Prof. Younane N.

Abousleiman
Email: yabousle@ou.edu
Office: SEC, Suite P119
Torsion

Dr. A.
Younane N. Abousleiman s lecture notes

iPMI, www.pmi.ou.edu

The moment of a force about a point or an
axis provides a measure of the tendency of the
force to cause a body to rotate about the point
or axis.
oz plane xoy in which F
x
lies;
F
x
causes the pipe to turn
about the z-axis
F
x
causes a moment about
the z-axis (M
o
)
z

The moment of a force about a point or an
axis provides a measure of the tendency of the
force to cause a body to rotate about the point
or axis.
F
y
passes through O
F
y
does not cause the pipe
to turn because the line of
action of the force passes
through O.
The moment of a force about a point or an
axis provides a measure of the tendency of the
force to cause a body to rotate about the point
or axis.
ox plane yoz in which F
z
lies;
F
z
causes the pipe to turn about
the x-axis
F
z
causes a moment about the
x-axis (M
o
)
x

Dri l ling a wel l
Torsi on
resi stance to
bal ance T
B
Torque transmission

Shal l ow dri ll ing
T
F
F
Torque is a moment that causes twisting along the length of a bar.
T

Applications

T

Shear Stress Due To Torsion

The twist is the torsional deformation. For a circular shaft, the
torque (or torsional moment) rotates each cross-section relative
to the nearby ones.

The shear stress varies
linearly along each radial
line of the cross section

J
T
=
Shear stress
J is the polar moment of
inertia of the cross-
sectional area, geometric
property
T

J
Tc
=
max

is the radial distance

is the shear stress at a radial distance

max
is the maximum shear stress in the shaft, which occurs at the
outer surface
T is the resultant internal torque acting at the cross section. Its value is
determined from the method of sections and the equation of moment
equilibrium applied about the shafts longitudinal axis
J is the polar moment of inertia of the cross- sectional area
c is the outer radius of the shaft
Shear stress
J
T
=
J
Tc
=
max

T, reaction torque
at fixed head


L
(x)
x
= x BD
dx
d
=
Note: d/dx is a function of distance x and is a constant for fixed x
In OBD:
O
= BD
In ABD:
= x
(4)

xy
z
x
y
The shear stress
xy
(or
xy
) acts on the surface normal to x (the first subscript) axis,
pointing the y (the second subscript) direction
A A
xy

yx

yx

xy

At section A-A
Also a dimensionless quantity

=
2
strain Shear
xy

xy
xy

y
x
xy

yx

yx

Pure shear:
xy
=
yx

0
= /2

= /2-
xy

xy

xy

yx

yx

max
) (


c dx
d
= =
o

(1), (2)
T



Shear strain by definition

=
2
'

yx
=
xy
y
x
z
Element A A
C
o

(1), (2)
The shear strain within the cross section varies linearly
along the radial line, from zero to maximum
max
.

max


Derivation of shear stress = T/J
max

c
=
T
Element A
Element C
= 0 at center
dx
d
=
dx
d
c

=
max
Derivation of shear stress = T/J
max
) (


c dx
d
= =
o

(1), (2)
T

yx
Hookes law:

max max
) ( ) (

c c
G G = = =
Again the shear
stress varies linearly
along the radial line
=
xy
y
x
z
Element A
From torque equilibrium equation

=
= =
A
A A
dA
c
dA
c
dA T
2
max
max
] ) [( ) (

J = polar moment inertia

J
c
T
max

=
J
Tc
=
max

Derivation of shear stress = T/J

max

c
=
J
T
=
T

Shear stress
J
T
=
J
Tc
=
max

is the radial distance

is the shear stress at a radial distance

max
is the maximum shear stress in the shaft, which occurs at the
outer surface
T is the resultant internal torque acting at the cross section. Its value is
determined from the method of sections and the equation of moment
equilibrium applied about the shafts longitudinal axis
J is the polar moment of inertia of the cross- sectional area
c is the outer radius of the shaft
Polar moment of inertia J
4
0
3
0
2 2
2
2
) 2 (
c d
d dA J
c
c
A

= =
= =

Solid shaft

c
i
c
o

) (
2
2
) 2 (
4 4 3
2
i o
c
c
c
c
c c d
d J
o
i
o
i
= =
=

Tubular shaft

Shaft Design

max
is maximum shear stress [N/m
2
or psi]

allow
is
fail
/F.S.

