11/27/2013

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Area Moment and Mass Moment of Inertia
Engineering Mechanics- Distributed Forces
Encounter in the engineering problems involving deflection, bending, buckling in
statics ,and rotational motion of rigid bodies in dynamics
Moment of Inertia of an Area
Consider distributed forces AF whose magnitudes are proportional to the
elemental areas on which they act and also vary linearly with the distance of
from a given axis.
A A
A A
2
M y dA
}
The integral is already familiar from our study of centroids.
The integral is known as the area moment of inertia, or more
precisely, the second moment of the area.
y dA }
y
2
dA }
Engineering Mechanics- Distributed Forces
11/27/2013
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Moment of Inertia of an Area by Integration
Second moments or moments of inertia of
an area with respect to the x and y axes,
} }
= = dA x I dA y I
y x
2 2
Evaluation of the integrals is simplified by
choosing dA to be a thin strip parallel to
one of the coordinate axes.
For a rectangular area,
3
3
1
0
2 2
bh bdy y dA y I
h
x
= = =
} }
The formula for rectangular areas may also
be applied to strips parallel to the axes,
dx y x dA x dI dx y dI
y x
2 2 3
3
1
= = =
Engineering Mechanics- Distributed Forces
Polar Moment of Inertia
The polar moment of inertia is an important
parameter in problems involving torsion of
cylindrical shafts and rotations of slabs.
}
= dA r J
2
0
The polar moment of inertia is related to the
rectangular moments of inertia,
( )
x y
I I
dA y dA x dA y x dA r J
+ =
+ = + = =
} } } }
2 2 2 2 2
0
Engineering Mechanics- Distributed Forces
11/27/2013
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Radius of Gyration of an Area
Consider area A with moment of inertia
I
x
. Imagine that the area is
concentrated in a thin strip parallel to
the x axis with equivalent I
x
.
A
I
k A k I
x
x x x
= =
2
k
x
= radius of gyration with respect
to the x axis
Similarly,
A
J
k A k J
A
I
k A k I
O
O O O
y
y y y
= =
= =
2
2
2 2 2
y x O
k k k + =
Engineering Mechanics- Distributed Forces
Sample Problem
Determine the moment of
inertia of a triangle with respect
to its base.
SOLUTION:
A differential strip parallel to the x axis is chosen for
dA.
dI
x
= y
2
dA dA = l dy
For similar triangles,
l
b
=
h y
h
l = b
h y
h
dA = b
h y
h
dy
Integrating dI
x
from y =0 to y = h,
( )
h
h h
x
y y
h
h
b
dy y hy
h
b
dy
h
y h
b y dA y I
0
4 3
0
3 2
0
2 2
4 3
(

=
=

= =
} } }
12
3
bh
I
x
=
Could a vertical strip have been
chosen for the calculation?
What is the disadvantage to that
choice?
Engineering Mechanics- Distributed Forces
11/27/2013
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Sample Problem
a) Determine the centroidal polar
moment of inertia of a circular
area by direct integration.
b) Using the result of part a,
determine the moment of inertia
of a circular area with respect to a
diameter of the area.
SOLUTION:
An annular differential area element is chosen,
dJ
O
= u
2
dA dA = 2 u du
J
O
= dJ
O
} = u
2
2 u du
( )
0
r
} = 2 u
3
du
0
r
}
4
2
r J
O

=
From symmetry, I
x
=I
y
,
J
O
= I
x
+ I
y
= 2I
x

2
r
4
= 2I
x
4
4
r I I
x diameter

= =
Why was an annular differential area chosen?
Would a rectangular area have worked?
Engineering Mechanics- Distributed Forces
Sample Problem
Engineering Mechanics- Distributed Forces
11/27/2013
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Determine the moment of inertia of the area
under the parabola about the x-axis
Engineering Mechanics- Distributed Forces
Sample Problem
Parallel Axis Theorem
Consider moment of inertia I of an areaA
with respect to the axis AA
}
= dA y I
2
The axis BB passes through the area centroid
and is called a centroidal axis.
( )
} } }
} }
+ ' + ' =
+ ' = =
dA d dA y d dA y
dA d y dA y I
2 2
2 2
2
2
Ad I I + =
parallel axis theorem
Engineering Mechanics- Distributed Forces
11/27/2013
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Parallel Axis Theorem
Moment of inertia I
T
of a circular area with
respect to a tangent to the circle,
( )
4
4
5
2 2 4
4
1
2
r
r r r Ad I I
T

=
+ = + =
Moment of inertia of a triangle with respect to a
centroidal axis,
I
A ' A
= I
B ' B
+ Ad
2
I
B ' B
= I
A ' A
Ad
2
=
1
12
bh
3

1
2
bh
1
3
h
( )
2
=
1
36
bh
3
Engineering Mechanics- Distributed Forces
Sample Problem
Engineering Mechanics- Distributed Forces
Determine the moment of inertia of the
half circle with respect to the x-axis
11/27/2013
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Moments of Inertia of Composite Areas
The moment of inertia of a composite area A about a given axis is
obtained by adding the moments of inertia of the component areas
A
1
, A
2
, A
3
, ... , with respect to the same axis.
Engineering Mechanics- Distributed Forces
Sample Problem
Determine the moment of inertia
of the shaded area with respect to
the x axis.
SOLUTION:
Compute the moments of inertia of the
bounding rectangle and half-circle with
respect to the x axis.
The moment of inertia of the shaded area is
obtained by subtracting the moment of
inertia of the half-circle from the moment
of inertia of the rectangle.
Engineering Mechanics- Distributed Forces
11/27/2013
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Sample Problem
SOLUTION:
Compute the moments of inertia of the bounding
rectangle and half-circle with respect to the x axis.
Rectangle:
( )( )
4 6 3
3
1
3
3
1
mm 10 2 138 120 240 = = = . bh I
x
Half-circle:
Moment of inertia with respect to AA,
( )
4 6 4
8
1
4
8
1
mm 10 76 25 90 = = =
'
. r I
A A

