Course: Engineering Mechanics Laboratory

Date:
Experiment # 9

Bending Test on Wooden Beam

Aim : To determine the maximum bending stress developed in the wooden beam.

Equipment : Universal Testing Machine (UTM), Vernier calliper, Scale, Test specimens (one wooden
& Tools beam).

Expt :

Set-up

(b)

(a)

(c)

Figure 9.1 (a) Universal Testing Machine, (b) Experimental set-up, and (c) The wooden
beam specimen

Figure 9.1 (a) shows the Universal Testing Machine required to perform the bending test
on wooden beam. Figure 8.1(b) shows the experimental set-up in which a wooden beam is
placed on two supports at its end. The two supports are attached to the movable grip of the
UTM which is also fixed with a scale for measuring beam deflection. The load is applied
through the fixed grip of the UTM at the midspan of the beam. The wooden beam has a
rectangular cross-section as shown in Figure 8.1(c).

Theory : For a beam loaded transversely, the internal forces developed in the beam are categorized
as:
Shear Force: It is the algebraic summation of all vertical forces to either left or right of any
assumed section along the length of the beam. Shear force at any section causes Shear
Stresses on various fibres over the cross-section of the beam (i.e. along the depth).

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Bending Moment: It is the algebraic summation of moments of all forces to either left or
right of any assumed section along the length of the beam. Bending moment at any section
causes Bending Stresses on various fibres over the cross-section of the beam (i.e. along the
depth).

Shear Force Diagram: It is the graphical representation of the variation of shear force
along the length of the beam and is abbreviated as S.F.D.

Bending Moment Diagram: It is the graphical representation of the variation of the bending
moment along the length of the beam and is abbreviated as B.M.D.

Sign Conventions for Shear Force (S.F) and Bending Moment (B.M) based on deformation
characteristics.

(a) For Shear Force: Shear force having a downward direction to the right hand side of
a section or upwards to the left of the section will be taken as positive. Similarly, a
negative shear force will be one that has an upward direction to the right of the
section or downward direction to the left of the section. {Refer Figure 9.2 (a)}.

(b) For Bending Moment: A bending moment causing concavity upwards will be taken
as positive and is called sagging B.M. Similarly, a bending moment causing

convexity upwards will be taken as negative and is called hogging B.M. {Refer
Figure 9.2 (b)}.

V V V M M
V
M M

Positive or Sagging moment Negative or Hogging moment

+ S.F - S.F
(a) (b)
Figure 9.2 (a) Sign Conventions for Shear Force (b) Sign Conventions for Bending Moment

SFD and BMD for a simply supported beam having concentrated load at centre
{Refer Figure 9.3(a)}

Consider a prismatic simply supported beam AB, with span ‘L’, and subjected to
concentrated load (W) at the centre, as shown in Figure 9.3(a).

Under the load ‘W’ and reactions, the beam will deform or bend in its own plane and
internal forces are developed at each c/s of the beam.

To obtain the reactions RA and RB , apply the equilibrium equations ( ∑𝐹𝑌 = 0, ∑ 𝑀𝑍 = 0)

After applying the equilibrium equations, we get,

RA = W/2

RB = W/2

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Y W

A C B
X
L
RA =W/2 (a) RB= W/2

Y X1 W

A C B
X
X

L
RA =W/2 RB= W/2
X1
(b)

Y W
X2

A C B
X
X

L
RA =W/2 X2 RB= W/2
(c)

W/2 +ve
A B

-ve W/2

(d)

(c)
WL/4

A B
(e)
Figure 9.3 (a) Simply supported beam having concentrated load at centre (b) S.S. beam
with Section X1-X1 (c) S.S. beam with Section X2-X2 (d) S.F.D (e) B.M.D.

For plotting S.F.D and B.M.D, for portion AC, consider a section (X1 – X1) at a distance x
from end ‘A’ and for portion CB, another section (X2 – X2) at a distance x from end ‘A’
as shown in Figure 9.3(b), (c) respectively. Table 1 gives the values of Shear force and
Bending moment for different portions of beam.

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Table 1: Shear force and Bending moment

SF (V) SFBM (M) BM

…….(1)+…..….(2)
Portion AC + W/2+ W/2…….(1) W/2. x+ W/2. x…..….(2)Portion AC

Portion CB + W/2+ W/2= – W/2– W/2……..(3)+x – W(x – L/2) ……...(4)Portion CB – W – W =……..(3)W/2+

W/2 x – W(x – L/2) ……...(4)
To draw SFD and BMD, x1is Shear force andto L. From equations (1) and (3), it is clearTable : varied from O
Bending moment
Values that shear force is not dependent on x. Therefore the SFD is a rectangle with constant
ordinate W/2 but it changes sign at point C. In between A and C, shear force is positive and
between C and B it is negative. The bending moment is a function of x and its values can
be obtained from equations (2) and (4). The BMD is therefore a triangle with maximum
ordinate of + WL/4, under the concentrated loading at centre.
Pure Bending:

Pure bending refers to flexure or bending of a beam under constant bending moment,
which means that the shear force is zero. i.e.

𝑑𝑀
𝑉= =0
𝑑𝑥

Example of beam in pure bending:

Consider a simply supported beam subjected to two point loads as shown in Figure 9.4(a).
SFD and BMD are plotted as shown in Figure 9.4(b) and 9.4(c) respectively. Beam with
central region (BC) is in pure bending as only BM is present and SF is zero.
Y
b
WW
y
X
A B C D
z z d

a a a y
Z a
W W (d)
(a)

W +
Zero S.F
- W
(b)

Constant B.M

Wa

(c)
Figure 9.4 (a) S.S beam with two point loads (b) SFD (c) BMD (d) Transverse c/s with local
axes.
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Under loading condition, Portion BC bends into an arc of circle as shown in Figure 9.5(a).

