Basics of Structural Analysis
Introduction
Structural analysis using about high school level physics and maths.
Aim to calculate fiberglass cansat structure
Basic theory
Principle of superposition: linearity. Displacement at location from forces and </math>P_2</math> located at different positions is calculated as
The energy principle: giving the total energy as which is called strain energy. For linear deformation this gives .
Virtual work principle.
Dead loads, live loads, impact loads (impact factor), wind loads.
Equilibrium.
Forces:
- Normal force and axial force (out-of-plane forces, in-plane forces)
- Shearing force . Thus we have . is the intensity of applied (normal?) force.
- Bending moment and thus .
- Torsion (of a plate)
- Curvature and twist
Hooke's law hold for linear elastic material: , where is the bending stress. The force is . Yield point (strength) is when Hooke's law is not acceptable anymore; the limit of elastic behavior. It is often used to determine the maximum allowable load in the component.
Buckling is a process by which a structure cannot withstand loads so it must change its shape. Stable equilibrium is when the force (pressure) applied doesn't reach the critical load, allowing the structure to return to its original equilibrium.
Plate
- Torsion (of a plate)
- Curvature and twist .
Curvature in the direction is the rate of change of the slope with respect to arch length, giving
Strains in a plate .
Von Kármán strains.
Beam
Forces:
- Normal force and axial force
- Shearing force . Thus we have . is the intensity of applied (normal?) force.
- Bending moment and thus .
Deflection of beams

The strain in the filament is due to the different lengths of filaments in bended beam. Failed to parse (SVG (MathML can be enabled via browser plugin): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle \epsilon = \frac{\ell_1 - \ell}{\ell} = \frac{\Delta y}{R}} which for linear elastic material (using Hooke's law) gives Failed to parse (SVG (MathML can be enabled via browser plugin): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle \frac\sigma E = \frac{\Delta y}{R} = \epsilon} where Failed to parse (SVG (MathML can be enabled via browser plugin): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle \sigma} is bending stress
Radius of curvature Failed to parse (SVG (MathML can be enabled via browser plugin): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle \frac1R = \frac{\partial v^2}{\partial x^2}}
, and Failed to parse (SVG (MathML can be enabled via browser plugin): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle \epsilon_{xx} = -y \frac{\partial^2 v}{\partial x^2}}
.
Column
Column is a vertical beam.
Cylindrical Pipe
Cylinder stress
- Axial (Longitudinal) stress Failed to parse (SVG (MathML can be enabled via browser plugin): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle \sigma_a}
- Tangential (hoop or circumferential) stress Failed to parse (SVG (MathML can be enabled via browser plugin): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle \sigma_t}
- Radial stress Failed to parse (SVG (MathML can be enabled via browser plugin): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle \sigma_r}
Axial stress
The axial stress is uniform across the cylinder wall. The stress is found by equilibrium calculations (see below).
The force on the direction of axis (from center to the loop) due to the pressure is Failed to parse (SVG (MathML can be enabled via browser plugin): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle F = \int_0^r 2 p \pi r dr = 2 p \pi \frac{r^2}{2} = p \pi \frac{D^2}{4} }
The axial stress is Failed to parse (SVG (MathML can be enabled via browser plugin): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle \sigma_L = \frac{F}{A} = \frac{p\pi \frac{D^2}{4} }{\pi D t} = \frac{pD}{4t}}
The pressure effect
The longitudinal stress and hoop (radial) stress.
Failed to parse (SVG (MathML can be enabled via browser plugin): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle \sigma_L = \frac{pD}{4t}}
where Failed to parse (SVG (MathML can be enabled via browser plugin): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle p}
is the internal pressure, Failed to parse (SVG (MathML can be enabled via browser plugin): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle D}
is the mean diameter of cylinder and Failed to parse (SVG (MathML can be enabled via browser plugin): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle t}
is the wall thickness. Also, Failed to parse (SVG (MathML can be enabled via browser plugin): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle \sigma_H = \frac{pD}{2t}}
.
