KB6005 Advanced Structural Systems

2018/19 Semester 1

Dr. Sherry CHEN

Lecturer
Department of Mechanical & Construction Engineering

0191-349-5121

sherry.chen@northumbria.ac.uk

Room 509, Wynne-Jones Building

 Emails are welcome and preferable

 Book appointment for office visit

1
Seminar 6: Energy methods

2
 Lecture summary I

 Strain energy is the potential

energy stored in the material due
to its deformation.
 Strain energy density U resulting
from strain ε is equal to the area Area U
under stress−strain curve.
 Strain energy density of linear
elastic materials:
𝟏
𝑼= 𝑬𝜺𝟐
𝟐
E: Young’s modulus

3
 Lecture summary II

 Linear elastic bar of length L and

cross-sectional area A under axial
F
force F
• Strain energy density
𝑭𝟐
𝑼= L
𝟐𝑬𝑨𝟐
• Total strain energy
𝑭𝟐 𝑳
𝑾=
𝟐𝑬𝑨

4
 Lecture summary III

 Castigliano’s 2nd Theorem: the

partial derivative of the total strain
energy with respect to any external
force yields the displacement under
the point of action of that force in
the direction of the force.
𝝏𝑾
∆𝒊 =
𝝏𝑭𝒊
• Δi: generalized displacement
• Fi: generalized force
• W: total strain energy
 Applications: find displacements of
liner elastic bodies subject to axial
loads, bending and shear.
5
 Question I

The figure below shows a non-uniform rod BCD. The

material of the rod is linear elastic with Young’s modulus
E. A mass m of velocity v0 hits one end of the rod. The rod
deforms under this impact and the normal stress in the rod
reaches a maximum value and then disappears.

Determine the maximum value

of the normal stress in the rod.

6
 Thinking

 Impact energy from mass is stored in the rod as strain

energy.
 Find the axial force in the rod which produces the same
strain energy as the impact energy.
 Calculate the maximum stress resulting from the axial
force.

7
 Question II

The truss consists of aluminum bars with the cross-sectional

areas indicated in the figure. Young’s modulus of aluminum is
E = 73 GPa. A vertical force P = 40 kN is applied on the joint
E of the truss.
Find the vertical
displacement of joint C.

8
 Thinking

 In order to find the vertical

Q (virtual
displacement of joint C by
force) P
Castigliano’s 2nd theorem, we
introduce a virtual vertical force
Q at C.
 Calculate the partial derivative
of the strain energy of the truss
with respect to Q.
 Set Q = 0 in the derivative to
obtain the vertical displacement
of C.