1.050 Engineering Mechanics: Lecture 2: Dimensional Analysis and Atomic Explosion

1.
050 Engineering Mechanics
Lecture 2: Dimensional Analysis

and Atomic Explosion
1.050 – Content overview
I. Dimensional analysis
1. On monsters, mice and mushrooms Lectures 1-3
2. Similarity relations: Important engineering tools Sept.
II. Stresses and strength

2. Stresses and equilibrium Lectures 4-15
3. Strength models (how to design structures,
foundations.. against mechanical failure) Sept./Oct.
III. Deformation and strain

4. How strain gages work?
5. How to measure deformation in a 3D Lectures 16-19
structure/material? Oct.
IV. Elasticity
5. Elasticity model – link stresses and deformation Lectures 20-31
6. Variational methods in elasticity
Nov.
V. How things fail – and how to avoid it
7. Elastic instabilities
8. Plasticity (permanent deformation) Lectures 32-37
9. Fracture mechanics Dec.
1.050 – Content overview
I. Dimensional analysis
Lecture 1: Introduction & Galileo's problem
Lecture 2: Dimensional Analysis and Atomic Explosion
Lecture 3: Dimension analysis and application to engineering
structures
II. Stresses and strength
III. Deformation and strain
IV. Elasticity
V. How things fail – and how to avoid it

Discorsi e Dimonstrazioni Matematiche
intorno a Due Nuove Scienze (1638)
• “We clearly see, by what has been demonstrated, that it
is impossible to magnify structures to large dimensions,
whether in art or nature; [...] it would be equally
impossible to create huge bone structures for humans,
horses or other animals that would function normally,
unless the material employed was much harder and
more resistant than usual [...]. Obviously, if we wish to
maintain the same proportions of a normal man in a
giant, it would be necessary to find a harder and more
resistant material to build his bones, or yet admit that his
robustness would be proportionally smaller; as he grew
up immeasurably we would see him collapse under his
own weight.”
Discorsi e Dimonstrazioni Matematiche
intorno a Due Nuove Scienze (1638)
• “another way [...] of making giants or other large animals
to live and move like the smaller ones”:
• “this would be possible only by increasing the strength of

the bones and also the strength of parts that support the
weight and additional loads; but also keeping the same
proportions the bone structure would resist only if its
specific weight were reduced, as well as the specific
weight of the flesh and all other parts supported by the
bones.”
Galileo Number
Exercise: Atomic Explosion
ρ
r(t)
E
Trinity Test Nuclear Explosion, New Mexico, July 16, 1945 © Library of Congress
Steps of Dimensional Analysis
Recipe Exercise
1. Problem Formulation N +1 = 4
2. Dimensional Analysis
1. Build the exponent matrix of
dimensions of N+1
2. Rank of matrix = k =
number of dimensionally
independent variables (see
next slide) Here: k = 3 ⇒ N + 1 − k = 1
3. Choose k independent
variables, express N+1-k
dimensionless variables
4. Determine exponents by
solving linear system (see
next+1 slide)
3. Dimensionless expression
Technique 1: Number of
dimensionally independent variables
• Method 1: Look for the maximum number
of linearly independent rows or columns
• Method 2: Rank of a matrix

– Manually: Identify the dimension of the
biggest sub-square matrix that has a non-zero
determinant (math: non-singular)
– Software: Matlab, Maple, Excel, etc…
Technique 2:
Determination of the exponents
• Find a1, a2, a3
• In a log-representation
• Linear system: Ax=y
⎛ a1 ⎞ ⎛ 2 / 5 ⎞
⎜ ⎟ ⎜ ⎟
⇒ ⎜ a2 ⎟ = ⎜1/ 5 ⎟
⎜ a ⎟ ⎜ − 1/ 5 ⎟
⎝ 3⎠ ⎝ ⎠
G.I. Taylor’s Analysis*
• Top Secret: What is the
• D-Analysis
energy E released by a
nuclear explosion?
• But: High speed
photographs were
available, giving r and t
• Air density = 2.5 kg/m3
r ~ 100m
• const ~ O(1)
t = 30 ms known known
(*) G.I. Taylor (1950)
G.I. Taylor’s Analysis (cont’d)
• Back Analysis:
log r (t = 10−4 s ) ~ 8
10.5
5
2
9.5
⎛E⎞
5 log r
log⎜⎜ ⎟⎟ = 8 − log 10 ) = 12
(
2
1 −4
⎝ρ⎠
2
8.5
5 log r = 1 log ( E ) + log t
2 2 ρ
~8
-3.0 -2.0 -1.0
⇓
-4
log t
E ~ 1021 erg = 100,000GJ
Figure by MIT OpenCourseWare, adapted from Taylor, G. I. "Formation of a Blast .
Wave by a Very Intense Explosion. II. The Atomic Explosion of 1945."
Proceedings of the Royal Society A 201 (1950): 175-186.
Comparison: ~ hourly energy production of
20 nuclear power plants
Summary
• Pi-Theorem
– Most critical step: problem formulation – if you forget one
parameter on which the problems depends, the problem is ill-
posed!
– By means of dimensional analysis reduce the complexity of a
problem from N+1 parameters to N+1-k parameters:
• Some technique: Exponent matrix – linear system
• Of critical importance for lab testing: instead of (N)a tests, you only
need to carry out (N-k)a tests
• Critical for model scaling: Model (e.g. human) and Prototype (e.g.
monster) must have the same invariants.
– Best invariants: not unique, some try and error – you can always
recombine invariants as power functions of others.
– If N = k, jackpot – you have the solution (close to a multiplying
constant).
– In the next lecture and recitation: Applications

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1.

050 Engineering Mechanics

Lecture 2: Dimensional Analysis

II. Stresses and strength

III. Deformation and strain

II. Stresses and strength

III. Deformation and strain

V. How things fail – and how to avoid it

• “this would be possible only by increasing the strength of

• Method 2: Rank of a matrix

• Linear system: Ax=y

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