Bending of straight beams

In mechanics of materials we cover symmetrical

cross sections and bending in one plane. Now
we will consider the more general case
Moment perpendicular to a plane at an angle phi
from x-z plane (plane of loads). Centroidal axes.

Cantilever beam with an arbitrary cross section subjected to pure bending

Shear loading
We assume for now pure bending with no
twist. This implies shear forces passing
through shear center

Cantilever beam with an arbitrary cross section subjected to shear loading

Symmetrical bending
Moments of inertia
Ix = y2 d A
I y = x2 d A
J = r2 dA
I xy = xy d A

Moments of inertia also a tensor so has

principal axes

Symmetrical and anti-symmetrical

cross sections

Equilateral triangle

Open channel section

Angle section

Are these also principal axes?

Z- section

Symmetrical bending
Euler-Bernoulli beam theory, Leonhard Euler
(1707-1783) and Daniel Bernoulli (1700-1782)
What are the assumptions?
For symmetrical cross section

zz

MY x M X y
=
+
IY
IX

Neutral axis

zz = 0

Rectangular cross section

Maximum bending stress
6| MX |
max =
bh 2

Cantilever beam with rectangular cross section

Unsymmetrical bending
Equations of equilibrium
0 =
M

zz

dA

y dA
= x dA

zz

zz

Plane sections remain plane

zz = a + bx + cy

Combining it all

zz = E zz
zz = a + bx + cy

M x I y + M y I xy
M y I x + M x I xy
y

zz =
x+
2
2

I I I

I
I
I

x
y
xy
x
y
xy

Moments
Moment is perpendicular to the plane of the
loads. If the plane of the loads makes an angle
with the x-axis,

M x = M sin and M y = M cos

cot =

My
Mx

M y = M x cot

Neutral axis
For bending stress to be zero
M x I xy + M y I x
x = x tan
zz =

+
M
I
M
I
x
y
y
xy

M x I xy + M y I x

tan =
M I +M I
y xy
x y
tan =
Pure bending of a nonsymmetrically loaded
cantilever beam

I xy I x cot
I y I xy cot

Example 7.3
A cantilever beam of length 3m as shown in the figure
has a channel section. A concentrated load P=12.0 kN
lies in the plane with an angle = /3 with the x-axis.
The plane of the loads passes through the shear center
C. Locate points of maximum tensile and compressive
stresses and find the magnitude of stresses.

Location of max stresses

Section properties :
A =10000 mm 2 I x = 36.69 x 106 mm 4 I xy = 0
y0 = 82.0 mm

I y = 30.73 x 106 mm 4

Locate Neutral Axis :

tan =

I xy I x cot
I y I xy cot

cot
3
3

Ix
cot
Iy

cos
3 = 0.5774
=

sin
3

tan = 0.7457 = 0.6407 rad

Moments :
M = 3.00P = 36.0 kN .m
M x = M sin = 31.18 kN .m

Since moment is negative, the part

above N.A is in tension and the bottom
part is in compression. Therefore
maximum tensile stress occurs at
point A and maximum compressive
stress at point B.

Maximum stresses
.

Stress at A(-70,-118)

zz =
A =

M x ( y x tan )
I x I xy tan
M x ( 118 ( 70 ) tan )
I x I xy tan

= 133.7 MPa

Stress at B(70,82)

B =

M x ( 82 ( 70 ) tan )
I x I xy tan

= 105.4 MPa

Deflections
Determine separately x and y
components of displacement.
Here we show y component
Curvature
1 zz

=
Ry Ry

1 d 2v
where
2
R y dz

M x I y + M y I xy
Mx
d 2v
=
=
2
dz
E ( I x I xy tan )
E ( I x I y I xy2 )

Total displacement

u = v tan
v
= u +v =
cos
2

Components of deflection of a
nonsymmetrically loaded beam.

Example 7.6

A simply supported beam of length 3m has a channel section. A

concentrated load P= 35.0 kN applied at the center of the beam, lies in
a plane with an angle = 5/9 with the x-axis. Locate points of
maximum tensile and compressive stresses and magnitude of
stresses. Find the maximum deflection. E=72 GPa.

Section properties :
A =10000 mm 2 I x = 36.69 x 106 mm 4 I xy = 0
y0 = 82.0 mm

I y = 30.73 x 106 mm 4

Solution
Stress :

Locate Neutral Axis:

Ix
tan = cot = 5 9
Iy
tan = 0.2277 = 0.2239 rad

zz =

M x ( y x tan )
I x I xy tan

M x (118 (70) tan )

= 63.8 MPa
A =
I x I xy tan

B =

M x (82 (70) tan )

= 87.2 MPa
I x I xy tan

Deflection Simply supported beam :

Moment :
PL
M=
= 26.25 kN .m
4
M x = M sin = 25.85 kN .m

PL3
=
48EI
PL3 sin
= 6.78 mm
v=
48 EI x
u = v tan = 1.54 mm

= u 2 + v2 =

v
= 6.95 mm
cos

Reading assignment
Sections 7.3-5: Question: Consider a horizontal cantilever
beam under a tip vertical load. What condition is required so
that tip will move both down and sideways?

Source: www.library.veryhelpful.co.uk/ Page11.htm