R
Neutral axis y
M M
B z z y d
y C
Neutral surface
y

Surface at distance ‘y’ from

b
neutral surface
(a) (b)
Figure 9.5(a)Enlarged view of Portion BC (b) Transverse c/s showing neutral axis

Relevant Terms

Neutral Surface: In the process of bending there are longitudinal layers that do not extend
or contract. The surface described by such layers that do not extend or contract is called the
neutral surface. Layers on one side of the neutral surface extend and on the other contract.

Therefore, the axial stress is zero on the neutral surface and increases linearly as one move
away from the neutral surface. This surface (plane) passes through the centroid of the

cross-section. {Refer Figure 9.5 (a) and Figure 9.6 (e) }

Neutral Axis (N.A): The intersection of neutral surface with c/s of beam is called neutral
axis which divides the compression zone and the tension zone on the beam i.e. upper half
(d/2) is under compression and lower half is under tension. Neutral axis will always pass
through the centre of the area or centroid.{Refer Figure 9.5 (b)}

Considering beam with central region (BC) in pure bending{Refer Figure 9.6(a)} , the
bending moment M can be replaced by applying equal couples at its ends{Refer Figure
8.6(b). The upper layers above neutral surface gets compressed and lower layer below

neutral surface gets streched.Thus the axial bending strain (ε) varies linearly throughout
the cross section from zero at neutral axis to maximum at either top or bottom {Refer
Figure 9.6(d)}.

Similarly, the axial bending stress (σ) varies throughout the cross-section and tends to be a
maximum at either the top or bottom and is zero at the neutral axis. In this case, it is
compressive on top and tensile on the bottom. σbc , σbt are normal to the c/s and developed

because of bending and hence called as bending compression and bending tension stresses
{Refer Figure 9.6(e)}.

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M M
B C

(a)

b εbc σbc =E εbc

C C - -
d
T T + +
εbt σbt =Eεbt
(b) (c) (d) (e)
Figure 9.6 (a) Pure bending (b) Moment replaced by equal and opposite forces (c)
Transverse c/s (d) Bending strain diagram (e) Bending stress diagram

Equation for Pure bending or Flexure Equation

Assumptions for pure bending:

1. Beam is initially straight, and has a constant cross-section.

2. The material of the beam is homogeneous and obeys Hooke’s law.

3. The geometry of the overall member is such that bending not buckling is the primary
cause of failure.

5. Modulus of elasticity ‘E' is same in tension and compression.

6. Plane cross - sections remains plane before and after bending.

As shown in the beam cross-section in Figure 9.5(b), the bending stress at any fibre on the
cross-section of beam can be obtained by

𝑀 𝜎 𝐸
= = ………….(5)
𝐼𝑧𝑧 𝑦 𝑅

where, M -- Bending moment at any section along the beam length;

Izz -- Moment of inertia of the beam about z-z axis
For rectangular c/s of beam of width ‘b’ and depth ‘d’ as shown in Figure 8.4(d)
Izz = bd3/12 ;

𝜎 -- Bending stress at any depth y from the neutral axis of the beam;
y -- Extreme fibre distance from neutral axis
E -- Modulus of elasticity of material
R --Radius of Curvature{Refer Figure 9.5 (a)}

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Note: Theoretically Equation (5) is valid for pure bending case only.
Again consider case of simply supported wooden beam with concentrated load at centre as
shown in Figure 9.3(a). Generally BM is maximum when SF is zero and therefore without
much error the bending stresses at failure can be calculated using equation (5). After
continuously increasing the load W, a stage will reach when the beam fails. The bending
stress calculated using bending moment at failure stage, is called as Modulus of Rupture
(RB). Let load at failure be Wu , then BM at failure is given by

BM max= Wu L/4,
Izz = bd3/12 ;

y = Extreme fibre distance from neutral axis

= d/2;
RB= Modulus of Rupture in bending
Substituting the above parameters in equation (5), we get
𝑊 𝐿𝑢
/4
𝑅𝐵
= 𝑑/ 2
𝑏𝑑 3
/12

3 𝑊 𝐿𝑢
∴ 𝑅𝐵 = 2 𝑏𝑑 2

Procedure : i) Measure all the dimensions of the beam namely length (L), breadth (b) and depth (d) of
the beam.
ii) Apply the load in steps exactly at the centre through UTM at the midspan of the beam
and note the corresponding beam deflection from the main scale on the UTM.
iii) Continue the procedure till failure of the beam.

iv) Note down the maximum load at which beam fails and the corresponding beam
deflection.

Observation Tables:
Beam Dimensions

Mean Dimensions
Location 1 2 (mm)

Breadth(mm)

Depth (mm)

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Load-deformation Readings

Main Scale Reading Bending Stress

Reading # Load (kg) (cm) (N/mm2)

Sample : [Show sample calculations for the Bending Stress.]

Calculation

Discussion : [The students shall write down their observations about the practical in this section. They shall also write
down any difficulties faced while performing the practical. Moreover, they shall also write down suggestions
(if any) in improving the practical.]

Result(s) & :
Conclusion
(s)

Precautions : i) Ensure that the external load is gradually applied.

ii) Note the exact force applied and deflection at the failure.

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