allow
is allowable shear stress [N/m
2
or psi]

fail
is failure shear stress [N/m
2
or psi]
F.S. is factor of safety (F.S. >1)
J is polar moment of inertia [m
4
or in
4
]
c is outer radius of the shaft [m or in]
allow
T
c
J

Shaft design:
Design criteria: the maximum shear stress
max

should be less than the allowable stress
allow

allow
J
Tc
=
max

max

max

max
<
allow

allow

fail

allow
=
fail
/F.S.

pl

T

T

Usually, geometric
parameters need to be
designed!
allow
T
c
J

Shaft design:
Design criteria: the maximum shear stress
max

should be less than the allowable stress
allow

allow
J
Tc
=
max

max

max

max
<
allow

allow

fail

allow
=
fail
/F.S.

pl

T

T

T

dt
Td
P

= fT T P 2 = =
Td is work [N m or lb ft]
=d/dt is the shafts angular velocity [rad/s]
f ( = 2f) is frequency measuring the cycles
the shaft rotates per second [Hz (1 Hz =1
cycle/s)]
P is power [W (1 Watts =1 N m/s) or hp (1
horsepower = 550 lb ft/s)]

or

The power transmitted from a machine through
shafts (tubes) is defined as the work performed
per unit time:
Motor M provides an output
power of P, developing a
torque T in the shaft AB

Motor:
output power P
f ( = 2f) is frequency [Hz (1 Hz =1 cycle/s)]
P is power [W (1 Watts =1 N m/s) or hp (1
horsepower = 550 lb ft/s)]
J is c
4
/2 for solid shaft and (c
o
4
-c
i
4
)/2 for
tubular shaft [m
4
or in
4
]

allow
f
P
c
J
2

Shaft design:
If the power P and rotation frequency f, instead
of torque T, are given:
allow
fJ
Pc

max

max

max
<
allow

c
i
c
o
c

Solid

Tubular

) P/(2 T f =
T

T

Example 5.1
The motor delivers 500 hp to the
steel shaft AB, which is tubular
and has an outer diameter of 2 in.
and an inner diameter of 1.84 in.
Determine the smallest angular
velocity at which it can rotate if
the allowable shear stress for
material is
allow
= 25 ksi.

torque T delivered
from motor

Motor:
output power P
T

Reaction torque
from gear G on
AB, equal to T

T

Gear G

Example 5.1
Basic parameters:

P = 500 hp
c
o
= 2 in/2 = 1 in
c
i
= 1.84 in/2 = 0.92 in

allow
= 25 ksi

T

T

Torque delivered
from motor

Reaction torque

FBD of shaft AB

A
B
c
i
c
o Need to calculate:

the smallest angular
velocity:
min
f
fT T P


2
2
=
= =
f is frequency [Hz (1 Hz =1 cycle/s)]
P is power [W (1 Watts =1 N m/s) or hp (1
horsepower = 550 lb ft/s)]
J is c
4
/2 for solid shaft and (c
o
4
-c
i
4
)/2 for
tubular shaft [m
4
or in
4
]

Shaft design:
If the power P and rotation frequency f instead
of torque T are given:
allow
fJ
Pc

max

max

max
<
allow

c

Solid

Tubular

allow
f
P
c
J
2

c
i
c
o
T

T

Solution 5.1
allow o
f
P
c
J
2

The geometric parameters needed to satisfy the design criteria:

) psi 1000 25 ( 2
in/ft 12 lb/s)/hp ft ( 550 hp 500
in 1
in 445 . 0
4

f
4 4 4 4 4 4
in 445 . 0 in ) 92 . 0 1 )( 2 / ( ) )( 2 / ( = = =
i o
c c J
c
i
c
o
Solution 5.1
rad/s 296 2 f
rpm 2830
/rad revolution ) 2 / 1 ( s/min 60 rad/s 296
rad/s 296 ) 2 (
min min
=
=
= =

f
So the smallest angular velocity:
) psi 1000 25 ( 2
in/ft 12 lb/s)/hp ft ( 550 hp 500
in 1
in 445 . 0
4

f
Angle of Twist

The angle of twist (x) at location x is proportional
to x, at x = L, = TL/JG

T, reaction torque
at fixed head

JG
TL
=
Angle of Twist

L
(x)
x
T, reaction torque
at fixed head


L
(x)
x

dx
G
dx
d = =
J
T
=
JG
TL
dx
JG
T
dx
JG
T
d
L
= = =

0

dx
d
=
Derivation of
T, reaction torque
at fixed head

L
JG
TL
=
The angle of twist for constant J, G, and T:
(x)
The angle of twist (x) at
location x is proportional to
x, at x = L, = TL/JG

