ASEN 3112 - Structures

Strains

ASEN 3112 Lecture 4 Slide 1

ASEN 3112 - Structures

From Statics To Kinematics

Lectures 1-3 dealt with topics in Statics:
Applied Forces Internal Forces Stresses
This lecture takes us into Kinematics:
Stresses Strains Displacements Size & Shape Changes

Specifically, we cover strains and their connections to displacements

ASEN 3112 Lecture 4 Slide 2

ASEN 3112 - Structures

What is Strain (in Mechanics)?

A measure of deformation of a flexible body

All real materials deform under the action of stresses
as well as temperature changes.
The connection between strains and stresses (and
temperature changes) is done through
constitutive equations that encode material properties.
These are covered in Lecture 5.

ASEN 3112 Lecture 4 Slide 3

ASEN 3112 - Structures

Strains and Displacements

Undeformed body
Displacement
vector
y Position
vector
z

P'

Deformed body

The displacement of a body particle (mathematically a

point P in a continuum model of the body) is a vector that
defines its motion, joining the initial position P to the final
position P'. Displacements of all particles form a vector field.
Point strains are connected to partial derivatives
of displacements with respect to the position coordinates {x,y,z}
These are called the strain-displacement equations

ASEN 3112 Lecture 4 Slide 4

ASEN 3112 - Structures

Strains Flavors (1)

Average vs. Point. Average strain is that taken over a finite
portion of the body, for example using a strain gage or rosette.
Point strain is obtained by a limit process in which the dimension(s)
of the gaged portion is made to approach zero.
Normal vs. Shear. Normal strain (a.k.a. extensional or
dimensional strain) measures changes in length along one specific
direction. Shear strain measures changes in angles with
respect to two specific directions.
Mechanical vs. Thermal. Mechanical strain is produced by
stresses. Thermal strain is produced by temperature changes.

ASEN 3112 Lecture 4 Slide 5

ASEN 3112 - Structures

Strains Flavors (2)

Finite vs. Infinitesimal. Finite strains are obtained using exact
measures of the changes in dimensions or angles.
Infinitesimal strains (a.k.a. linearized or small strains) are
obtained by linearizing a finite strain measure with respect to
displacement gradients.
Strain Measures. For finite strains, several mathematical
measures are in use, often identified with a person name in front.
For example Lagrangian strains, Eulerian strains, Hencky strains,
Almansi strains, Murnaghan strains, Biot strains, etc.
They have one common feature: as strains get small, meaning
<<1, all measures coalesce into the infinitesimal (linearized)
version. A brief discussion of Lagrangian versus Eulerian
in provided when defining 1D normal strains later.

ASEN 3112 Lecture 4 Slide 6

ASEN 3112 - Structures

Average Normal Strain in 1D

(a) Undeformed Bar

x
(b) Deformed Bar

undeformed length L0

deformed length L = L0 +
def

av =

L L0

=
Lre f
Lre f

Two common choices for the reference length are

Lref = L 0 , the initial gage length: Lagrangian strain
L ref = L, the final gage length: Eulerian strain

ASEN 3112 Lecture 4 Slide 7

ASEN 3112 - Structures

Strain Measures: Lagrangian vs. Eulerian

Lagrangian strains are preferred in solid and structural mechanics

Eulerian strains are preferred in fluid mechanics
For large strains the difference between these two measures
can be huge, as will be seen in Problem 3 of Recitation #2.
If the strain is small, say <1%, the difference becomes
insignificant, as the example in the Notes shows.

ASEN 3112 Lecture 4 Slide 8

Point Normal Strain in 1D

ASEN 3112 - Structures

(a) Undeformed Bar

uP =u uQ = uP +(uQ uP) = u+u

(b) Deformed Bar

P'

Q'

Take the limit as the distance between P and Q goes to zero:

P def
= lim

x0

(u + u) u
u
du
= lim
=
dx
x
x0 x

In 3D (*) generalizes to

x x =

(*)

u
x

with involves three changes: (1) point label P is dropped as point becomes
"generic", (2) subscript xx is appended to identify normal component, and
(3) the ordinary derivative becomes a partial derivative.

