Shaft Design

MOW227
Semester 2 2012
 Shaft System
• A shaft is a rotating (or stationary) member
usually having a circular cross-section with
a diameter much smaller than its length.

• A shaft generally has power-transmitting

elements such as gears, pulleys, belts,
etc. mounted onto it.
 Shaft System
• Loading on a shaft can be a combination of
bending, torsion and axial loads which could
be static or dynamic.

• The geometry of a shaft will generally have

several diameters with many features along
the length in order to accommodate all the
necessary elements.
 Shaft System
• Main considerations in shaft design:

– Strength

– Deflection

– Critical speed

– Fatigue
 Shaft Design Procedure-Strength

• Develop a FBD by replacing elements with

the equivalent loads.
• Draw the shear force diagram(s), bending
moment diagram(s), and torque diagram.
• Identify one or more critical cross-sections
(where bending moments and/or torque is
maximum).
• Use appropriate failure theory to compute
shaft diameter.
 Shaft Design Procedure-Strength
• For the computed diameter, determine whether
the design meets all other requirements.
• If all requirements are not met, iterate.
 Static Loading-Bending and Torsion

• We will derive the governing equations for

computing the diameter or the factor of
safety for a critical element with normal
stress due to bending and shear stress due
to torsion.
• We will use two failure theories - MSST and
DET – to check for yield. As a general
practice, we should also check the
corresponding factor of safety against brittle
fracture – using MNST.
 Static Loading-Bending and Torsion

For an element on the outer

edge of the shaft
2
σx σx 
Mc Tc σ 1,2 = ±   + τ xy2
σx = τ xy = σy = 0 2  2 
I J
2 2
d πd4 π d4 16 M  16 M   16T 
c= I= J= = 3
±  3 
+ 3 
2 64 32 πd  πd  πd 
32M 16T 16 M 16
σx = 3
τ xy = 3
σy = 0 = ± M 2
+ T 2
πd πd π d3 π d3
16  2 2
= M ± M + T
π d3  
 Static Loading-Bending and Torsion

• Using plane stress condition to determine

all three principal stresses.
τ12 = (σ1-σ2)/2
8 
16  2 2 τ 12 = 3 M + M 2 + T 2 
σ1 =
π d3 
M + M + T
 πd  
−8 
σ2 = 0 τ 23 = 3 M − M 2 + T 2 
16 
πd  
2 2
σ3 = M − M + T
π d3   16
τ 13 = 3 M 2 + T 2
πd
 Static Loading-Bending and Torsion

• Using DET: Sy
N=
σv
1 2 2 2
σv = σ 1 + σ 3 + (σ 1 − σ 3 ) 16 2 2
2 N 3
4 M + 3T = Sy
πd
= σ 12 + σ 32 − σ 1σ 3 1
16 N 2
2
3

16 2 2
d = 4 M + 3T 
= 3
4 M + 3T  π S y 
πd
π Sy d 3
N=
16 4 M 2 + 3T 2
 Static Loading-Bending and Torsion
• Using MSST
Sy
N= • MSST is more
σ1 − σ 3
Sy conservative than
N= DET and will
32 2 2
M + T
π d3 result in a higher
π Sy d 3 diameter or a
N= lower factor of
32 M 2 + T 2
1 safety.
 32 N 2
 2
3
d = M +T 
 π S y 
 Self study Example 1
An assembly of belts applies tensile forces to
the shaft as shown in the figure. The shaft is
supported by journal bearings at A and B. The
shaft needs to be designed with a safety factor
of 2 with a low steel alloy material (yield
strength of 500 MPa). Determine the minimum
shaft diameter using MSST and DET.
Self study Example 1
 Static Loading-
Bending, Axial and Torsion

32M 4 P 16T
σx = 3
+ τ xy = 3 σy = 0
πd π d2 πd
2 
+ 64T 
2 2
σ 1 = 3 ( 8M + Pd ) + (8M + Pd )
π d  
σ2 = 0
2  2 2
σ 3 = 3 ( 8M + Pd ) − ( 8 M + Pd ) + 64T
π d  
 Static Loading-
Bending, Axial and Torsion
• Using MSST
σ1 − σ 3 2 2 2
τ max = τ 13 = = 3 ( 8M + Pd ) + 64T
S 2 πd
y

τ max = 2
N
4 2 2
Sy
( 8M + Pd ) + 64T =
π d3 N
• Using DET
Sy 4 2 2
= 3 ( 8 M + Pd ) + 48T
N πd
 Static Loading-
Bending, Axial and Torsion
• Note that an explicit expression for diameter
CANNOT be derived for bending, axial and
torsion loading.

