Chapter 3

STRESSES IN LOADED BEAMS

3.1 PURE BENDING

Bending Deformations
Beam with a plane of symmetry in pure
bending:
member remains symmetric
bends uniformly to form a circular arc
cross-sectional plane passes through arc center
and remains planar
length of top decreases and length of bottom
increases
a neutral surface must exist that is parallel to the
upper and lower surfaces and for which the length
does not change
stresses and strains are negative (compressive)
above the neutral plane and positive (tension)
below it

3.1

Strain
Due to Bending
(i)
(i) Strain Due to Bending
Consider a beam segment of length L.
Consider a beam segment of length L.
After deformation, the length of the neutral
Beforeremains
and after
the length of the neutral
surface
L.deformation,
At other sections,
surface remains L. At other sections,
L = ( y )

= L L = ( y ) = y

Strainininthe
thex-direction
x-direction
Strain
x =

(strain va ries linearly with y)

If we define the max numerical

strain as: m
m =

or

x = y m
c

3.2

(ii)

Stress Due to Bending

For a linearly elastic material,

y
c

x = E x = E m
y
= m (stress varies linearly)
c

For static equilibrium,

For static equilibrium,

y
Fx = 0 = x dA = m dA
c

y
M = y x dA = y m dA
c

0 = m y dA
c

M =

First moment with respect to neutral

plane is zero. Therefore, the neutral
surface must pass through the
section centroid.

m =

Mc M
=
I
S

y
Substituting x = m
c

x =

3.3

y 2 dA = m

c
c

My
I

Common I values:
rectangular X-section, width b, height h:
bh 3
Iz =
12

I
S=
C

h
C=
2

bh2
= 6

Circular X-section, radius r, diameter d:

I=

r 4

d 4
64

I
S=
C

C=r

r 3 d 3
4

32

3.4

Example 1
Consider a beam of rectangular X-section with
load of 5 kN/m (take E = 175 GPa) determine
(a) Max. tensile and compressive stress at mid-span
(b) normal stress and strain at A
(c) radius of curvature at B.

C is on NA

Note: A is 20 mm from NA, B is on NA, D is on top fibre, E is on bottom fibre

1 3
bh
12
008
. ( 012
. )3
. 106 m4
=
= 1152
12

I of section =

3.5

(a) At mid-span, B.M. = ?

22
M xz = 10 2 5
2
= 10 kN . m

Using

My

xx = I

10 103(0.06)
At top fibre xx =
= 521
. MPa
6

1152
. 10

xx = 52.1 MPa

At bottom fibre

Plotting the stress distribution

3.6

Note:-A positive bending moment causes compressive (ve) axial stresses above the neutral axis and tensile
(+ve) stresses below the N.A.
- Stress distribution is linear.
- Max. stresses are induced at top and bottom fibre
i.e. fibre furthest from N.A.
(b) At a section thro A
5(1) 2
B. M . = 10(1)
2
= 7.5 KN . m

3.7

We have

A =

M yA

I
7.5 103 ( 0.02)
=
. 106
1152
= 13 MPa

A =

E
13 10 6
=
175 10 9
= 74.3 10 6

(c)

Since

xx =
=

xx

0.02
74.3 10 6
= 269m

3.8

Example
Example22
An overhanging beam of T-shaped cross-section is loaded as shown
in the Fig. Determine the max. tensile and compressive bending
stresses.

X-sectional area is divided into A1 & A2. Let distance of centroid

from bottom = y .

y ( A1 + A2 ) = A1 y1 + A2 y 2
y=

20 (60) 70 + 60 (20) 30
20 (60) + 60 (20)

= 50 mm

3.9

A2

bh 3
I=
+ Ad 2
12
A1
1
3
= ( 60) ( 20) + 20 ( 60) ( 20) 2
12
1
+ ( 20) ( 60) 3 + 20 ( 60) ( 20) 2
12
= 136 10 4 mm4

