KEVOS® MAKEOS · Power Transmission
Circular Shaft Torsion
What torsional stress and twist does this circular shaft develop?
Calculate elastic torsion of a uniform solid or hollow circular shaft with a supplied shear modulus.
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How this tool works
Inputs, units and where to find them
| Input | Unit | Typical source |
|---|---|---|
| Outside diameter | mm | Actual uniform shaft outside diameter. |
| Inside diameter | mm | Bore diameter; enter zero for a solid shaft. |
| Loaded length | mm | Length over which the stated torque acts. |
| Torque | N·m | Transmitted torque for the chosen load case. |
| Shear modulus | MPa | Material shear modulus at the operating temperature. |
Method and formulas
- Polar area moment J = π × (D⁴ − d⁴) / 32.
- Convert torque from N·m to N·mm by multiplying by 1000.
- Peak nominal shear stress = torque × (D/2) / J. Twist (radians) = torque × length / (G × J).
- Example: 40 mm solid shaft, 500 mm long, 200 N·m and G = 80000 MPa gives 15.915494 MPa and 0.284966°.
Limitations
- Circular, uniform, linear elastic shaft only.
- Keyways, shoulders, bending, fatigue, buckling and critical speed are not included.
- Example values are illustrations. Replace them with values for your actual task.
Typical uses
- torsion
- shaft twist
- polar inertia
Who it is for
- Designers
- Maintenance engineers
What you get
- Polar area moment J
- Peak nominal shear stress
- Twist
Interpreting the result
- Use the nominal result as one load-case input, then assess discontinuities and combined loading.
References
- Machinery’s Handbook, 29th edition (Industrial Press, 2012), printed pp. 244–249, 295–303. Topic reference; no source tables or recommended settings are reproduced.
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