• Use an iterative method or a numerical

method to solve for diameter.
 Shaft Design
Incorporating Stress Concentration
• We will use the same formulation as we
have so far.
• But we will account for stress concentrations
for all normal and shear stresses.
• We will use the following symbols:
– kt – Stress concentration for normal stress due
to bending load
– kts – Stress concentration for shear stress due
to torsion load
– kta – Stress concentration for normal stress due
to purely axial load
 Bending and Torsion Loads
Using DET Using MSST

1/3 1/3
16 N 2
 2 2 2  32 N 
d = 4k M + 3k T 
t ts d = 2 2 2 2
kt M + ktsT 
 π S y   π S y 

3
π Syd π Syd 3
N= N=
2 2 2 2
16 4k M + 3k T
t ts
2 2
32 k M + k T
t
2
ts
2
Bending, Axial & Torsion Loads
Using DET

Sy 4 2 2 2
= 3 (8kt M + kta Pd ) + 48k T
ts
N πd

Using MSST

Sy 4 2 2 2
= 3 ( t
8k M + k ta Pd ) + 64 k tsT
N πd
 Keys
• Many power-transmitting elements such
as gears, pulleys, cams, etc. are mounted
on rotating shafts.

• Portion of mounted member in contact

with shaft is called the ‘hub’.

• Keys can be used to attach the ‘hub’ to the

shaft.
Keys
 Keys
• There are many kinds of keys, the simplest
type is the flat key.

• Purpose of a key is to prevent any relative

rotation between the shaft and the connected
member through which the torque is
transmitted.

• Purpose of a key is to transmit full torque.

 Keys
• Keys are generally made of low-carbon
steel, AISI 1020, with cold-drawn finish. A
tight fit is designed between the shaft and
the hub connected through the key.

• Keys are also used as a safety device

(mechanical fuse) to avoid damage to the
power transmitting elements in case of
overloads.
 Flat Key - Design
• Failure due to key shear:
T 2T
(Force) P= =
d d
2
Shear area, As = wl
P 2T
τ= =
As d wl
S ys Shear yield strength
• Failure criteria: τ=
N
 Flat Key - Design
• For low-carbon steel: S ys = 0.4 S y

2T 0.4 S y
• Design criteria (shear): =
d wl N

• Failure due to bearing/compression stress:

Ac = lh/2 h

P 4T
σ= = L compression area

Ac d lh
 Flat Key - Design
S yc
• Failure criteria: σ=
N
• For low-carbon steel: S yc = 0.9 S y
4T 0.9 S y
• Design criteria (compression): =
d lh N
 Self study Example 2
• Design a flat key for a 100 mm diameter
shaft carrying a maximum torque of 1560
Nm. The key needs to be designed so as
to have a minimum factor of safety of 2
and needs to be capable of carrying the
maximum torque. The key is to be made
of low-carbon steel (yield strength of 300
MPa) and should have a cross-section of
25 mm x 25 mm.
 7-6

Critical Speed – Rotating Shafts

• All rotating shafts deflect during rotation.
• Magnitude of deflection depends on
stiffness of the shaft and its supports,
mass of the whole shaft and the amount of
damping.
• Critical speed of a rotating shaft is the
speed at which the rotating shaft becomes
dynamically unstable.
Critical Speed – Rotating Shafts
• Mathematically, a shaft has an infinite
number of critical speeds. Often, only the
first few are important for design.

• For a designer, it is important to determine

whether a critical speed of the shaft lies
within the operating range of the shaft
speed, usually it is designed such that the
first natural frequency is at least twice the
operating speed
Critical Speed – Rotating Shafts
• There are two approximate methods that
can be used to determine the first critical
speed (also called the lowest natural
frequency) of the shaft system.

• The two methods are called the Rayleigh

equation and the Dunkerley equation
respectively.
Critical Speed – Rotating Shafts
• For uniform shaft simply supported
2 2
π  EI  π  gEI
ω1 =   = 
l m l Aγ

Where m is the mass per unit length, A the cross

sectional area and γ the specific weight
 Fatigue Failure
• Another aspect of design for rotating shafts
that needs to be taken into account is
Fatigue Failure.

• Any component that undergoes dynamic

loading must be designed to withstand
fatigue failure (next topic of discussion)
• Fatigue = number of cycles of operation
before failure occurs.