Module 1
Simple Stress
Introduction
This module is concentrated in the study of stress. Stress is defined as the strength of a
material per unit area. Three types of simple stress will be discussed. The stress developed
due to the load which acts perpendicular on the surface of the material is called normal stress
and can either be tensile or compressive. Shearing stress usually acts parallel to the surface
and bearing stress is an internal stress caused by compressive forces.
It also contains stress on oblique plane under axial loading including allowable stress,
ultimate stress and factor of safety. Allowable stress or design stress is the maximum safe stress
that a material can carry while the ratio of the ultimate strength to the allowable stress is
known as the factor of safety.
The last part of this module tackles about thin-walled pressure vessels which may be a
tank orpipe carrying a fluid or gas under a pressure subjected to tensile forces. Part of this
would be tangential or circumferential stress, longitudinal stress and spherical shell.
Exercises are given at the end of each lesson. Answers are indicated that serve as your
guide. If you wish to have a printed solution of a problem, you can ask it from your instructor.
However, you are encouraged to avoid such action until you have tried to solve it yourself. Your
instructor may alsoopt to give assignments which you are required to submit. Complete and
detailed solutions should be shown inorder to be given full credit.
Learning Outcomes:
After completion of this module, you should be able to
1. Define simple stress.
2. Find the corresponding stresses in a member subjected to an axial load.
3. Find the stress developed on an oblique section caused by an axial load.
4. Find the stress in a vessel subjected to bursting pressure.
Lesson 1 – Normal, Shear And Bearing Stresses
SIMPLE STRESSES
Simple stresses are expressed as the ratio of the applied force divided by the resisting area or
σ = Force / Area.
It is the expression of force per unit area to structural members that are subjected to external
forcesand/or induced forces. Stress is the lead to accurately describe and predict the elastic
deformation of a body.
Simple stress can be classified as normal stress, shear stress, and bearing stress. Normal
stress develops when a force is applied perpendicular to the cross-sectional area of the
material. If the forceis going to pull the material, the stress is said to be tensile stress and
compressive stress develops when the material is being compressed by two opposing forces.
Shear stress is developed if the applied force is parallel to the resisting area. Example is the
bolt that holds the tension rod in its anchor. Another condition of shearing is when we twist
a bar along its longitudinal axis. This type of shearing is called torsion and covered in Module
3. Another type of simple stress is the bearing stress, it is the contact pressure between two
bodies.
Suspension bridges are good example of structures that carry these stresses. The weight of
the vehicle is carried by the bridge deck and passes the force to the stringers (vertical cables),
which in turn, supported by the main suspension cables. The suspension cables then
transferred the force intobridge towers.
NORMAL STRESS
Stress is defined as the strength of a material per unit area or unit strength. It is the force on a
member divided by area, which carries the force, formerly express in psi, now in N/mm2 or
MPa.
𝑃
𝜎=
𝐴
where P is the applied normal load in Newton and A is the area in mm2. The maximum stress
in tension or compression occurs over a section normal to the load.
Normal stress is either tensile stress or compressive stress. Members subject to pure tension
(or tensile force) is under tensile stress, while compression members (members subject to
compressiveforce) are under compressive stress.
Sample Problems:
1. A hollow steel tube with an inside diameter of 100 mm must carry a tensile load of 400 kN.
Determine the outside diameter of the tube if the stress is limited to 120 MN/m2.
2. A homogeneous 800 kg bar AB is supported at either end by a cable as shown in the figure.
Calculate the smallest area of each cable if the stress is not to exceed 90 MPa in bronze and
120 MPa in steel.
3. The homogeneous bar shown in the figure is supported by a smooth pin at C and a cable that
runs from A to B around the smooth peg at D. Find the stress in the cable if its diameter is 0.6
inch and the bar weighs 6000 lb.
4. Determine the largest weight W that can be supported by two wires shown in the figure. The
stress in either wire is not to exceed 30 ksi (kilopound per square inch). The cross-sectional
areas of wires AB and AC are 0.4 in2 and 0.5 in2, respectively.
5. Determine the cross-sectional areas of members AG, BC, and CE for the truss shown in the
figure. The stresses are not to exceed 20 ksi in tension and 14 ksi in compression. A reduced
stress in compression is specified to reduce the danger of buckling.
