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Prandtl stress function (Ludwig Prandtl 1875-1953)

A trick to reduce three unknown stresses to a single unknown stress function


Let: xz = y yz = x

Solves exactly differential equations of equilibrium yz xz


y + x =0

Substitute into compatibility equation


zx zy = 2G y x
2 2 2 = + = 2 G 2 2 x y

Mission accomplished!

Boundary conditions and moments


Zero boundary stress
zx = sin
sin = dx ds

zy = cos
cos = dy ds dy dx zy =0 ds ds

zx cos zy sin = 0 zx

dy dx d + = = 0 is constant on the boundary y ds x ds ds

Torque

= T = ( x zy y zx ) dxdy
A

T = x +y dxdy = 2 dxdy x y A

Elliptical Cross Section


For elliptical cross section

x2 y2 = B h 2 + b 2 1
Substituting into Poissons equation get

h b G B= 2 h + b2
2 2

Maximum stress and angle


Stresses
2 By 2h 2Gy = 2 = 2 zx = x b h + b2

2 Bx 2b 2Gx zy = = 2 = 2 h h + b2 x

max = zy ( x = h )

Torque

2b 2 hG = 2 h + b2

2B 2 2B 2 2B 2B T = 2 x dA+ 2 y dA 2B dA = 2 I y + 2 I x 2BA h b h b

T = Bhb

Torsional constant and polar moment of inertia


Altogether get
max
T (b 2 + h 2 ) T 2T = , = = G b3 h3 G"J " bh 2

b3 h3
(b + h )
2 2

= G"J "

How can we see that torsional constant is not equal to polar moment of inertia? Note that hb3 bh 3
Ix = 4 Iy = 4

Example
Find how much we increase twist angle and maximum shear stress by using an elliptical cross section with b/h=2 instead of a circular section of same area. What is the error if we use J, not J Area Equality : 2 2

bh = 2 h

= r

Maximum Stress : Angle of twist:

r h= ;b = r 2 2
max
2T 2T 2 = = (41% higher) 2 3 bh r

T (b 2 + h 2 ) 2.5Tr 2 = = (25% higher) 3 3 6 r G b h With J instead of "J" 4T 1.6T = = (20% lower) 2 2 4 G bh(b + h ) r

Rectangle : Solution difficult to obtain by Prandtl Stress function

max

T = k 2 ( 2 b )( 2 h ) 2 T k 1 G ( 2 b )( 2 h ) 3

Torsional Parameters for Rectangular Cross Sections


b/h K1 K2 1 0.141 0.208 1.5 0.196 0.231 2 0.229 0.246 2.5 0.249 0.256 3 0.263 0.267 4 0.281 0.282 6 0.299 0.299 10 0.312 0.312 0.333 0.333

The Prandtl soap-film analogy


Textbook shows that for elastic membrane (e.g. soap film)

p z z + 2 = 2 S y x
2 2

Why is that helpful?

Reading assignment
Sections 6.5-6: Using Table 6.1, for what aspect ratio is it reasonable to use the approximation of long and narrow cross section?

Source: www.library.veryhelpful.co.uk/ Page11.htm

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