Lecture-13

6.3 Bending Deformation of a Straight Member

The bending moment causes the material within the bottom portion of the bar to stretch and the material
within the top portion to compress. In order to show how this distortion will strain the material, we will
isolate a small segment of the beam located a distance x along the beam’s length and having an
undeformed thickness ∆x. This element, taken from the beam, is shown in profile view in the undeformed
and deformed positions.
Notice that any line segment, ∆x, located on the neutral surface, does not change its length, whereas any
line segment ∆s, located at the arbitrary distance y above the neutral surface, will contract and become
∆s/ after deformation. So the strain becomes:

From the geometry, arc length s= rƟ, so before deformation, ∆s=∆x=ρ∆Ɵ, after deformation,

∆s/=(ρ-y)∆Ɵ. Substituting these values:

By simplification:
The longitudinal normal strain will vary linearly with y from the neutral axis. A contraction (-€) will
occur in fibers located above the neutral axis (+y),whereas elongation (+€) will occur in fibers located
below the axis (-y). We already know,

−c
ε max =
ρ

6.4 The Flexure Formula

A linear variation of normal strain, must then be the result of a linear variation in normal stress as stress
is proportional to strain.
As stress is proportional to strain by modulus of elasticity, so we can write:

−y
σ= σ max
c
The moment of dF about the neutral axis is dM = y dF. Since dF = σ dA, using previous equation, we
have for the entire cross section,

By simplification of the above equation:

We know: ∫ y 2 dA = I = mass moment of inertia (from statics)

σ max σ
Since =− from previous equation, we can write the normal stress at the location distance y
c y
can be determined from an equation:

σ max * y Mc y
σ =− =− *
c I c

Negative sign means compression; positive sign means tension, so in positive bending compression
develops on top of stress fiber and tension developed at bottom of stress fiber. In negative bending
compression develops in bottom and tension develops at top of the fiber.