1

SIMPLE BENDING THEORY

(LONGITUDINAL STRESSES IN BEAM)


INTRODUCTION

We have learned that when a carry lateral loads, the reactions at any cross-section of the
beam consist of bending moment and shear force. The next step in the discussion of
strength of a beam is to look at the stresses due to the action of the bending loads
mentioned earlier.

ASSUMPTIONS IN SIMPLE BENDING THEORY

1. The beam is initially straight and radius of curvature is large compared to the cross
sectional dimensions of the beam.
2. Beam is homogeneous, elastic and follow Hookes Law.
3. Material has the same elastic modulus in tension and in compression.
4. Cross section of the beam is symmetrical about plane of bending.
5. Plane section of the beam remains plane before or after bending.
6. There is no resultant axial force on the beam.

STRESS-STRAIN RELATION IN BENDING



Fig. 1a shows a small element of the beam subjected to a pure bending moment, M. O is
the center of curvature, the angle between the two planes is and R is the radius of
curvature to the neutral axis, PN. It is obvious from the diagram that the initially straight
beam, due to the bending action, will be in compression for fibres that are above the
neutral axis PN, and in tension for those below the neutral axis. The neutral axis represent
unstressed fibre layer (i.e the stress at the neutral axis = 0).

If f is the longitudinal stress at fibre layer EF, distance y from the neutral axis PN,
the strain in EF is,
PN
PN EF
E
f ) (
(original length of all fibres = PN)
= [ (R+y) - R] / R

2
= y/R
or
y
f
=
R
E
.. Eqn. 1

Since E/R is constant for a material, the stress and strain is linearly proportional to the
distance from the neutral axis. For optimum use, the depth of a beam must be large so that
the beam can carry high bending stresses and therefore an I section is often used as beams.

Take a small element of the cross section, area dA and distance y from the neutral axis, the
resultant axial force is zero (because there is no axial force).

f dA = 0
(E/R) y dA = 0 from Eqn. 1

Moment of resistance, M about neutral axis (NA),

M = E/R y
2
dA ( M is also the applied moment of the beam)

y
2
dA = Second moment of area about NA
*
= I Eqn. 2

(
*
also known as moment of inertia)

Combining Eqns. (1) and (2), we have the Simple Bending Theory (SBT) Equation:


R
E
y
f
I
M


where M = Moment of resistance or applied moment of/to the beam
I = Second moment of area about the NA
f = Longitudinal bending stress at any fibre layer, distance y from NA
E = Modulus of elasticity
R = Radius of curvature to the NA

Variation in stresses under bending action is shown below. The stresses are longitudinal
stresses. The bending stresses as well as strains are directly proportional to the distance
from the neutral axis.


3
SECOND MOMENT OF AREA, I (about neutral axis)



1. Rectangle, I
XX
= bd
3
/12, I
YY
= db
3
/12
2. Circle, I
XX
= I
YY
= d
4
/64
3. Triangle, I
XX
= bd
3
/36

Parallel Axes Theorem



I
NN
= I
XX +
A h
2


where I
NN
= I about chosen axis (not through centroid of body)
I
XX
= I about the NA of cross section (through centroid of body)
A = cross sectional area of body
h = distance between the two chosen axes

Note: For a rectangular section,

I
NN
or I
BB
(about base of rectangle) = bd
3
/12 + bd (d/2)
2

= bd
3
/3

SECTION MODULUS, Z

Ratio of I/y is called the section modulus, and f = M/Z. Bending moment that can be
carried by a cross section under the limiting maximum stress is called moment of
resistance of the beam, M.

M = ( I / y
max
) f
max


For a rectangular beam, Z = bd
2
/ 6
4

For example, the required minimum section modulus ( Z
min
) of an appropriate steel
section can be obtained using the following formula,

Z
min
=
all
f tress AllowableS
M ent AppliedMom
,
,


Example 1.

A rectangular steel bar measuring 100 mm x 50 mm in cross section, bends about the
plane which has the greatest depth. Determine the maximum bending moment that can be
carried by the section if the bending stresses must not exceed 150 N/mm
2
in tension or
compression. What is the maximum value of (i) udl, (ii) central point load that the beam
can carry if it is simply supported on a span of 4 m. Determine also the udl and load at free
end if the beam is a cantilever of 4 m length.

Second moment of area, I
XX
= bd
3
/12
=
12
100 50
3
x

= 4.17 x 10
6
mm
4


From M/I = f/y, M = f/y I

If the bending stresses must not exceed 150 N/mm
2
,

M =
50
10 17 . 4 150
6
x x

= 12.51 kNm

For simply supported beam of 4m length,

(i) If beam carrying udl, M
max
= wL
2
/8
w = 8 M
max
/ 4
2

= 6.255 kN/m

(ii) If beam carry central point load, M
max
= PL / 4
P = 4 M / L
= 4 x 12.51 / 4
= 12.51 kN

For cantilever beam of 4m length,

(i) If beam carrying udl, M
max
= wL
2
/ 2
w = 2 M
max
/ 4
2

= 1.564 kN/m
5
(ii) If beam carry free end load, M
max
= PL
P = M / L
= 12.51 / 4
= 3.128 kN


Example 2.