From equilibrium
R1 = 5 kN. R2 = 10 kN

3.10

20
20

If you have a distributed load that does not act

along the whole length of the beam, you have to
introduce another distributed load of equal
magnitude but acting in the opposite direction
beyond the right end limit of the given distributed
load.
W

x
0

L
Equivalent System

Represented by
W<x0>0

x
0
Represented by
W<xa>0

3.11

Load Intensity
w( x ) = 5 x

4 x

+4 x3

+ 10 x 3

3 x4

kNm

Shear force:
F = wdx
= 5 x

+ 4 x 4 x 3 10 x 3

3.12

+ 3 x 4 kN

(1)

Shear force: From Eq. (1)

X = 0, F = -5 kN, also F = 0 kN
X = 3, F = -5 + 4x3 = 7 kN, also F = -5 +12-3 = -3 kN
X = 4 F = -5 + 12 - 10 = -3 kN, also F = -5 + 12 - 10 + 3 = 0 kN

Plotting

Fxy
kN
7
1.25 m
A

-3

-5

1m

3m

3.13

Bending Moment:
M = Fdx
= 5 x

+ 4 x 4 x 3 10 x 3

+3 x4

M = Fdx
=5 x 4

x2
x3 2
+4
+ 10 x 3 3 x 4
2
2

kNm.

(2)

To locate position of maximum bending moment

Consider 0 < x < 3
Max. B.M. occurs at positions of zero shear force
F = 5 x

+ 4 x 4 x 3 10 x 3

For zero shear force,

+ 3 x 4 kN

0 = -5 + 4x, x = 1.25 m

Note: From the shear force plot it is noted that zero

shear force occurs at x < 3

Hence the Bending Moments are :

x2
2
.
= 3125
kN . m

At x = 1.25 m

M =5 x 4

At x = 3 m

( 3) 2
M =5 3 4
2
= 3 kN . m

Note: x < 3 m

largest bending stress occurs at max. y (top and bottom fibre)

i.e. at y = 30 mm, -50 mm.

3.14

My
I

Hence At x = 1.25 m

At x = 3 m

3125
. 10 6 30
max. (top fibre) =
N / mm2
136 10
= 68.9 MPa
3125
. 10 6 ( 50)
max. (bottom fibre) =
136 10 4
= 114.9 MPa
3 10 6 ( 30)
max. (top fibre) =
N / mm2
4
136 10
= 66.2 MPa
3 10 6 ( 50)
c (bottom fibre) =
136 10 4
= 110.3 MPa

Check

Hence
max. tensile stress occurs at x = 1.25 m
max. comp. stress occurs at x = 3 m.
i.e. Stresses at locations of zero shear must be investigated

Fxy
kN

Check for values of maximum

bending stresses here

7
1.25 m
A

-3

-5

1m

3m

3.15

3.2 SHEAR STRESSES IN BEAMS

Stresses in a beam

Mxz/dx)dx
xz
MM
++(dM
xz
xz

Mxz
Mxz

X
dx

3.16

Stresses in a Beam

Mxz
xx comp top, tensile bottom
Fxy gives xy

National
National University
University of
of Singapore
Singapore

3.17

Pure bending without shear induces only normal stresses

in the direction of the beam axis. When a shear force is
present (i.e. the bending moment varies), shear stresses
are also induced. (In practice, it is very uncommon to
encounter pure bending in a beam).
Consider an elemental length of a beam where the shear
force is constant but there is a variation in the bending
moment. e.g. a simply-supported beam with a central
point load.

3.18

Consider the portion of the beam element above a vertical

distance y from the centroid of the cross-section; i.e. we
have made an imaginary horizontal cut at y and chosen
the upper element which has a surface exposed by the cut.

For equilibrium in the axial direction;

xx1dA Fyx xx 2 dA = 0

Using xx =

M xz
y
Iz

3.19

Fyx =

( M xz + M xz ) y
Iz

Fyx =

M xz
Iz

M xz
y dA
A Iz

dA +
ydA
A

Dividing by x and letting x 0

dFyx
dx

Now

1 dM xz
ydA
I z dx A

y dA = A y
A

(first moment of area A about the Z-axis)

A - area of the cross-section isolated by the horizontal

cut; i.e. above the location of the shear stress being
determined (i.e. above y)
y - vertical distance between the centroidal axis and the
CG of A

Since

dM xz
= Fxy
dx

dFyx
dx

Fxy
Iz

Ay

3.20

dFyx
dx

- Shear force per unit length

- shear flow

The shear stress

shear force
Area
1 dFyx
= .
b dx

yx =
Since

yx = xy

1 dFyx 1 Fxy
Ay
xy = .
= .
b dx b I z

3.21

Example 1
Determine the shear stress distribution in a beam of
rectangular cross-section (b x h) subjected to the loading
shown below.