( )( )
( )
2 3
2
2
1 2
2
1
mm 10 72 . 12
90
mm 81.8 a - 120 b
mm 2 . 38
3
90 4
3
4
=
= =
= =
= = =


r A
r
a
Moment of inertia with respect to x,
( )
4 6
2 3 6 2
mm 10 20 7
) 2 38 ( 10 72 12 10 76 25
=
= =
' '
.
. . . Aa I I
A A x
Moment of inertia with respect to x,
( )( )
4 6
2 3 6 2
mm 10 3 92
8 81 10 72 12 10 20 7
=
+ = + =
'
.
. . . Ab I I
x x
Engineering Mechanics- Distributed Forces
Sample Problem
The moment of inertia of the shaded area is obtained by
subtracting the moment of inertia of the half-circle from
the moment of inertia of the rectangle.
4 6
mm 10 9 . 45 =
x
I
x
I =
4 6
mm 10 2 . 138

4 6
mm 10 3 . 92
Engineering Mechanics- Distributed Forces
11/27/2013
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Moment of Inertia of a Mass
Angular acceleration about the axis AA of the
small mass Dm due to the application of a
couple is proportional to r
2
Dm.
r
2
Dm = moment of inertia of the
mass Dm with respect to the
axis AA
For a body of mass m the resistance to rotation
about the axis AA is
inertia of moment mass dm r
m r m r m r I
= =
+ A + A + A =
}
2
2
3
2
2
2
1

The radius of gyration for a concentrated mass
with equivalent mass moment of inertia is
m
I
k m k I = =
2
Engineering Mechanics- Distributed Forces
Moment of Inertia of a Mass
Moment of inertia with respect to the y
coordinate axis is
( )
} }
+ = = dm x z dm r I
y
2 2 2
Similarly, for the moment of inertia with
respect to the x and z axes,
( )
( )
}
}
+ =
+ =
dm y x I
dm z y I
z
x
2 2
2 2
Engineering Mechanics- Distributed Forces
11/27/2013
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Parallel Axis Theorem
For the rectangular axes with origin at O and parallel
centroidal axes,
( ) ( ) ( ) | |
( ) ( )
} } } }
} }
+ + ' + ' + ' + ' =
+ ' + + ' = + =
dm z y dm z z dm y y dm z y
dm z z y y dm z y I
x
2 2 2 2
2 2 2 2
2 2
( )
2 2
z y m I I
x x
+ + =
'
( )
( )
2 2
2 2
y x m I I
x z m I I
z z
y y
+ + =
+ + =
'
'
Generalizing for any axis AA and a parallel centroidal
axis,
2
md I I + =
Engineering Mechanics- Distributed Forces
Moments of Inertia of Thin Plates
For a thin plate of uniform thickness t and homogeneous
material of density r, the mass moment of inertia with
respect to axis AA contained in the plate is
I
A ' A
= r
2
dm } = t r
2
} dA
= t I
A ' A ,area
Similarly, for perpendicular axis BB which is also
contained in the plate,
I
B ' B
= t I
B ' B ,area
For the axis CC which is perpendicular to the plate,
I
C ' C
= t J
C,area
= t I
A ' A ,area
+ I
B ' B ,area
( )
= I
A ' A
+ I
B ' B
Engineering Mechanics- Distributed Forces
11/27/2013
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Moments of Inertia of Thin Plates
For the principal centroidal axes on a rectangular plate,
( )
2
12
1 3
12
1
ma b a t I t I
area , A A A A
= = =
' '

( )
2
12
1 3
12
1
mb ab t I t I
area , B B B B
= = =
' '

( )
2 2
12
1
b a m I I I
mass , B B mass , A A C C
+ = + =
' ' '
For centroidal axes on a circular plate,
( )
2
4
1 4
4
1
mr r t I t I I
area , A A B B A A
= = = =
' ' '

2
2
1
mr I I I
B B A A C C
= + =
' ' '
Engineering Mechanics- Distributed Forces
Mass Moment of Inertia of a Slendor Rod
2
z
I r dm =
}
2
0
3 2 2
( )
/
( )
3 3 3
L
z
I x mdx
m
m mass unit length
L
mL mL L mL
=
= =
= = =
}
( )
2
2
2 12
z z
cg
L mL
I I m
| |
= =
|
\ .
Engineering Mechanics- Distributed Forces
11/27/2013
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Moments of Inertia of a 3D Body by Integration
Moment of inertia of a homogeneous body
is obtained from double or triple
integrations of the form
}
= dV r I
2

For bodies with two planes of symmetry,

the moment of inertia may be obtained
from a single integration by choosing thin
slabs perpendicular to the planes of
symmetry for dm.
The moment of inertia with respect to a
particular axis for a composite body may
be obtained by adding the moments of
inertia with respect to the same axis of the
components.
Engineering Mechanics- Distributed Forces
Mass Moment of Inertia of a Rectangular Prism
Engineering Mechanics- Distributed Forces
Find mass moment of
inertia about Z axis
11/27/2013
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Engineering Mechanics- Distributed Forces
Mass Moment of Inertia of a Sphere
Moments of Inertia of Common Geometric Shapes
Engineering Mechanics- Distributed Forces