MACHAKOS UNIVERSITY

SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY

DEPARTMENT OF MECHANICAL & MANUFACTURING ENGINEERING

EUNICE AKWAREJ40-1163-2018

ALEX MUENDO J40-2789-2017

WEBSTER OCHIENG J40-3165-2019

ROBINSON GULEMA J40-3160-2019

MICHEAL JUMA J40-2486-2018

LIVINGSTONE WAFULA J40-3162-2019

LAB REPORT

TITLE: EMM403 STRUCTURAL & SOLID MECHANICS III

 ABSTRACT

This study investigates the shear modulus of several beam specimens made of different

materials. A torsiometer was used to measure the shear modulus. The specimens were subjected

to a range of loading conditions, and the results were analyzed to determine the shear modulus

for each material. The results showed that the shear modulus varied significantly between

materials. This study provides useful information for selecting materials for use in structural

applications.

OBJECTIVES

i. To find the shear modulus on several beam specimens of various materials

ii. To familiarize students with the equipment and its sensitivity in the specimen’s elastic

region
 THEORY

Useful notation;

Modulus of rigidity (G)

It is a measure of the rigidity of the material when in ‘shear’, that is, when twisting. It is

given by the ratio of shear stress and the shear strain of the material. Also referred to as Shear

Modulus.

F
S h ear stress A τ
G= = = Eqn 1
S h ear strain ∆ x γ
h

Polar Moment of Inertia (J)

It is the ability of a circular cross-section beam or specimen to resist torsion (twisting). A

higher J indicates that the beam is able to resist a higher torsion or twisting force. The

diameter of the beam determines J; a higher diameter results to a larger J.

 4
πD
J= Eqn 2
32

The general torque equation for circular cross-sections is usually given by;

T Gθ
= Eqn3
J l

Torque (T)

The twisting force, referred to as torque, at the end of the specimen is the moment of the

force on the torque arm. It is given by;

T =F × Torque Arm Lengt h ( m ) Eqn 4

Shear Stress (τ )

Shear Stress for a solid circular bar is given by;

TD
τ= Eqn5
2J

Shear Strain (γ)

Shear Strain for a solid circular bar is equally given by;

τ rθ
γ= = Eqn 6
G l

Hence;
 TD
2J
G= Eqn 7
rθ
l

G is determined within the elastic limit. A material is perfectly elastic if it can be compressed

or stretched by an amount, and then regains its original shape when the stress is reomved.

However, for a perfectly plastic material, when stretched by a small amount, it does not

regain the original shape. Most materials habe both elastic and plastic properties. They

behave like an elastic material up to elastic limit or yield point. Beyond this point, they

deform plastically until they fracture.

 EXPERIMENT SETUP

Figure 1

Specimen
 PROCEDURE:

1. Connect the cables of the equipment as shown.

2. Use the cable supplied with the power supply to connect it to a suitable mains electrical

supply

3. Accurately measure and record the dimensions of the given specimen

4. Check the distance across the flats at the ends of the specimen and choose the correct sockets

to fit the specimen (12mm or 3/16”)

5. Fit the socket to the torque head and the gearbox output as shown below

6. Fit the torsiometer following the appended steps

7. Fit the specimen (with torsiometer fitted) to the sockets. Slide the gearbox output shaft along

so that the specimens end fit fully into each socket

8. Switch on both Digital Meters and press their “press to zero” buttons

9. Remove the clear guard around the specimen ( cannot be used when not using the

torsiometer)

10. To remove any mechanical error, slowly turn the gearbox hand wheel until the load display

starts to show a small value of torque, then use the ‘Press to zero’ buttons to set all displays

to zero

11. Carefully press the Torsiometer button to set its displays to zero before loading

12. Load the specimen within the elastic region ie to a maximum of 0.030 radians. Beyond this,

the material will deform plastically.

