Chapter 4 – Stresses in Beams

ENSC 13 – STRENGTH OF MATERIALS

INTRODUCTION

 Beam
 Structural element subjected to forces or couples
perpendicular to the longitudinal axis. (e.g.
supports in buildings and bridges)
 Main function is to resist flexural (bending and
horizontal shearing stresses)
 Types of Stresses
 Flexural Stress / Bending Stress – function of bending moment
 Horizontal Shearing Stress – function of shear force
DERIVATION OF FLEXURE FORMULA

 Flexural Stress
 Caused by the internal bending moment acting in the
beam’s cross section

 Assumptions:
 Plane sections remain plane after bending due to load
 Uniform cross-section

 Moduli of elasticity in Tension and Compression are

equal
DERIVATION OF FLEXURE FORMULA

 Consider the beam below:

Consider strain at fiber of distance 𝑦 from the

neutral axis
𝑐𝑑 𝑦
𝜀= =
𝑎𝑏 𝜌
DERIVATION OF FLEXURE FORMULA

 From Hooke’s Law,

𝜎
𝜀=
𝐸
 Then,
𝜎 𝑦 𝑦
= → 𝜎= 𝐸
𝐸 𝜌 𝜌

∴Stress is directly proportional to the

distance 𝑦
DERIVATION OF FLEXURE FORMULA

 Consider force acting over a differential area

𝑑𝐴 at distance 𝑦 from 𝑁. 𝐴.
𝑦 𝐸
𝑑𝐹 = 𝜎𝑑𝐴 = 𝐸 𝑑𝐴 = 𝑦𝑑𝐴
𝜌 𝜌
DERIVATION OF FLEXURE FORMULA

 Resultant moment about 𝑁. 𝐴. must be equal to

the bending moment on the section
𝐸
𝑀= 𝑦𝑑𝐹 = 𝑦 𝑦𝑑𝐴
𝜌
𝐸
𝑀= 𝑦 2 𝑑𝐴
𝜌
DERIVATION OF FLEXURE FORMULA
 Note that 𝑦 2 𝑑𝐴 is the moment of inertia, then
𝐸𝐼 𝐸𝐼
𝑀= ; 𝜌=
𝜌 𝑀
 Substituting 𝜌 into equation of stress yields
𝑀𝑦
𝜎=
𝐼
DERIVATION OF FLEXURE FORMULA

 Maximum bending/flexural stress occurs at

𝑦=𝑐
𝑀𝑐
𝜎=
𝐼
 For constant cross sections (prismatic beams),
we can obtain
𝐼
𝑆=
𝑐
where S is the section modulus
DERIVATION OF FLEXURE FORMULA

 Unsymmetrical Beams
 It is therefore desirable to use a beam with
unsymmetrical cross section giving more area in
the compression (tension) part making the stronger
fiber located at a greater distance from the neutral
axis than the weaker fiber.
SAMPLE PROBLEM 1

 Consider the beam shown below. (a) determine

the magnitude and the distance of maximum
flexural stress from support A.
SAMPLE PROBLEM 2
 A cantilever beam, with cross-section of 50-mm x 50-mm,
carries a uniformly distributed load of 3 kN/m and a
concentrated of 12 kN at the free end. Determine the
magnitude and location of the maximum flexure stress.
Also, determine the type and magnitude of the stress in a
fiber 20 mm from the top of the beam at a section 1m
from the free end.
SAMPLE PROBLEM 3
 The beam shown carries a total uniformly varying load of
6W (N) and a concentrated load of 4W. Determine the
maximum safe load W such that the stress in the beam is
limited to 80 MPa. The beam has a rectangular cross-
section, with width of 100 mm and depth of 175 mm.
SAMPLE PROBLEM 4
 For the cantilever beam loaded as shown, determine
the maximum tensile and compressive flexure stress.
Also, determine the type and magnitude of flexure
stress at a section 2m from the wall and 50mm from
the bottom of the beam.
SAMPLE PROBLEM 5
 A T-beam shown carries a total uniformly varying load of
6W (N) and a concentrated load of 4W (N) (see problem 2
for symmetrical beam). Show that the neutral axis is
𝟔 𝟒
located 𝟕𝟎𝒎𝒎 from the top and 𝑰𝑵𝑨 = 𝟏𝟓. 𝟓𝟐 × 𝟏𝟎 𝒎𝒎 .
Use these values to determine the maximum value of W
such that 𝝈𝑻 ≤ 𝟑𝟎𝑴𝑷𝒂 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝝈𝑪 ≤ 𝟕𝟎𝑴𝑷𝒂.
ANALYSIS OF FLEXURE ACTION

C
a
P
m d
f
e b C1
C2
c k
n C3
g
T3

h T2
N.A. T1
T
SAMPLE PROBLEM 6
 From sample problem 2 for unsymmetrical beams, we
found that 𝑊𝑚𝑎𝑥 = 1,662.86𝑁 when the maximum tensile
bending stress is 30 𝑀𝑃𝑎. Using these values, determine
the resultant forces at the location of the maximum
negative bending moment using the concept of flexure
action. Also, show that the moment of the force couple is
equal to − 𝑀𝑚𝑎𝑥 = 4𝑊 = 6651.43 𝑁𝑚.
HORIZONTAL SHEARING STRESS

 Caused by the transverse shear stress

distribution acting over the beam’s section
HORIZONTAL SHEARING STRESS
 To illustrate this effect, consider a beam made from
three boards:

