Faculty of Prepared by:

Civil Engineering Nazirah Ab Wahab

ECS428
MECHANICS OF SOLID
TOPIC 3:
Bending and Shear Stresses

Reference:
Mechanics of Materials, 10th Edition, R.C. Hibbeler
Chapter 7
Contents
o Shear in a straight beam
o Shear formula
o Shear stresses in a rectangular beam
o Shear stresses in the webs of beams and flanges

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 Outcomes

Course Outcomes
At the end of this course, the students should be able to:

• CO2 - Formulate solution to assess for stresses and strains and deflection in
engineering problem. (PO2)

Learning Outcomes
At the end of this topic, the students should be able to:
• To determine shear stress in a prismatic beam.

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 Shear in a Straight Beam

• Shear V is the result of a transverse shear-stress distribution that acts

over the beam’s x-section.

• Transverse shear stress always has its associated longitudinal shear

stress acting along longitudinal planes of the beam.

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 Shear in a Straight Beam

• Effect of shear stress:

If top and bottom surfaces of each If boards are bonded together,

board are smooth and not bonded longitudinal shear stresses will
together, then application of load P develop and distort x-section in a
will cause the boards to slide relative complex manner
to one another.

• Warping of cross section:

As shown, when shear V is applied, the
non-uniform shear-strain distribution
over x-section will cause it to warp, i.e.,
not remain in plane.

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 Shear in a Straight Beam

• Are usually maximum at the neutral axis of bending (always if the

thickness is constant or if thickness at neutral axis is minimum for the
cross section, such as for I-beam or T-beam)

• Are zero at the top and bottom of the cross section

• Are usually much lower in magnitude than normal stresses (unless

beam span is very short)

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Shear Formula

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Shear Formula

𝑀𝑦
𝜎=
𝐼

𝑦ത ′ 𝐴′ = 𝑄

𝑑𝑀
𝑉=
𝑑𝑥
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 Shear Formula
• The equation of shear stress becomes:

** 𝑉 and 𝐼 are constant

𝑽𝑸 throughout the cross
𝝉= section,
𝑰𝒕 𝑄 and 𝑡 are depending on
𝑦′

Where:
𝑸 = ‫𝑨׬‬′ 𝒚 𝒅𝑨′ = 𝒚
ഥ′ 𝑨′ , where 𝐴′ is the top (or
bottom) portion of member’s x-sectional area defined
from section where 𝑡 is measured and 𝑦ത ′ is distance
of centroid of𝐴′ measured from the neutral axis

𝜏 = shear stress in member at the point 𝑦′ from the neutral axis

𝑉 = internal resultant shear force, determined from method of sections and method
of equilibrium
𝐼 = moment of inertia of entire x-sectional area computed about the neutral axis
𝑡 = width of the member’s x-sectional area measured at the point where 𝜏 is to be
determined

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 Shear Stresses in the Webs of Beam with Flanges

Wide-flange beam
• Shear-stress distribution is parabolic
but has a jump at the flange-to-web
junctions.

Limitations on the use of shear formula

• Not on cross sections that are short or
flat
• Not at points of sudden cross
sectional changes (e.g. flange-to-web
junction in wide flange beam)
• Not at a joint on an inclined boundary

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 Shear Stresses in a Rectangular Beam
• Shear stress distribution as a function of 𝑦′.
𝑉𝑄
• Shear formula 𝜏=
𝐴′ 𝐼𝑡
𝑦′
ത 𝐴′

′ ′
1 ℎ ℎ
𝑄 = 𝑦ത 𝐴 = 𝑦 + − 𝑦′ − 𝑦′ 𝑏
𝑦′ 𝑦′
ത 2 2 2

1 ℎ2
= − 𝑦 ′2 𝑏
2 4
1
𝐼= 𝑏ℎ3 𝑡=𝑏
12

1 ℎ2
𝑉 2 4 − 𝑦 ′2 𝑏
𝜏=
1 3 𝑏
12 𝑏ℎ

6𝑉 ℎ2 𝑉
𝜏= 3 − 𝑦 ′2 𝜏𝑚𝑎𝑥 = 1.5
𝑏ℎ 4 𝐴
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 Example 1

A cantilever beam of length 𝐿 = 2 𝑚 supports a load 𝑃 = 8.0 𝑘𝑁 (see

figure). The beam is made of wood with cross-sectional dimensions
120 𝑚𝑚 × 200 𝑚𝑚. Calculate the shear stresses due to the load 𝑃 at
points located 25 𝑚𝑚, 50 𝑚𝑚, 75 𝑚𝑚, and 100 𝑚𝑚 from the top surface of
the beam. From these results, plot a graph showing the distribution of
shear stresses from top to bottom of the beam.

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 Example 1

Solution:
′ ′ 1 ℎ2 y’ (mm) 𝝉 (Mpa) 𝝉(kPa)
𝑄 = 𝑦ത 𝐴 = − 𝑦′2 𝑏
2 4 0 0.5 500
1 25 0.469 469
𝐼= 𝑏ℎ3 𝑡=𝑏
12 50 0.375 375
75 0.219 219
6𝑉 ℎ2
• 𝜏= − 𝑦′2
𝑏ℎ3 4 0
1 2002 219 𝑘𝑃𝑎
8000 − 𝑦′2 120 375 𝑘𝑃𝑎
2 4
𝜏= 469 𝑘𝑃𝑎
1
(120)(200)3 120 𝑁𝐴 𝜏𝑚𝑎𝑥 = 500𝑘𝑃𝑎
12

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 Example 2 (Example 7.1 in Textbook)

The beam shown in Figure 7.10a is made from two boards. Determine the
maximum shear stress in the glue necessary to hold the boards together
along the seam where they are joined.

