STRUCTURAL ANALYSIS - II

ICT

Topic : Beams Curved in plan

Date of Submission: 13/10/2018

Submitted by,
Jincy Johnson
S5 Civil
Class No: 33
 BEAMS CURVED IN PLAN
Beams curved in plan are used to support curved floors in buildings,
balconies, curved ramps and halls, circular reservoirs, and similar
structures. In a curved beam, the center of gravity of the loads
acting normal to the plane of curvature lies outside the line
joining its supports. This situation develops torsional moments in
the beam, in addition to bending moments and shearing forces. To
maintain the stability of the beam against overturning, the
supports must be fixed or continuous. In the case of circular beams
supported by symmetrically placed columns, the vertical reactions are
provided by the columns and due to the symmetry, the torsional
moments at the center of the curved beam between any two
consecutive supports will be zero. Also the maximum negative
bending moment develops at the support sections and positive
maximum bending moment at sections in between the supports.

Bending of curved beams

The problem of the curved beam is a three dimensional one. It

Involves bending moment, torque and shear. A general solution
which could cover all cases would be very complicated. One
complicating factor la the measure of torsional rigidity. Another
complication is introduced by the fact that for certain cross-
sections of beam, particularly those of I-form, there are bending
moment induced in planes parallel to the plane of the axis of the
beam which cannot readily be determined by the use of statics.

Applications of Curved Beams

.Curved beams find applications in many machine members
such as c– clampers , crane hooks, frames of presses, chains,
links, rings, etc..,

Assumptions
In this analysis and design of curved beams, the following
assumptions are used:
(1) Material is homogeneous and isotropic.
(2) The material has linear stress-strain relationships, so the
principle of superposition is valid.
(3) The cross section of the beam is uniform and small
compared with the radius of curvature.

Sign Convention
Bending moment and torsional moment are expressed by
moment vectors. Vertical force acting upward is represented by
a solid circle . An open circle represents the vertical force
acting downward. Bending moment will be taken as positive, if
when looking outward from the center of the curvature it
produces clockwise rotation about the radial axis. Torsional
moments will be taken as positive, when looking along the
tangent of the beam in a counterclockwise direction it produces
a clockwise rotation. Vertical force will be taken as positive
when it acts upward.