13. Repeat the experiment with different materials

 RESULTS AND ANALYSIS

DATA

Table 1 Data

Carbon Steel Mild Steel Brass

Angle Torque(Nm)
1 1.55 0.27 0.6
2 3.15 1.46 1.49
3 4.95 2.83 2.21
4 6.9 4.25 3.16
5 8.74 5.62 4.1
6 10.69 6.82 4.9
7 12.9 8.05 5.782
8 14.58 9.04 6.63
9 16.43 10.08 7.57
10 17.62 10.88 8.39

Polar Moment of Inertia

 Since the specimen have the same diameter, they have the same polar moment of

inertia. The diameter is 6mm or 0.006m

 Polar moment of inertia is given by

4 4
π D π × 0.006 −10 4
J= = =1.2723 × 10 m
32 32

The Shear Stress and Shear Strain

 The shear stress is given by:

TD
τ=
2J
  Shear strain is given by:

τ rθ
γ= =
G l

 Using the formulas for shear stress and shear strain, the table below was obtained

Carbon Steel Mild Steel Brass

Shear stress Shear strain Shear stress Shear strain Shear stress Shear strain
MN/m MN/m MN/m
34.19 6.89E-04 5.89 6.89E-04 14.15 6.89E-04
73.803 1.38E-03 33.95 1.38E-03 33.95 1.38E-03
116.01 2.07E-03 67.67 2.07E-03 53.53 2.07E-03
160.34 2.76E-03 101.16 2.76E-03 73.57 2.76E-03
205.38 3.44E-03 132.52 3.44E-03 94.32 3.44E-03
251.36 4.13E-03 160.81 4.13E-03 115.54 4.13E-03
297.1 4.82E-03 189.11 4.82E-03 136.29 4.82E-03
343.08 5.51E-03 214.34 5.51E-03 157.27 5.51E-03
387.17 6.20E-03 236.03 6.20E-03 178.02 6.20E-03
416.41 6.89E-03 254.18 6.89E-03 197.59 6.89E-03

Graph of Shear Stress vs Shear Strain

 DISCUSSION

 Shear modulus is given by the formula:

τ
G=
γ

 The slope of the graph gives the shear modulus, G.

 From the graphs, the following were the slopes:

GMS= 41.12 GPa

GCS= 63.556 GPa

GB= 29.799 GPa

Where GMS=shear modulus for mild steel

GCS= shear modulus for carbon steel

GB= shear modulus for brass

 The theoretic shear modulus are the following:

GMS= 60-70 GPa

GCS=77 GPa
 GB= 39GPa

 The shear modulus both from experiment and theoretic ones are different. Theoretical

shear modulus is a measure of how elastic a material is and is calculated based on a

material's atomic structure and composition. Practical shear modulus is a measure of how

the material behaves under actual loading conditions and is determined through testing.

 Theoretical shear modulus is calculated based on the theoretical models and assumptions,

while experimental shear modulus is measured experimentally and is affected by factors

such as sample preparation, loading conditions and other physical properties of the

material. Therefore, the difference between theoretic shear modulus and experimental

shear modulus is due to the fact that theoretical models can only approximate the

behavior of materials and cannot always account for the complex interactions that occur

in real life.

 The difference between theoretical and experimental shear modulus is due to several

factors. These include the actual geometry of the sample, the effects of temperature, the

presence of defects, grain size, porosity, and other internal and external influences. The

theoretical shear modulus is based on idealized assumptions and does not take into

account the actual conditions of the sample. The experimental shear modulus, on the

other hand, is based on actual measurements and conditions of the sample, which may not

reflect the ideal assumptions. Additionally, the complexity of the sample and its structure

may also play a role in the difference between theoretical and experimental shear moduli.

CONCLUSION
 The experiment to find the shear modulus on several beam specimens of various materials

performed by a torsiometer yielded valuable insight into how different materials respond to shear

forces. Through the experiment, we were able to calculate the shear modulus of each material

and compare it to the predicted values. The results of this experiment have shown that the shear

modulus of each material is in line with the predicted values, suggesting that the torsiometer is

an effective tool for measuring shear modulus in a variety of materials.

Me as student I got familiar with the equipment and its sensitivity in the specimen’s elastic

region.