Consider the cross-section at y-y.

3.22

 xy = yx =

Fxy A y

Iz b
Fxy = P at section y-y
h

A = y b
2

1h

y = y + y
22

1 3
I z = bh
12
b=b

xy

xy

1h

h
P y b y + y
22

2
=
1 3
bh b
12

6P
= 3
bh

h
y2
2

3.23

The shear stress distribution is parabolic; maximum at the

centroidal axis and zero at the top and bottom. (Contrast
this with the normal stress distribution caused by bending,
where the maximum stresses occur furthest from the
centroidal axis).

3.24

3.3 RELATIVE MAGNITUDES OF BENDING

AND SHEAR STRESSES

For a rectangular cross-section (bxh) simply-supported

beam with a central point load,

1 L 1
M xz(max) = 2 P = PL
2 4
1
Fxy(max) = 2 P
Max. bending stress:

xx(max) =

M xz(max)
ymax
Iz
3 PL

xx(max) = 2 bh2

3.25

1
PL h
4
=
1 32
bh
12

Max. shear stress:

Using the previous example with y = 0 (for max. shear
1
stress) and P replaced by P ;
2
3 P

xy(max) = 4 bh
xx(max)
L
=2
xy(max)
h
Hence, if the beam length is much greater than its depth
(e.g. L > 10h), the maximum shear stress will be at least
an order of magnitude smaller than the max. bending
(normal) stress.

3.26

Example 1
A box beam is loaded as shown in the Fig., I about N.A.
= 10.5 x 10-6m4. Draw shear force and B.M. diagrams and
calculate
a)

Shearing and bending stresses at point E,

b) Max. shear and bending stresses.

Beam cross-section

From equilibrium
Note: Point E is 40 mm from the top fibre
RA = 3 kN,

RB = 11 kN

3.27

Using the method shown in Chapter 2, the shear force and

bending moment diagrams can be constructed.
Fxy
(kN)
7
1.5

-3

-4

Mxz
(kNm)
6

1.5
4.5

-8

3.28

yt

yt

Beam cross-section

To determine yt
60

(120 80 40 60) yt = 80 40 20 + 2(20 60) 40 +

2

20

+ 20 80 100 +
2

3
3
7200 yt = 64 10 + 168 10 + 176 103

408 103
yt =
= 56.7mm
7200

At pt. E

Fxy = - 3 kN

3.29

A y = 0.08 0.04 (56.7 20)

= 80 40(56.7 20) 10 9 m 3
= 117.4 10 6 m 3

xy =

Fxy A y

Ib
3 10 3 117.4 10 6
N m2
=
6
10.5 10 (2 0.02)
= 0.839 MPa

Bending stress, at E, Mxz = 4.5 kN.m

My
I
4.5 10 3 ( 56.7 40) 10 3
=
10.5 10 6
= 7.16 MPa

xx =

For max. shear stress,

Max. shear force = 7 kN , 2 < x < 4
3.30

(56.7 40)
2
= ( 80 40 36.7 + 2 20 16.7 8.4) 109 m3

A y = 80 40 (56.7 20) + 2 20 16.7

= 123 106 m3

xy =

Fxy A y

Ib
7 103 123 10 6
=
= 2.05MPa
10.5 10 6 (2 0.02 )

3.31

For max. bending stress,

Max. B.M. = - 8 kN.m

Note: xy (max)
xx (max)

at x = 4

M max y
max =
I
8 10 3 ( 63.3) 10 3
=
10.5 10 6
= 48.2 MPa
(compression)
occurs at N.A.
occurs at bottom fibre (at support B).

3.32