 Observations:
 Boards are allowed to slide relative to one another
 The longitudinal shear stress prevents the boards from
sliding past each other.
DERIVATION OF HORIZONTAL SHEARING STRESS
FORMULA
1 2
F1 F2

dF
M+d
M N.A
M

F1 F2

dx (b)
(a) 1 2 A
1 2
F1 F2 σ1d σ2d
A A
dF=τ(tdx)
y1 N.
c ӯ
A

t
dx
(c) dx
DERIVATION OF HORIZONTAL SHEARING STRESS
FORMULA
𝑑𝐹 = 𝐹2 − 𝐹1
 𝑑𝐹 = 𝜏𝑑𝑆 = 𝜏 𝑡𝑑𝑥
 𝐹 = 𝜎𝑑𝐴
𝑐 𝑐
𝜏 𝑡𝑑𝑥 = 𝜎2 𝑑𝐴 − 𝜎1 𝑑𝐴
𝑦1 𝑦1
𝑀𝑦
 𝜎=
𝐼
𝑐 𝑐
𝑀 + 𝑑𝑀 𝑀
𝜏 𝑡𝑑𝑥 = 𝑦𝑑𝐴 − 𝑦𝑑𝐴
𝐼 𝑦1 𝐼 𝑦1
DERIVATION OF HORIZONTAL SHEARING STRESS
FORMULA
𝑐
𝑑𝑀 1
𝜏= 𝑦𝑑𝐴
𝑑𝑥 𝐼𝑡 𝑦1
𝑑𝑀
 =𝑉
𝑑𝑥
𝑐

𝑦1
𝑦𝑑𝐴 =𝑄
𝑉𝑄
𝜏=
𝐼𝑡
where:
𝑉 - transverse shear force
𝑄 - static moment of area
𝐼 - moment of inertia
𝑡 - width of cross-section
HORIZONTAL SHEARING STRESS

 Maximum shear stress occurs at the neutral

axis while maximum bending stress occurs at
the outermost fiber.
 Distribution of stress in flexure is linear, while
for shear stress is parabolic.
C

𝜏𝑚𝑎𝑥

T
SAMPLE PROBLEM 7

 Given the loaded beam shown, compute for the

maximum tensile and compressive stress and
the maximum shear stress. Also, determine the
flexural stress and shear stress at point C and
40 mm from the top of the beam.
SAMPLE PROBLEM 8
 The beam carries a total distributed load of 18P, 12P, and
6P (N) and a concentrated load P at the positions shown.
Determine the safe value of P if σt ≤ 80 MPa, σc ≤ 40 MPa,
and τ ≤ 30 MPa. The neutral axis is located 87.5 mm from
the top and the moment of inertia about the neutral axis is
equal to 37.890625 x 106 mm4.
 ECONOMIC SECTIONS
 Fibers near the N.A. are under-stressed compared with
those at the bottom, the most economic/efficient section
would be that which has more fibers located at a greater
distance from the neutral axis
 If the area of a square/circular section can be rearranged
as shown, the resisting moment will be greatly increased.

FIG 4.6 (a) rectangular section; (b) impractical rearrangement; (c) wide-flange beam (W-shape)
(d) I-beam (S-shape)
ECONOMIC SECTIONS

 Types of Loads:
 Dead Load – loads that are fixed in one place and
does not move. Examples: Ceiling fans, self weight
of structures, fixtures, tiles

 LiveLoad – loads that are moving which can move

and be moved from one place to another.
Examples: people, vehicles, aircons, tables, chairs
ECONOMIC SECTIONS

 In selecting a structural section:

𝑀𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑖𝑠𝑡 ≥ 𝑀𝑎𝑝𝑝
 From flexure formula,
𝜎𝑚𝑎𝑥 𝐼
𝑀𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑖𝑠𝑡 = = 𝜎𝑚𝑎𝑥 𝑆𝑏𝑒𝑎𝑚
𝑐
𝜎𝑚𝑎𝑥 𝑆𝑏𝑒𝑎𝑚 ≥ 𝑀𝑎𝑝𝑝
𝑀𝑎𝑝𝑝𝑙𝑖𝑒𝑑
𝑆𝑏𝑒𝑎𝑚 ≥ 𝑜𝑟 𝑆𝑙𝑖𝑣𝑒 𝑙𝑜𝑎𝑑
𝜎𝑚𝑎𝑥
ECONOMIC SECTIONS

 To check if suitable:

𝑀𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑖𝑠𝑡 ≥ 𝑀𝑙𝑖𝑣𝑒 𝑙𝑜𝑎𝑑 + 𝑀𝑑𝑒𝑎𝑑 𝑙𝑜𝑎𝑑

OR
𝑆𝑏𝑒𝑎𝑚 ≥ 𝑆𝑙𝑖𝑣𝑒 𝑙𝑜𝑎𝑑 + 𝑆𝑑𝑒𝑎𝑑 𝑙𝑜𝑎𝑑
SAMPLE PROBLEM 9

 A 10-m beam simply supported at its ends

carries a uniformly distributed load of 16kN/m
over its entire length. What is the lightest W
shape beam that maybe used such that the
flexural stress will not exceed 120 MPa. Also,
what is the actual stress in the beam selected?
SAMPLE PROBLEM 10

 What is the lightest W shape beam that will

support the load shown without exceeding a
flexural stress of 100MPa? Determine the
actual maximum stress in the beam. Assume
the beam is properly braced against lateral
deflection.