316

CHAPTER 6

BENDING

EXAMPLE 6.17
A composite beam is made of wood and reinforced with a steel
strap located on its bottom side. It has the cross-sectional area
shown in Fig. 638a. If the beam is subjected to a bending moment of
M = 2 kN # m, determine the normal stress at points B and C. Take
Ew = 12 GPa and Est = 200 GPa.
9 mm
B
150 mm

B
A
_
y

M  2 kNm
150 mm
150 mm

20 mm

C
20 mm

Fig. 638

(a)

150 mm
(b)

SOLUTION
Section Properties. Although the choice is arbitrary, here we will
transform the section into one made entirely of steel. Since steel has a
greater stiffness than wood 1Est 7 Ew2, the width of the wood must
be reduced to an equivalent width for steel. Hence n must be less than
one. For this to be the case, n = Ew>Est, so that
bst = nbw =

12 GPa
1150 mm2 = 9 mm
200 GPa

The transformed section is shown in Fig. 638b.

The location of the centroid (neutral axis), calculated from a
reference axis located at the bottom of the section, is
y =

[0.01 m]10.02 m210.150 m2 + [0.095 m]10.009 m210.150 m2

yA
=
= 0.03638 m
A
0.02 m10.150 m2 + 0.009 m10.150 m2
The moment of inertia about the neutral axis is therefore

INA = c

1
10.150 m210.02 m23 + 10.150 m210.02 m210.03638 m - 0.01 m22 d
12
1
+ c 10.009 m210.150 m23 + 10.009 m210.150 m210.095 m - 0.03638 m22 d
12
= 9.358110-62 m4

6.7

REINFORCED CONCRETE BEAMS

317

B
B

1.71 MPa
28.6 MPa

0.210 MPa
3.50 MPa

3.50 MPa
M  2 kNm

M  2 kNm

C
7.78 MPa

7.78 MPa
(c)

(d)

Fig. 638 (cont.)

Normal Stress. Applying the flexure formula, the normal stress at

B and C is

sB =

sC =

2(103) N # m10.170 m - 0.03638 m2

9.358110-62 m4

2(103) N # m10.03638 m2
9.358110-62 m4

= 28.6 MPa

= 7.78 MPa

Ans.

The normal-stress distribution on the transformed (all steel) section is

shown in Fig. 638c.
The normal stress in the wood at B in Fig. 638a, is determined from
Eq. 621; that is,

sB = nsB =

12 GPa
128.56 MPa2 = 1.71 MPa
200 GPa

Ans.

Using these concepts, show that the normal stress in the steel and
the wood at the point where they are in contact is sst = 3.50 MPa and
sw = 0.210 MPa, respectively. The normal-stress distribution in the
actual beam is shown in Fig. 638d.