Relationship between thickness, width and length

AI Thread Summary
To calculate the change in length of a rectangular steel bar subjected to an 80 kN tensile force, the original length must be known, which is given as 2.5 meters. The relevant area for stress calculation is the cross-sectional area, determined by multiplying the width and thickness (40 mm and 25 mm). There is no inherent relationship between width, thickness, and length; they can vary independently. The force of 80 kN is not the stress but needs to be divided by the area to find stress. Without the original length, only strain can be calculated, not the absolute change in length.
Perodamh
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1.A rectangular steelbar of length subjected to tensile force of 80kN. Calculate the change in length if the width and thickness are (40 & 25)mm respectively. (E = 207 GN/m2).

Homework Equations


E= stress/strain
stress = F/A; F =80kN
strain = dL/L
3. I just want to know what to use for the original length. whether its the width or the thickness. And also the relationship between width, thickness and length if anyone can explain. Thank you.[/B]
 
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Neither. The original length appears to have been omitted from your question (by you or someone else?). Without that, you can't calculate the change in length. you can only calculate the strain (dL/L).
There is no "relationship" between width, thickness and length. You can make a steel bar of any L, w and t you like. But you need w and t to calculate the stress from the force.
80 kN is not the stress, it is the force. How do you work out A in the equation stress = F/A?
 
mjc123 said:
Neither. The original length appears to have been omitted from your question (by you or someone else?). Without that, you can't calculate the change in length. you can only calculate the strain (dL/L).
There is no "relationship" between width, thickness and length. You can make a steel bar of any L, w and t you like. But you need w and t to calculate the stress from the force.
80 kN is not the stress, it is the force. How do you work out A in the equation stress = F/A?
The Area is the width * thickness?
I've crosschecked and that's how the question is.
 
Then the question as it stands is impossible to answer. You can calculate the relative change in length (i.e. the strain).
 
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mjc123 said:
Then the question as it stands is impossible to answer. You can calculate the relative change in length (i.e. the strain).
my bad, the length is 2.5, just asked the lecturer again, for the area does that mean the length * width or still width * thickness
 
The relevant area is the cross-sectional area perpendicular to the direction of the force. I assume the force is in the direction of the length, though it doesn't explicitly say so.
 
mjc123 said:
The relevant area is the cross-sectional area perpendicular to the direction of the force. I assume the force is in the direction of the length, though it doesn't explicitly say so.
Okay, thanks
 

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