SHEAR FORCE AND BENDING MOMENT IN BEAM

Example1. Simply supported beam is loaded as shown below. Draw the shear force
diagram and bending moment diagram for the beam.

Free Body Diagram: Here simple supports are replaced with two vertically upward
unknown forces, Ra & Rb.

Apply equilibrium conditions and find unknown forces:

ΣΜΒ =0: −4000∗16−1000∗8∗12+Ra*8−6000∗4 = 0,

or, Ra = (4000∗16+1000∗8∗12+6000∗4)/8 = 23,000 #
ΣFy=0: Rb = 4000+1000∗8+6000−23000 = −5000#
Load diagram of the beam

Because in the load diagram the beam is in static equilibrium, if we cut a section of the
beam along the length, the cut section should also be in equilibrium. This equilibrium is
obviously developed by the internal shear forces and bending moments that are
developed along the length of the beam. The internal shear force is denoted by V and the
internal moment is denoted by M.

For example let us cut the beam at an arbitrary section, x=2 ft.

Convention for FBD: Upward force positive, clockwise moment positive

For the left section:

ΣFy=0: V – 4000 -1000*2 =0, or V= 6000 #
ΣΜ2=0: M - 4000*2-1000*2*1, or M = 10,000 ft-lb
For the right section:
ΣFy=0: −V+ 23,000 – 1000*6 – 6000 – 5000, or V = 6000 #
ΣΜ2=0: –M + 1000*6*3 – 23,000*6 + 6000*10 + 5000*14, or M = 10,000 ft-lb
We can see that the calculated shear force and bending moment developed in the
beam at a section has the same value, irrespective of which side of the beam we use
to calculate them.
Thus we can conclude:
1. Internal shear force at any point along the length of the beam is sum of all
external forces either to the left or to the right of the point.
2. Similarly, internal bending moment at any point along the length of the beam
is the sum of moments of all external forces either to the left or to the right of
the point, about that point.

You can use the above two rules to find the internal shear force (SF) and bending
moment (BM) at any point along a beam.

Some times, Shear force diagram and bending moment diagram are drawn to show
the internal SF and BM along the entire length of the beam. This may be necessary
to find, where along the length of the beam, the shear force or the bending moment
is maximizing or minimizing.

Shear Force and Bending Moment Diagrams:

Sign Convention for shear force:

Upward force to the left is positive, or downward force to the right is positive. The
reverse is negative.

Positive Negative
shear force shear force

Sign convention for bending moment:

Clockwise moment to the left is positive, or counter clockwise moment to the right is
positive. The reverse is negative.

Also you may think that positive moment will cause compression of the upper layer of
the beam (shown by --- sign) and negative moment will cause tension (shown by +++
sign) in the upper layer of the beam.
Compression in upper layer Tension in upper layer

- ---- ---- ----- -- + + + + + + + ++ + +

+ + + + + + + ++ + + - ---- ---- ----- --

Positive Negative bending

bending moment moment
SHEAR FORCE DIAGRAM

Load Diagram

SF: Sum of forces to the left

x=0-: SF0- = 0
0<x<8: SF = -4000-1000x
SF0 =-4000
SF8 =-4000-1000*8= -12000

8<x<12: SF8 = -12000+23000 = 11,000

12<x<16: SF12 =11,000-6000 = 5000
X=16: SF16 = 5000-5000 =0
BENDING MOMENT DIAGRAM

BM: Sum of moment of forces to the

left of a section
x=0-: BM = 0

0<x<8: BM = -4000x-1000x* x/2

BM0 =0
BM8 = -4000*8 - 1000*8*4= -64,000

8<x<12:
BM= -4000x-8000(x-4)+23,000(x-8)
Bending Moment diagram
BM12 =-4000*12-8000*8+23,000*4
= -20,000
12<x<16: BM= -4000x-8000(x-
4)+23,000(x-8)-6000(x-12)
X=16: BM16 = -4000*12-
8000*12+23,000*8-6000*4 =0