Angle of Twist
is the angle of twist between two ends [rad]
T is the applied torque [N m or lb ft]
J is the shafts polar moment of inertia [m
4
or
in
4
]
G is the shear modulus [Pa (1 Pa =1 N/m
2
) or
psi (1 psi =6895 Pa]

x

=
JG
TL

If J, G, and T are constants for each segment: Angle of Twist

T(x) is the internal torque at arbitrary position x
[N m or lb ft]
J(x) is the shafts polar moment of inertia at x
[m
4
or in
4
]
Constant J, G, T for each segment
J(x), T(x) varying with x
In general case both J and T are functions of x:

=
L
dx
G x J
x T
0
) (
) (

x


x
dx

d

dx
G
dx
d = =
) (
) (
x J
x T
=

= =
L
dx
G x J
x T
dx
G x J
x T
d
0
) (
) (
) (
) (

dx
d dx d = =
Derivation of

=
L
dx
G x J
x T
0
) (
) (

is the angle of twist between two ends

T(x) is the internal torque at the arbitrary position x, found from the
method of sections and the equation of moment equilibrium
applied about the shafts axis
J(x) is the shafts polar moment of inertia, a function of position x
G is the shear modulus
The angle of twist

Similarity between rotation under torsion and elongation
under axial load:

EA
FL
=

=
L
dx
G x J
x T
0
) (
) (

=
L
dx
E x A
x F
0
) (
) (

JG
TL
=
T F
G E
J A
(Torsion) (Axial load)
OR:

=
JG
TL

=
EA
FL

The A-36 steel bar (E

st
= 200 Gpa, cross-sectional area 300 mm
2
) is
subjected to loads as shown in the figure. Determine the displacement of
end D relative to end A.

0.25 m

0.25 m

0.5 m

10 kN

20 kN

50 kN
FBD:
F
A
F
A
+10-20-50=0

F
A
=60 kN

Calculation of F
A
:
0 = +

x
F
10 kN 20 kN
50 kN
60 kN

P
AB
P
AB
= 60 kN

Calculation of P
AB
:
60-P
AB
= 0

FBD:
FBD:
60+10-P
BC
=0

P
BC
=70 kN

60 kN

P
BC
Calculation of P
BC
:
10 kN

0 = +

x
F
0 = +

x
F
P
CD
-50=0

P
CD
Calculation of P
CD
:
P
CD
=50 kN

D

50 kN
0 = +

x
F
P (kN)

x

A

B

-60

-70

C

-50

D

60 kN

Tension: positive;
Compression: negative.
10 kN 20 kN
50 kN
The displacement of end D relative to end A.

] m ) 0 GPa][300(1 [200
m) kN)(0.5 50
] m ) 0 GPa][300(1 [200
m) kN)(0.25 70
] m ) 0 GPa][300(1 [200
m) kN)(0.25 60
2 6 2 6 2 6

+

= =

( ( (
/
EA
FL
A D

mm 9 . 0
/
=
A D

Negative sign means that end D moves towards end A.

P (kN)

x

A

B

-60

-70

C

-50

D

Right-hand rule: The Torque and angle will be positive, if the thumb is directed
outward from the shaft when the fingers curl to give the tendency for rotation.

FBDs:
Torque Diagram:
Torque Diagram:
The angle of twist of the end A with respect to the end D:
Example 5.2
The 20-mm-diameter A-36 steel
shaft is subjected to the torque
shown. Determine the angle of
twist of the end B.

Solution 5.2
Basic parameters:

c = 20 mm/2 = 10 mm
G = 75 Gpa
L
BC
= 800 mm
L
CD
= 600 mm
L
DA
= 200 mm

In order to determine the angle of twist of end B,
B/A
, we first
need to determine the internal torque along the shaft BA

80 Nm

B
T
BC
= -80 Nm

80 Nm

B
T
CD
= -60 Nm

C
20 Nm

80 Nm

B
T
DA
= -90 Nm

C
20 Nm

D
30 Nm

C
D
A
-80
T (Nm)
-60
-90
B
C D
A
Torque diagram

The angle of twist of end B:
4 8
4 4
4
m 10 57 . 1
m ) 01 . 0 )( 2 / (
) 2 / (

=
=
=

c J
c

{ }
= =

+ +
=
+ + = + + =

74 . 5 rad 1 . 0
) N/m 10 75 )( m 10 57 . 1 (
m) 2 . 0 m)( N 90 ( m) 6 . 0 m)( N 60 ( m) 8 . 0 m)( N 80 (
2 9 4 8
/ / / /
JG
L T
JG
L T
JG
L T
DA DA CD CD BC BC
A D D C C B A B