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 Example 2

Solution:
• The support reactions and the shear diagram for
the beam are shown in Figure 7.2b. It is seen that
the maximum shear in the beam is 19.5kN.

• The centroid and therefore the neutral axis will be

determined from the reference axis placed at the
bottom of the cross sectional area, Figure 7.10a.

∑𝑦𝐴
෤ 0.075 0.15 × 0.03 + 0.165 (0.03 × 0.15)
𝑦ത = =
∑𝐴 0.015 × 0.03 + (0.03 × 0.15)

= 0.120 𝑚

• The moment of inertia about neutral axis, Figure

7.10a is therefore

1
𝐼= 0.03 × 0.153 + 0.15 × 0.03 0.12 − 0.075 2
12
1
+ 0.15 × 0.033 + 0.03 × 0.15 0.165 − 0.120 2
= 27 10−6 𝑚4
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 Example 2

𝑄 = 𝑦ത ′ 𝐴′
= 0.18 − 0.015 − 0.12 0.03 × 0.15
= 0.2025 10−3 𝑚3

𝑉𝑄
𝜏𝑚𝑎𝑥 =
𝐼𝑡
19.5 103 0.2025 × 10−3
= = 4.88𝑀𝑃𝑎
27(10−6 )(0.03)

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 Example 3 (Example 7.3 in Textbook)

A steel wide-flange beam has the dimensions shown in Fig. 7–12a. If it is

subjected to a shear of V = 80kN, plot the shear-stress distribution acting
over the beam’s cross-sectional area.

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 Example 3

Solution:
• Due to symmetry, only the shear stresses at point B’, B and C have to
be determined.
• Moment of inertia the cross sectional area about the neutral axis.
web flange
3 3
𝑏ℎ 𝑏ℎ
𝐼= + + 𝐴𝑑 2
12 12

1 3
= 0.015𝑚 0.200𝑚
12

1 3 2
+2 0.300𝑚 0.02𝑚 + 0.300𝑚 0.02𝑚 0.110𝑚 = 155.6 10−6 𝑚4
12

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 Example 3

• For point B’, 𝑡𝐵′ = 0.300𝑚 and A’ is the dark shaded area. Thus,

𝑄 = 𝑦ത ′ 𝐴′ = 0.110𝑚 0.300𝑚 0.02𝑚 = 0.660 10−3 𝑚3

𝑉𝑄𝐵′ 80(103 ) 0.660 10−3 𝑚3

𝜏𝐵 ′ = =
𝐼𝑡𝐵′ 155.6 10−6 𝑚4 (0.300𝑚)

= 1.13𝑀𝑃𝑎

• For point B,𝑡𝐵 = 0.015𝑚 and 𝑄𝐵 = 𝑄𝐵′

𝑉𝑄𝐵 80(103 ) 0.660 10−3 𝑚3

𝜏𝐵 ′ = =
𝐼𝑡𝐵 155.6 10−6 𝑚4 (0.015𝑚)

= 22.6 𝑀𝑃𝑎

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 Example 3

• For point C, 𝑡𝐶 = 0.015𝑚, and A’ is the dark shaded area in Fig. 7–

12d.
• Considering this area to be composed of two
rectangles,

𝑄𝐶 = 𝑦ത ′ 𝐴′ = 0.110𝑚 0.300𝑚 0.02𝑚

+(0.05𝑚)(0.015𝑚)(0.1𝑚) = 0.735 10−3 𝑚3

𝑉𝑄𝐶 80(103 ) 0.735 10−3 𝑚3

𝜏𝐶 = =
𝐼𝑡𝐶 155.6 10−6 𝑚4 (0.015𝑚)

= 25.2𝑀𝑃𝑎 = 𝜏𝑚𝑎𝑥

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 Example 4

A hollow steel box beam has the rectangular cross section in the figure.
Determine the maximum allowable shear force V that may act on the beam
if the allowable shear stress is 36 Mpa.

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 Example 4

Solution: A B

A B

𝑏ℎ3 200 × 4503 180 × 4103

𝐼= = − = 484.9 × 106 𝑚𝑚4
12 12 12

𝑄 = 𝑦ത ′ 𝐴′
225 205
= 225 − 200 × 225 − 205 − 180 × 205
2 2
= 1.280 106 𝑚𝑚3

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 Example 4

Solution:

𝑉𝑎𝑙𝑙 𝑄
𝜏𝑎𝑙𝑙 =
𝐼𝑡
𝜏𝑎𝑙𝑙 𝐼𝑡
𝑉𝑎𝑙𝑙 =
𝑄
36 × 484.9 106 20
= 6
= 273 𝑘𝑁
1.28(10 )

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 Extra Examples

1. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JNLSltJh65c
2. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hCTn838HHeM
3. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ibs30_hnSpA

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Thank You

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