Applying Hooke's law and the fact that Failed to parse (SVG (MathML can be enabled via browser plugin): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle \sigma_H = 2\sigma_L} we get
Failed to parse (SVG (MathML can be enabled via browser plugin): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle \sigma_L = \frac{\epsilon_L + v\epsilon_H}{1-\nu^2}E = \frac{\epsilon_H}{2-\nu}E }
where Failed to parse (SVG (MathML can be enabled via browser plugin): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle \nu} is the Poisson's ratio and Failed to parse (SVG (MathML can be enabled via browser plugin): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle E} is the Young's modulus.
Buckling of cylinders
The differential equation of the classical buckling theory of a thin-walled shell. . .
Analytic solution.
Fiberglass (Glassfiber) Cansat
Also impact strength should be considered as the explosion is hard.
The stress is in general defined by Failed to parse (SVG (MathML can be enabled via browser plugin): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle \sigma = \frac FA} . However, the area changes (usually grows: spreads laterally) while compressing. While in Hooke's regime, we have Failed to parse (SVG (MathML can be enabled via browser plugin): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle \sigma = E\epsilon} , where Failed to parse (SVG (MathML can be enabled via browser plugin): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle E} is Young's modulus and Failed to parse (SVG (MathML can be enabled via browser plugin): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle \epsilon} is the strain (deformation) Failed to parse (SVG (MathML can be enabled via browser plugin): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle \epsilon = \frac{\Delta \ell}{\ell}} . In this region the material deforms elastically and returns to its original shape.
The longitudinal stress of cylindrical pipe is Failed to parse (SVG (MathML can be enabled via browser plugin): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle \sigma_L = \frac{F}{4t}} , where Failed to parse (SVG (MathML can be enabled via browser plugin): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle F} is the applied force, Failed to parse (SVG (MathML can be enabled via browser plugin): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle E} is the Young's modulus.
The diameter of the cansat can is mm. Thickness Failed to parse (SVG (MathML can be enabled via browser plugin): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle t} is to be determined. The force Failed to parse (SVG (MathML can be enabled via browser plugin): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle F} acting on the soda can when the payload is ejected from the rocket is CHECK this N.
Thus, we will have for the thickness Failed to parse (SVG (MathML can be enabled via browser plugin): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle t = \frac{F}{4\sigma_L} = frac{700 N}{4}} .
Compressive stress is the capacity of a material to withstand loads tending to reduce size.
Fibreglass is fibre-reinforced plastic, in which the fibres originates from glass, carbon, aramid or basalt, usually. The polymer is usually an epoxy, vinyl ester or resin (hartsi in Finnish, vaik in Estonian). The polyester resin is liquid, which will solidify when the hardener is added. The hardener (Methyl Ethyl Ketone Peroxide).
However, below is structural properties of glass fiber. Normal glass fiber is E-glass, which is alumino-borosilicate glass with less than 1% alkali oxides. See more details at https://kevra.fi/?s=lasikuitu or https://composite24.ee/tooted/kangas-ja-kiud
Tensile strength [MPa] | Compressive strength [MPa] | Yield strength [Mpa] | Ultimate strength [Mpa] | Young's modulus E [GPa] | Density g/cm3 | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
E glass | 3445 | 1080 | - | 5650 | 76 | 2.58 |
Unsaturated polyester | 90 | 55 | 3.23 | 1.35 | ||
Epoxy | - | 26-85 | 3 | 1.35 | ||
S-2 | 4890 | 1600 | 85.5 |
The fiber is usually made to be a fabric or mat (or more).
- Thickness of the fabric is between 0.04 mm and 0.23, usually.
References
https://tiij.org/issues/issues/spring2006/12_Dues-Accepted/Dues.pdf
https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/10851171.pdf
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0263823101000660 Paywall
Mechanical Properties of Glass Fiber Reinforced Polyester Composites
https://www.engineeringtoolbox.com/young-modulus-d_417.html#gsc.tab=0 The table for strengths.
http://k-mac-plastics.com/data-sheets/fiberglass_technical_data.htm