-80
T (Nm)
-60
-90
B
C D
A
Torque diagram

Solution 5.2
x
Solution 5.2
{ }
= =

+ +
=
+ + = + + =

74 . 5 rad 1 . 0
) N/m 10 75 )( m 10 57 . 1 (
m) 2 . 0 m)( N 90 ( m) 6 . 0 m)( N 60 ( m) 8 . 0 m)( N 80 (
2 9 4 8
/ / / /
JG
L T
JG
L T
JG
L T
DA DA CD CD BC BC
A D D C C B A B




300 Nm
400 Nm
500 Nm
600 Nm
400 mm
600 mm
300 mm
300 Nm
400 Nm
500 Nm
400 mm
600 mm
300 mm E
600 Nm
Figure (a)

Figure (b)

The solid 20-mm-diameter A-36 steel (G = 75 GPa) shaft is used to transmit the torques
applied to the gears, as shown in FIGURE a.
(a) Draw the free body diagrams and determine the three internal torques in sections
between A-C, C-D, and D-B;
(b) Draw the torque diagram along the shaft AB;
(c) Calculate the absolute maximum shear stress on the shaft;
(d) Calculate the twist angle of end A relative to C;
(e) Calculate the twist angle of end A to B;
(f) If the external torque of 600 Nm originally applied at the end B is moved to point E
(in the middle of BD, i.e., DE = EB = 300 mm, see FIGURE b), redraw the torque
diagram along the shaft AB and determine the twist angle of end B relative to D.
600 Nm
300 Nm
500 N




T
AC
= -300 Nm

600 Nm
300 Nm
T
B
= ?
500 mm

300 mm
T
CD
= -300+400 = 100 Nm

T
CD

600 Nm
300 Nm
T
B
= ?
500 mm
600 mm
300 mm
T
DB

T
DB
= -300+400+500 = 600 Nm

500 Nm
-300
T (Nm)
100
600
A
C D
B
Torque diagram

300 Nm
300 Nm 400 Nm
300 Nm
400 Nm
(a)
(b)




































Maximum shear stress on the shaft:
4 8
4 4
4
m 10 57 . 1
m ) 01 . 0 )( 2 / (
) 2 / (

=
=
=

c J
c

MPa
J
c T
J
T
382
) m 10 57 . 1 (
m 01 . 0 m N 600
4 8
max max max
max
=


= = =

-300
T (Nm)
100
600
A
C D
B
Torque diagram

(c)









c

= =


= =

4 . 4 rad 0764 . 0
) N/m 10 75 )( m 10 57 . 1 (
m) 3 . 0 m)( N 300 (
2 9 4 8
/
JG
L T
AC AC
C A

4 8
4 4
4
m 10 57 . 1
m ) 01 . 0 )( 2 / (
) 2 / (

=
=
=

c J
-300
T (Nm)
100
600
A
C D
B
Torque diagram

(d)
{ }
= =

+ +
=
+ + = + + =

1 . 15 rad 263 . 0
) 10 75 )( 10 57 . 1 (
) 6 . 0 )( 600 ( ) 4 . 0 )( 100 ( ) 3 . 0 )( 300 (
9 8
/ / / /
JG
L T
JG
L T
JG
L T
DB DB CD CD AC AC
B D D C C A B A
(e)


















600 Nm
300 Nm
T
B
= ?
500 mm
600 mm
300 mm
T
DE

T
DE
= -300+400+500 = 600 Nm

500 Nm
-300
T (Nm)
100
600
A
C D
B
Torque diagram

300 Nm
400 Nm
(f)




























300 Nm
400 Nm
500 Nm
400 mm
600 mm
300 mm E
600 Nm




E
0
T
EB

T
EB
= -300+400+500-600 = 0

c

{ }
= =

+
=
+ = + =

75 . 8 rad 152 . 0
) N/m 10 75 )( m 10 57 . 1 (
m) 3 . 0 m)( N 600 ( 0
2 9 4 8
/ / /
JG
L T
JG
L T
ED ED BE BE
D E E B D B

4 8
4 4
4
m 10 57 . 1
m ) 01 . 0 )( 2 / (
) 2 / (

=
=
=

c J
-300
T (Nm)
100
600
A
C D
B
Torque diagram

E
0









(f)