Determine the moment of resistance of an I beam which can carry a maximum stress of 77
N/mm
2
. Web thickness is 13 mm. What is the value of the moment if the same section is
used with the neutral axis parallel to the web? What can be deduced from this result?



Because of symmetry, y = 125 mm

I
XX
=
12
250 150
3
x
-
12
224 137
3
x
= (19531.25 12831.68) x 10
4
= 6700 x 10
4
mm
4


From SBT, M/I = f/y M = f I/y
max


Maximum stress of 77 N/mm
2
occurs at the extreme fibre layer (y
max
= 125 mm)

Moment of resistance, M
xx
=
125
10 6700 77
4
x x
x 10
-6
kNm = 41.27 kNm (about major axis)

b) If section is used with NA parallel to the web

I
YY
=
12
13 224
3
x
+
12
150 13 2
3
x x
= (4.10 + 731.25) x 10
4
mm
4

I
YY
= 735.35 x 10
4
mm
4
, M
YY
=
75
10 35 . 735 77
4
x x
x 10
-6
kNm = 7.55 kNm (abt minor axis)

M
XX >>>
M
YY.

I and T section beams are designed to have higher I values about one
axis and this position is used so that maximum moment occurs about this axis (can provide
higher moment of resistance).

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Example 3.

An I beam is subjected to a negative bending (hogging BM). Calculate the position of the
NA and second moment of area about the major axis. Determine the maximum BM that
can be applied if the maximum tensile stress is not to exceed 16 N/mm
2
. Determine also
the maximum compressive stress.



1. Moment of area about BB, A y = M
a,
y =

A
M
a


y = (
40 200 200 40 40 120
260 40 200 140 200 40 20 40 120
x x x
x x x x x x


) = 158.5 mm from base BB

2. I
XX
=
3
5 . 158 120
3
x
-
3
5 . 118 80
3
x
+
3
5 . 121 200
3
x
-
3
5 . 81 160
3
x
= 20560 x 10
4
mm
4


3. Maximum tensile stress occurs at the top extreme fibre, i.e y
t
= 121.5 mm,

From SBT, M = f I / y
t
=
5 . 121
10 20560 16
4
x x
x 10
-6
kNm = 27.07 kNm.



4. Distance from NA to bottom extreme fibre (maximum compressive stress) is 158.5 mm,


5 . 121
t
f
=
5 . 158
m
f
, f
m
=
5 . 121
5 . 158 16x
= 20.87 N/mm
2

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5. To calculate the moment of resistance of beam if the maximum allowable stress of the
beam is given as 16 N/mm
2
.

Maximum allowable stress occurs at the maximum extreme fibre distance from the NA, i.e
at the bottom flange, or y
max
= 158.5 mm

Moment of resistance of beam =
max
y
fI
=
5 . 158
10 20560 16
4
x x
x 10
-6
= 20.75 kNm

Maximum tensile stress occurs at the top extreme fibre,

f
t
=
5 . 158
5 . 121 16x
= 12.26 N/mm
2



BEAMS WITH TWO ALLOWABLE STRESSES

Refer to Example 3. If the tensile and compressive stresses of the beam are limited to 20
N/mm
2
and 30 N/mm
2
respectively, determine the maximum distributed load that the beam
can carry if the span of the beam is 4.0 m.

In this example, the allowable tensile and compressive stresses are not the same. The
moment of resistance of the beam occurs when ONE of these stresses is reached. This
stress is called the LIMITING STRESS.



Where f
ta
= Allowable tensile stress = 20 N/mm
2

and f
ca
= Allowable compressive stress = 30 N/mm
2





Two ways of analysis.
8

Given f
ta
= 20 N/mm
2
and f
ca
= 30 N/mm
2


1. The Limiting Stress method.

Assume that the limiting stress is compressive, f
c
at the bottom extreme fibre = f
ca
= 30
N/mm
2
, f
t
=
5 . 158
30 5 . 121 x
= 23 N/mm
2
> f
ta
= 20 N/mm
2

(exceeds allowable tensile stress, beam will fail in tension)


TENSILE STRESS IS LIMITING, i.e f
fmax
= 20 N/mm
2
= f
ta
at y
t
= 121.5 mm

f
c
=
5 . 121
20 5 . 158 x
= 26.1 N/mm
2
< f
ca
= 30 N/mm
2
, O.K
(Both allowable stresses are not exceeded)
Moment of resistance, M =
t
ta
y
If
=
5 . 121
20 10 20560
4
x X
x 10
-6
= 33.8 kNm

2. Calculating moment method

For maximum compressive stress of 30 N/mm
2
, y
c
= 158.5 mm

Moment of resistance, M
c
=
c
ca
y
If
=
5 . 158
30 10 20560
4
x X
x 10
-6
= 38.9 kNm

For maximum tensile stress of 20 N/mm
2
, y
t
= 121.5 mm

Moment of resistance, M
t
=
t
ta
y
If
=
5 . 121
20 10 20560
4
x X
x 10
-6
= 33.8 kNm

To satisfy both conditions, bending moment must not exceed 33.8 kNm, i.e the tensile
stress is limiting.

M = wL
2
/ 8 , w = 8M/L
2
= 8 x 33.8 / 4
2
= 16.9 kN/m