Stresses in Beams

1. The cross section of a beam is shown in the figure. If permissible stress is 150 N/ mm2
find its moment of resistance. Compare it with equivalent section of same area but (a)
square section, (b) rectangular section with depth twice of its width, (c) a circular section.

200mm

10mm

8mm
400 mm

10mm

2. The cross-section of a cost-iron beam is shown in figure below, the loading being in the
plane of the web, the upper portion of the section being in compression. If the maximum
permissible stresses are 2000 kg/ cm2 in tension and 3000 kg/ cm2 in compression, find
the moment of resistance of the section and the actual maximum stresses.

6cm

2 cm

1.5cm
7cm

3 cm

9cm

3. Determine the maximum and minimum stresses in a beam of the box section indicated in
figure below. The beam is subjected to a live load of 25.0 kNm-2 of the upper surface
over a space of 40.0 m.
 2.5 m 0.6 m 5.8 m 0.6 m 2.5 m

0.25 m

4m

0.18m 4m

4. A cantilever beam of 1m span in a machine part is having cross-section as shown in fig.

The permissible stress in tension and compression are 20 N/ mm2 and 80 N/ mm2
respectively. Find the maximum load W it can carry at free end.

50 mm 50 mm 50 mm

100 mm

100 mm

50 mm

150 mm

5. The cross-section of a cost-iron beam is shown in figure below. This beam is simply
supported at the ends and carries a uniformly distributed load of 20 kN/ m. If the span of
the beam is 3 m, determine the maximum tensile and compressive stresses in the beam.
10cm
2cm

N 2 cm A
10 cm

3 cm

20 cm
6. Two wooden planks 5 cm x 15 cm each are connected together to form a cross section of
a beam as shown in the figure. If a bending moment of 3400 N-m is applied around the
horizontal neutral axis, find the stresses at the extreme fibers of the cross section. Also
calculate the total tensile force on the cross section.
15 cm

5cm
N A

15 cm

5 cm

7. Fig below shows the cross-section of a beam which is subjected to a shear force of 20 kN.
Draw the horizontal shear stress distribution across the depth marking values at salient
points.

100 mm

12 mm

N A

G
88 mm

12 mm
8. The unsymmetric I - section shown in fig. is subjected to a shear force of 40 kN. Draw
the shear stress variation diagram across the depth.
 N A

9. The symmetric I - section shown in fig. is used as a beam. If this is subjected to a shear
force F, find what % of shear is resisted by web.

200 mm

25 mm

500 mm N A

20 mm

25 mm
10. A simply supported beam of 4 m span carries concentrated loads of 2 kN at distances 1
m, 2 m, 3 m from the support. The cross-section of the beam is 100 mm x 240 mm. At the
section 0.75 m from the left support, calculate the bending and the shearing stresses at a
distance of 0, 60 and 120 mm above the neutral axis.

11. A water pipeline of 400 mm radius comprises segments simply supported over 6 m spans.
Determine the minimum thickness of the pipe, if the allowable stresses in flexure and
shear are 140 MPa and 100 MPa, respectively. The effects of water pressure may be
ignored.

12. A beam of section 100 mm x 50 mm is made of a material with the constitutive relation.
σ = E (y) [1 - K ], where E = 70.0 GPa, K = + 50 in tension and - 50 in
compression. The fracture strain of the material is 0.004. Determine (i) extreme fiber
 stresses at fracture, (ii) the beam curvature at fracture and (iii) the moment at the
initiation of the fracture.

Compare the above values with those of a beam with linear elastic material and the same
Young’s modulus.

13. A curved bar of square section 3 cm sides and mean radius of curvature 4.5 cm is initially
unstressed. If the bending moment of 300 N-m is applied to the bar tending to strengthen
it, find the stresses at the inner and outer faces.

14. A crane hook whose horizontal cross-section is trapezoidal, 50 mm wide at the inside and
25 mm wide at the outside, thickness 50mm carries a vertical load of 1000 kg whose line
of action is 38 mm from the inside edge of this section. The centre of curvature is 50 mm
from the inside edge. Calculate the maximum tensile and compressive stresses set up.

15. A crane hook whose horizontal cross-section is trapezoidal as shown in figure. Determine
the maximum load to be carried by the hook if working stress is 150 MN/m2.

P
d1 d2 O

15 cm 30 cm

50 mm x O
90 mm
O