CH.

3 TORSION
Part II
 Angle Of Twist in the Elastic Range
• In this section, a relationship will be determined between
the angle of twist 𝜙 of a circular shaft and the torque 𝑇
exerted on the shaft. The entire shaft is assumed to remain
elastic. Considering first the case of a shaft of length 𝐿 with
a uniform cross section of radius 𝑐 subjected to a torque 𝑇
at its free end, recall that the angle of twist 𝜙 and the
maximum shearing strain 𝛾𝑚𝑎𝑥 are related as

𝑐𝜙
𝛾𝑚𝑎𝑥 =
𝐿
• But in the elastic range, the yield stress is not exceeded anywhere
in the shaft. Hooke’s law applies, and 𝛾𝑚𝑎𝑥 = 𝜏𝑚𝑎𝑥Τ𝐺.

𝜏𝑚𝑎𝑥 𝑇𝑐
𝛾𝑚𝑎𝑥 = =
𝐺 𝐽𝐺

𝑐𝜙 𝑇𝑐
• Equating the right-hand members of 𝛾𝑚𝑎𝑥 = and 𝛾𝑚𝑎𝑥 = and
𝐿 𝐽𝐺

solving for 𝜙, write

𝑇𝐿
𝜙=
𝐽𝐺

• where 𝜙 is in radians. The relationship obtained shows that, within

the elastic range, the angle of twist 𝜙 is proportional to the torque
𝑇 applied to the shaft.
 𝑇𝐿
• 𝜙= can be used for the angle of twist only if the shaft is homogeneous (constant 𝐺), has a uniform cross
𝐽𝐺

section, and is loaded only at its ends. If the shaft is subjected to torques at locations other than its ends or if it has

several portions with various cross sections and possibly of different materials, it must be divided into parts that

satisfy the required conditions.

• For shaft AB shown in figure, four different parts should be considered: AC, CD,

DE, and EB. The total angle of twist of the shaft (i.e., the angle through which

end A rotates with respect to end B) is obtained by algebraically adding the

angles of twist of each component part. Using the internal torque 𝑇𝑖 , length 𝐿𝑖 ,

cross-sectional polar moment of inertia 𝐽𝑖 , and modulus of rigidity 𝐺𝑖 ,

corresponding to part 𝑖, the total angle of twist of the shaft is

𝑇𝑖 𝐿𝑖
𝜙=෍
𝐽𝑖 𝐺𝑖
𝑖
• The shaft shown in figure had one end attached to a fixed support. The angle of twist 𝜙 was equal to
the angle of rotation of its free end.
• When both ends of a shaft rotate, however, the angle of twist of the shaft is equal to the angle
through which one end of the shaft rotates with respect to the other.
• If a torque 𝑇 is applied at E, both shafts will be twisted.

➢ Since the end D of shaft AD is fixed, the angle of twist of AD is

measured by the angle of rotation 𝜙𝐴 of end A.

➢ On the other hand, since both ends of shaft BE rotate, the angle of
twist of BE is equal to the difference between the angles of rotation
𝜙𝐵 and 𝜙𝐸 (i.e., the angle of twist is equal to the angle through
which end E rotates with respect to end B).

➢ This relative angle of rotation, 𝜙𝐸ൗ𝐵 , is

𝑇𝐿
𝜙𝐸ൗ = 𝜙𝐸 − 𝜙𝐵 =
𝐵 𝐽𝐺
 Concept Application 3.2
What torque should be applied to the end of the shaft to produce a twist
of 2°? Use the value G = 77 GPa for the modulus of rigidity of steel.

