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MECH2413

Engineering Mechanics
Chapter 05: Bending of Beams

Content
In previous chapter, we have studied the stress
distribution along the axis of a beam.
In this chapter, we will discuss the normal stress
distribution across the section of a beam including
Normal stress
1) Flexural formula
2) Curvature of a beam
3) Section modulus

Introduction

Introduction
If a beam is loaded by forces which are perpendicular
to its axis, it deforms and is referred as the bending of
the beam. The study of the determination of the
stresses and the deformations is called bending
theory.

Assumptions
Assumptions in bending theory:
1) The beam is initially straight.
2) There exists a vertical plane of symmetry and the
bending moment M is applied over the plane or
symmetrically about the plane.
3) The material properties are symmetric about the plane
of symmetry.
vertical plane of symmetry

vertical plane of symmetry

Assumptions
The consequence of assumption 2 and 3 is that the
deformation would be symmetric about the plane of
symmetry.
symmetric deformation
of a transverse section

unsymmetric deformation
of a transverse section

Assumptions
With the applied moment as shown below, the upper
portion of the beam is in tension and the lower
portion of the beam is in compression. There must
be a horizontal plane that it is under zero stress. This
plane is termed neutral plane or surface.
neutral plane before
bending

neutral surface after


bending

Assumptions
4) Transverse sections (the vertical planes
perpendicular to the plane of symmetry) remain
planar and perpendicular to the neutral surface after
bending
Before bending

Transverse
planes remain
planar and to
the neutral
surface

Normal stress
distribution in a
beam section

Assumptions
If the load is assumed to cause a bending moment M
only (no shear force and no normal force). The beam is
then said to be in a state of pure bending. Also, the
load acting through the section centroid without
causing torsion. For example, in the region between
the two forces F acting at the beam as shown below:

Pure bending

S.F.D.

Pure bending

B.M.D.

Normal stress in beam section


Consider a beam under pure bending as shown
below:

z-axis is an axis
of symmetry.
x-axis coincides
with the axis of
the beam and
passes through
the centroid C of
the crosssectional area A.

Normal stress in beam section


There are only normal stresses which act in the
direction of the x-axis in the cross-sectional areas.
They are independent of the y-coordinate and they
are linearly distributed in the z-direction. Therefore,
the normal stresses may be written as

=
c is an unknown factor of proportionality

Normal stress in beam section


The bending moment M is statically equivalent to the
sum of the moments of the distributed normal
stresses with respect to the y-axis.

=
= =
= = 2

Bending formula
2 is called the moment of

The quantity =

inertia with unit m4 about y-axis. It measures


the ability of a structure to resist bending in a
plane (xy plane in this case). Hence
=

= =

This equation is called the bending formula


(Flexural formula). The normal stresses are also
referred to as the flexural or bending stress.

Other useful definition


First moment of area:
It is a measure of the distribution of the area of a
shape in relation to an axis.
Second moment of area:
a) Rectangular moments of inertia
b) Polar moment of inertia
c) Product of inertia
Radii of gyration

First Moments of Area


Consider an area A in the y, z-plane. The axes and
their directions (z downward, y to the left) are shown
below:
The centroid C is obtained by

1
=

1
; =

The integrals

; =

are called first moments of area in


the y (about y axis) and z directions
(about z axis)

Second Moments of Area


Integrals which contain the square of the distances
of the element dA or the distances as a product are
called second moments of area. They are also
referred to as moments of inertia of the area. They are
defined as follows:
Rectangular moments of inertia: a measure of
the ability of a structure to resist bending in a plane.
=

2 , =

2 ,

Product of inertia:
= =

Second Moments of Area


Polar moment of inertia: a measure of a beam's
ability to resist torsion.
=

2 =

( 2 + 2 ) = +

Some characteristics:
a) The magnitude of a moment of inertia depends on
the location of the origin and on the orientation of
the axes.
b) Iy, Iz and Ip are always positive (the integrals
involve the squares of the distances), the product
of inertia Iyz may be positive, negative or zero.

Second Moments of Area


c) Iyz = 0 if one of the axes is an axis of symmetry of
the area A.

Radii of gyration
In some cases it is practical to use the radii
of gyration instead of the second moments
of area. They have the dimension length
and defined by

It is the radius of a uniform thin hoop (or


ring), having the same moment of inertia
(about an axis passing through its
geometric center shown below), as the
given body about the specified axis.

Composite beam
Frequently, an area A is composed
of several parts Ai, the moments of
inertia of which are known as
shown right hand side.

=
=
=

+
1

+
2

Similarly,
=

Example #1
Consider a rectangular area (width b, height h).

/2

2
2
=
=
3
/2

/2

/2

3
=
12

Example #1
Exchanging b and h yields
3
=
12
Since the z-axis is an axis of symmetry,

= 0
The polar moment of inertia
3 3 2
= + =
+
=
( + 2 )
12
12
12

Example #1
Since area A = bh and the length = 2 + 2 ,
the radii of gyration are
3

12
=
=
,

2 3

=
,
2 3

=
,
2 3

Example #2
A circular area

Due to the symmetry of the problem, the moments


of inertia about every axis through C are equal.

Example #2
1
= =
2

=
Hence, = =

=
0

2 2

4
=
2

With the area A = R2, the radii of gyration follow as


4
4

4
2
= =
= ; =
=
2
2

Example #3
Determine the moments of inertia for the I-profile.
Simplify the results for , , .

Example #3
Solution: (refer to appendix)
3
3
2
=
+2
+ ( + )
12
12
2 2
3 2 3 2
=
+
+
+ 2
12
3
2
3 2 3
=
+
12
12

Example #3
In case ,,, the terms which contain d, t
quadratically or to the third power may be
neglected as compared with the terms that
are linear in d and t:

Example #4
Determine the second moment of area about the xaxis passing through the centroid of the T-section.

d1 = 24 , d2 = 16

Example #4
For the upper rectangle,

For the lower rectangle,

For the entire area,

Example #4
For the entire area,

For the lower rectangle,

Example #5
The beam of symmetric I-section as shown is simply
supported over a span of 9 m. If the max. permissible
stress is 75 N/mm2, determine the concentrated load that
the beam can carry at a distance 3 m from one supported
end.
all dimensions in mm

Example #5
Solution: From equilibrium consideration,

Bending
moment
diagram

RA = W/3 and RB = 2W/3


Mmax = 6W/3 kNm = 2 106 W Nmm

Example #5
For the I-section,

And
Hence,

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