ASEN 3112 Lecture 4 Slide 9

Normal Strains in 3D (1)

ASEN 3112 - Structures

(b) Deformed configuration

(a) Undeformed configuration

x P

y+v

P'
x+u

z+w

Displacement vector PP' has components

u,v,w along x,y,z, respectively

ASEN 3112 Lecture 4 Slide 10

Normal Strains in 3D (2)

ASEN 3112 - Structures

(b) Deformed configuration

(a) Undeformed configuration

x P

y+v

P'
x+u

z+w

Average normal strains:

v
def v + v v
u
def u + u u

=
=
yy,av
=
x x,av =
y
y
x
x
w
def w + w w
zz ,av =
=
z
z
Point strains at P:
v
v
def
u
u
def

=
=
lim
=
x x = lim
yy
y0 y
y
x0 x
x
w
w
def
 zz = lim
=
z0 z
z

ASEN 3112 Lecture 4 Slide 11

ASEN 3112 - Structures

Average Shear Strain in x,y Plane

(a) 3D view

(b) 2D view of shearing

in x-y plane

yx =
y

xy =

(c) 2D shear deformation

(grossly exaggerated
for visibility)

R'

90

Q'
P'
measured in radians,
positive as shown

The average shear strain is

def

x y,av = .

Positive if original right angle decreases by , as shown

ASEN 3112 Lecture 4 Slide 12

ASEN 3112 - Structures

Average Shear Strain in x,y Plane in

Terms of Corner Displacements
2

D'
Shear-Deformed
= 1+

C'

vD

90

vC

C
Undeformed

vB

vA

y
A

x y,av

x
90 = 2

B'

A'

y
B

uA
uC

uB
uD
u C A
v
u
v B A
+
=
+
.
= = 1 + 2
x
y
x
y

See Notes for derivation details

ASEN 3112 Lecture 4 Slide 13

ASEN 3112 - Structures

Arbitrary Body in 3D - see Notes

R'(x+u+6 u dy,y+v+6 v dy)

6y
6y

S'(x+u+ 6 u dx+6 u dy,y+v+ 6 v dx+6 v dy)

6y
6y
6x
6x
Q'(x+u+6 u dx,y+v+6 v dx)
6x
6x

P'(x+u,y+v)
R(x,y+dy) dx S(x+dx,y+dy)
dy
Q(x+dx,y)
P(x,y)
zoom
(a) Undeformed
Displacement
vector
body

zoom
(b) Deformed
body
P'

dx

dy

y
z

Position
vector

P
uP = u

ASEN 3112 Lecture 4 Slide 14

vP = v

ASEN 3112 - Structures

3D (Point) Strain-Displacement Equations

x x = u
x
v
u
+
x y =
y
x
Strain matrix:

 yy
x z =


x x
yx
zx

 zz = w
z

v
=
y
w
u
+
z
x
x y
 yy
zy

x z
yz
zz

yz =


in which the shear strain components verify reciprocity:

xy = yx

yz = zy

ASEN 3112 Lecture 4 Slide 15

zx = x z

w
v
+
z
y

ASEN 3112 - Structures

Displacement Calculations for Truss

(a)

LAB

E, Ab

;;

E, Ab

;
;

(b)

q LBC
2sin

L BC sin
LBC /2

RCx
RCy
AB =

(c)

FAB =

q LBC

LBC

q LBC /2

FAB =

FBC =

q LBC
2tan

q LBC
2sin

FAB LAB
E Ab

(d)

BC =
B

;;
;;
C

B =

B'

FBC LBC
E Ab

(e)
B
BC

AB

;;
;;
A

q LBC
(LBC +LAB ) cos
LAB
sin
2 E Ab sin

See Section 4.5 of Notes for the worked out example

ASEN 3112 Lecture 4 Slide 16

ASEN 3112 - Structures

Displacement Vector Composition

Differs From That of Force Vectors

(a) force
composition

(b) displacement
composition
(assuming small
deformations)

The physical significance of the diagram on the right will

be illustrated with Problem 1 of Recitation #2

ASEN 3112 Lecture 4 Slide 17