𝑇𝐿 𝐽𝐺
𝜙= → 𝑇= 𝜙
𝐽𝐺 𝐿

Substituting the given values

𝜋 𝑟𝑎𝑑
𝜙 = 2° = 34.9 ∗ 10−3 𝑟𝑎𝑑, 𝐺 = 77 ∗ 109 𝑃𝑎, 𝐿 = 1.5 𝑚,
180°
𝜋 4
𝐽= 𝑐2 − 𝑐14 = 1.021 ∗ 10−6 𝑚4
2

𝐽𝐺 1.021 ∗ 10−6 77 ∗ 109

𝑇= 𝜙= 34.9 ∗ 10−3 T = 1.829𝑥103 𝑁. 𝑚
𝐿 1.5
 Concept Application 3.4
For the assembly given in the figure, knowing that 𝑟𝐴 = 2𝑟𝐵 , determine the
angle of rotation of end E of shaft BE when the torque T is applied at E.
𝑇𝐴𝐷 𝐿
𝜙𝐴 =
𝐽𝐺

First, the torque 𝑇𝐴𝐷 must be determined by using the two equal and opposite
forces on gears at C.

𝑇𝐴𝐷 𝑇
𝑟𝐴 = 2𝑟𝐵 , and 𝐹 = 𝐹 ′ → = 𝑟 → 𝑇𝐴𝐷 = 2𝑇
𝑟𝐴 𝐵
 Concept Application 3.4
For the assembly given in the figure, knowing that 𝑟𝐴 = 2𝑟𝐵 , determine the
angle of rotation of end E of shaft BE when the torque T is applied at E.

𝑇𝐴𝐷 𝐿 2𝑇𝐿
𝜙𝐴 = = since the arc lengths CC ′ = CC ′′
𝐽𝐺 𝐽𝐺

𝑟𝐴 4𝑇𝐿
𝑟𝐴 𝜙𝐴 = 𝑟𝐵 𝜙𝐵 → 𝜙𝐵 = 𝜙 = 2𝜙𝐴 → 𝜙𝐵 = 2𝜙𝐴 =
𝑟𝐵 𝐴 𝐽𝐺

Let ′ s consider shaft BE which both ends are free to rotate, so the angle of twist of the shaft is 𝜙𝐸/𝐵 𝑡ℎ𝑟𝑜𝑢𝑔ℎ 𝑤ℎ𝑖𝑐ℎ 𝑒𝑛𝑑 𝐸
𝑟𝑜𝑡𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑠 𝑤𝑖𝑡ℎ 𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑝𝑒𝑐𝑡 𝑡𝑜 𝑒𝑛𝑑 𝐵.

𝑇𝐵𝐸 𝐿 𝑇𝐿
𝜙𝐸/𝐵 = =
𝐽𝐺 𝐽𝐺

5𝑇𝐿
𝜙𝐸 = 𝜙𝐵 + 𝜙𝐸/𝐵 =
𝐽𝐺
 Statically Indeterminate Shafts
• There are situations where the internal torques cannot be determined from statics
alone. In such cases, the external torques (i.e., those exerted on the shaft by the
supports and connections) cannot be determined from the free-body diagram of
the entire shaft. The equilibrium equations must be complemented by relations
involving the deformations of the shaft and obtained by the geometry of the
problem. Because statics is not sufficient to determine external and internal
torques, the shafts are statically indeterminate.
Concept Application 3.5
• A circular shaft AB consists of a 10-in.-long, 7/8-in.-diameter steel
cylinder, in which a 5-in.-long, 5/8-in.-diameter cavity has been drilled
from end B. The shaft is attached to fixed supports at both ends, and a
90 lb·ft torque is applied at its midsection. Determine the torque
exerted on the shaft by each of the supports.

Since this equation is not sufficient to determine the two unknown torques TA and TB, the
shaft is statically indeterminate.
However, TA and TB can be determined if we observe that the total angle of twist of
shaft AB must be zero, since both of its ends are restrained.

