Chapter 3

STRESSES IN LOADED BEAMS

3.1 PURE BENDING

3.1

3.2

Points to note:

it is called the:
note:

3.3

(i)

Strain Due to Bending

For a fibre JK the new length L:

(the change in length of JK)

and the max numerical strain m is given by:

3.4

3.5

3.6

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

I
C

h
2

bh2

Circular X-section, radius r, diameter d:

r 4

I
S

d 4
64

I
C

C=r

r 3 d 3
4

32

3.7

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

1152
. 106 m4
12

I of section

3.8

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

22
M xz 10 2 5
2
10 kN . m
My
I

Using

At top fibre

10 103 (0.06)

52.1MPa
x

6
11.52 10

x = 52.1 MPa

At bottom fibre

Plotting the stress distribution

3.9

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
We have

M yA

I
7.5 103 0.02

1152
. 106
13 MPa

E
13 10 6

175 10 9
74.3 10 6

3.10

(c) Since

Note:

(a)

0.02
74.3 10 6
269m

3.11

is radius of curvature
of the neutral axis

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

3.12

bh 3
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

A2

20
20

From equilibrium
R1 = 5 kN. R2 = 10 kN

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

3.13

Load Intensity
wx 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 x 4 kN

F = -5 + 12 -10 = -3 kN

3.14

(1)

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.

To locate position of maximum bending moment (B.M.)

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 3 x 4 kN

For zero shear force,

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

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

shear force occurs at x < 3

3.15

(2)

Hence the Bending Moments are :

At x = 1.25 m

At x = 3 m

x2
M 5 x 4
2
3125
.
kN . m

Note: x < 3 m

3 2
2
3 kN . m

M 5 3 4

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

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

3.16

My
I

Hence At x = 1.25 m

At x = 3 m

3125
. 106 30
max. (top fibre)
N / mm2
136 10
68.9 MPa
3125
. 106 50
max. (bottom fibre)
136 104
114.9 MPa
3 106 30
max. (top fibre)
N / mm2
4
136 10
66.2 MPa
3 106 50
c (bottom fibre)
136 104
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

1.25 m
A

-3

-5

1m

3m

3.17

3.2 SHEAR STRESSES IN BEAMS

Stresses in a beam

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

Mxz
Mxz

X
dx

3.18

Stresses in a Beam

Mxz
xx comp top, tensile bottom
Fxy gives xy

National
National University
University of
of Singapore
Singapore

Bending moment induces normal bending stresses in the direction

of the beam axis. Shear force induces shear stresses.

3.19

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 along the length
of the beam), 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.

3.20

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

M xz
Using xx
y
Iz

3.21

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

(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

3.22

-this term is known as the

shear force per unit
length or shear flow

We have,
shear force
Area
1 dFyx
.
b dx

yx

shear stress

yx xy

Since

xy

1 dFyx
.
b dx
1 Fxy
.
Ay
b Iz

3.23

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.

3.24

 xy yx

Fxy A y

Iz b
Fxy P at section y-y
h

A y b
2

1h

y y y
22

Iz

1 3
bh
12

bb

At y = 0,

xy

1h
h

P y b y y
22
2

1 3
bh b
12

xy

6P h 2
2

3
y
bh 2

xy max

3P
2bh

3.25

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).

3.26

3.3 RELATIVE MAGNITUDES OF BENDING

AND SHEAR STRESSES

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

with a central point load,
The maximum bending moment and shear force (numerical
values) are:
M xz(max)

1 L 1
P PL
2 2 4

1
Fxy(max) 2 P

Max. bending stress:

xx(max)

1
PL h
M xz(max)

ymax 4
Iz
1 32
bh
12

3 PL

xx(max) 2 bh2

3.27

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.

3.28

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

3.29

The shear force and bending moment diagrams can be

constructed as follows:
Fxy
(kN)
7
1.5

-3

-4

Mxz
(kNm)
6

1.5

4.5

-8

3.30

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

yt

At pt. E

408 103
56.7mm
7200

Fxy = - 3 kN

3.31

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
3 103 117.4 106

N m2
6
10.5 10 (2 0.02)
0.839 MPa

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

My
xx
I
4.5 103 56.7 40 103

10.5 106
7.16 MPa

For max. shear stress,

Max. shear force = 7 kN , 2 x 4
3.32

(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

3.33

For max. bending stress,

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

Note: xy (max)
xx (max)

at x = 4

M max y
max
I
8 103 63.3 103

10.5 106
48.2 MPa
(compression)
occurs at N.A.
occurs at bottom fibre (at support B).

3.34