Past exam of the materials science course of the University of Cambridge / 2022 / Paper 1 / 6 / b

The rectangular second moment of area is $I=w{h}^3/12$. The maximum bending stress in the cantilever is $FL(h/2)/I=6FL/(w{h}^2)$. If $h$ is fixed, choose the minimum allowed width $w=6FL/({\sigma }_f{h}^2)$. Its mass is thenThus the material performance index to maximize isFor unequal tensile and compressive strengths, use the smaller permissible stress in this symmetric section. The derivation assumes bending-strength control, not a separate deflection, shear, buckling or existing-crack constraint.

With $w$ fixed, bending strength requires $h=\sqrt{6FL/(w{\sigma }_f)}$. Substitution into the cantilever mass givesThe material performance index to maximize is thereforeChanging the free geometric variable changes the strength exponent. A stiffness-limited problem would instead involve Young's modulus; the supplied modulus does not enter this strength-only index.