Beams Shear & Moment Diagrams

E. Evans 2/9/06

Beams
Members that are slender and support loads applied perpendicular to their longitudinal axis.
Distributed Load, w(x) Concentrated Load, P
Longitudinal Axis

Span, L

Types of Beams
Depends on the support configuration
FH
Pin

FV

FH

Fixed

FV
Roller

M Fv
Roller Pin

FH

FV

FV

Statically Indeterminate Beams

Continuous Beam

Propped Cantilever Beam

Can you guess how we find the extra reactions?

Internal Reactions in Beams

At any cut in a beam, there are 3 possible internal reactions required for equilibrium:
normal force, shear force, bending moment.
P

a L

Internal Reactions in Beams

At any cut in a beam, there are 3 possible internal reactions required for equilibrium:
normal force, shear force, bending moment.
Left Side of Cut

M N V

Positive Directions Shown!!!

Pb/L

Internal Reactions in Beams

At any cut in a beam, there are 3 possible internal reactions required for equilibrium:
normal force, shear force, bending moment. M N
Pa/L

Positive Directions Shown!!!

Right Side of Cut

L-x

Finding Internal Reactions

Pick left side of the cut:
Find the sum of all the vertical forces to the left of the cut, including V. Solve for shear, V. Find the sum of all the horizontal forces to the left of the cut, including N. Solve for axial force, N. Its usually, but not always, 0. Sum the moments of all the forces to the left of the cut about the point of the cut. Include M. Solve for bending moment, M

Pick the right side of the cut:

Same as above, except to the right of the cut.

Example: Find the internal reactions at

points indicated. All axial force reactions are zero. Points are 2-ft apart.
P = 20 kips
1 2 3 4 5
6 7

10

8 kips

12 ft 20 ft

12 kips

Point 6 is just left of P and Point 7 is just right of P.

P = 20 kips
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

8 kips

12 ft 20 ft
8 kips

12 kips

V
(kips)
-12 kips 64 80 96 72 48 24

M
(ft-kips)

16

32

48

V & M Diagrams

P = 20 kips

8 kips

12 ft 20 ft
8 kips

12 kips

V
(kips)

x -12 kips 96 ft-kips

What is the slope of this line?

96 ft-kips/12 = 8 kips

What is the slope of this line?

-12 kips c x

M
(ft-kips)

V & M Diagrams

P = 20 kips

8 kips

12 ft 20 ft
8 kips

12 kips

V
(kips) What is the area of the blue rectangle? 96 ft-kips -12 kips 96 ft-kips

What is the area of the green rectangle?

-96 ft-kips

M
(ft-kips)

Draw Some Conclusions

The magnitude of the shear at a point equals the slope of the moment diagram at that point. The area under the shear diagram between two points equals the change in moments between those two points. At points where the shear is zero, the moment is a local maximum or minimum.

The Relationship Between Load, Shear and Bending Moment

w( x ) the load function

M( x ) V( x )dx

V( x ) w( x )dx

Common Relationships
0
Load

Constant

Linear

Constant Shear

Linear

Parabolic

Linear

Parabolic

Cubic

Moment

Common Relationships
0
Load
M

Constant

Constant Shear

Constant

Linear

Linear
Moment

Linear

Parabolic

Example: Draw Shear & Moment diagrams for the following beam
12 kN
A B C

8 kN
D

1m RA = 7 kN

3m

1m RC = 13 kN

12 kN
A

8 kN
C
D

1m
7 V
(kN)

3m
8

1m

7 -5 7 -15

M
(kN-m)

2.4 m

-8