𝜙 = 𝜙𝐴𝐶 + 𝜙𝐵𝐶 =0
Concept Application 3.5

𝑇𝐴𝐶 𝑇𝐵𝐶

𝑇𝐴𝐶 − 𝑇𝐴 = 0 → 𝑇𝐴𝐶 = 𝑇𝐴 90 − 𝑇𝐴 − 𝑇𝐵𝐶 = 0 → 𝑇𝐵𝐶 = 90 − 𝑇𝐴

𝑇𝐴𝐶 𝐿 𝑇𝐵𝐶 𝐿 𝑇𝐴 . 5 (90 − 𝑇𝐴 ). 5

𝜙 = 𝜙𝐴𝐶 + 𝜙𝐵𝐶 = − = − =0
𝐽𝐴𝐶 𝐺 𝐽𝐵𝐶 𝐺 57.6𝑥10−3 ∗ 77𝑥109 42.6𝑥10−3 ∗ 77𝑥109
→ 40.835𝑇𝐴 = 2112.676 → 𝑇𝐴 = 51.74 𝑙𝑏. 𝑓𝑡

→ 𝑇𝐵 = 38.26 𝑙𝑏. 𝑓𝑡
Design of Transmission Shafts

• The principal specifications to be met in the

design of a transmission shaft are the power
to be transmitted and the speed of rotation of
the shaft.
• The role of the designer is to select the
material and the dimensions of the cross
section of the shaft so that the maximum
shearing stress allowable will not be exceeded
when the shaft is transmitting the required
power at the specified speed.
Power is defined as the work performed per unit of
time. Also, the work transmitted by a rotating shaft
equals the torque applied times the angle of rotation.

In the SI system, power is expressed in watts when torque is measured in

newton-meters (N.m) and  is in radians per second (rad/s) (1 W = 1 N.m/s).
However, horsepower (hp) is often used in engineering practice, where
1 hp = 746 W

 = 2f, where f is the frequency of the rotation, (i.e., the number of

revolutions per second). The unit of frequency is 1 s-1 and is called a hertz (Hz).
• Solving 𝑃 = 2𝜋𝑓𝑇 for 𝑇, the torque exerted on a shaft transmitting the power 𝑃 at a
frequency of rotation 𝑓 is

𝑃
𝑇=
2𝜋𝑓

• After determining the torque 𝑇 to be applied to the shaft and selecting the material to
be used, the designer carries the values of 𝑇 and the maximum allowable stress into

𝑇𝑐
𝜏𝑚𝑎𝑥 =
𝐽

• and finds the the minimum allowable value for the radius of the shaft.
 Torsion of Noncircular Members
• The formulas obtained for the distributions of strain and stress under a torsional
loading up to this time apply only to members with a circular cross section.

• They were derived based on the assumption that the cross section of the member
remained plane and undistorted. This assumption depends upon the axisymmetry
of the member (i.e., the fact that its appearance remains the same when viewed
from a fixed position and rotated about its axis through an arbitrary angle).
• A square bar, on the other hand, retains the same appearance only when it is rotated through 90° or
180°. Following a line of reasoning similar to that used in our previous discussions, one could show
that the diagonals of the square cross section of the bar and the lines joining the midpoints of the
sides of that section remain straight. However, because of the lack of axisymmetry of the bar, any
other line drawn in its cross section will deform when it is twisted, and the cross section will be
warped out of its original plane.
• Equations used to define the distributions of strain and stress in an elastic circular shaft cannot be used
for noncircular members. For example, it would be wrong to assume that the shearing stress in the cross
section of a square bar varies linearly with the distance from the axis of the bar and is therefore largest
at the corners of the cross section. The shearing stress is actually zero at these points.

• The determination of the stresses in noncircular members subjected to a torsional loading is beyond the
scope of this course. However, results obtained from the mathematical theory of elasticity for straight
bars with a uniform rectangular cross section are given here for our use.
• The maximum shearing stress occurs along the center line of the
wider face and is equal to

𝑇
𝜏𝑚𝑎𝑥 =
𝑐1 𝑎𝑏 2

• The angle of twist can be expressed as

𝑇𝐿
𝜙=
𝑐2 𝑎𝑏 3 𝐺

• Coefficients 𝑐1 and 𝑐2 depend only upon the ratio 𝑎/𝑏 and are
given in Table for a number of values of that ratio.