0003
0.00045
0.0006
0.0008
0.00095
0.0011
0.00125
0.0014
0.00155
0.00175
0.0019
0.0021
0.00225
0.00245

Shear Modulus of Elasticity (G) (psi)

Aluminum
0
85478.21
71981.65
75980.63
73927.1
74328.87
71981.65

Brass
0
136765.1
136765.1
157805.9
143963.3
148657.7
146534.1

Steel
0
341912.8
227941.9
227941.9
227941.9
213695.5
215944.9

Mechanics of Materials Laboratory

ME 2140

Fall 2013

Average

72526.96
71046.82
69150.91
69073.3
70299.83
70740.58
69997.9
69373.62
67482.79
71278.04

145053.9
143963.3
143126.3
142463.7
141926.1
143963.3
145733.3
145053.9
140512.1
144152.5

217580.9
218824.2
219801.1
220588.9
214916.6
215944.9
211660.3
212745.8
209334.4
218204.5

Ratio of G
Al:Br
0.494463
Al:St
0.326657
Br:St
0.66063
Conclusions
While these results vary significantly from accepted values of the shear modulus of
elasticity, their ratios do not. Using 3.9, 5.7, and 10.9 (Mpsi) as accepted values of
G for aluminum, brass, and steel respectively, the ratios are as follows
(http://www.engineeringtoolbox.com/modulus-rigidity-d_946.html):
Ratio of G
Al:Br
0.627119
Al:St
0.33945
Br:St
0.541284
The error in the measurements could potentially be from the precision and
mechanical operation of the testing apparatus. During testing, the machine would
sometimes be obstructed by other components of the machine. Also, the metal that
the machine is made of may have some elastic flexibility, which could potentially
give inaccurate values for the angle of twist.