Chapter A13

Bending Stresses
Introduction:
The bar in fig a is subjected to an axial compressive load
P. If the compressive stresses are such that no buckling of
the bar takes place, then the bar sections such as 1-1 and
2-2 move parallel to each other as the bar shortens
under compressive stress.








In fig b the same bar is used as a simply supported beam
with two applied loads P as shown.
The shear and bending moment diagrams are shown. The
portion of the beam between section 1-1 and 2-2 under
the given loading is subjected to pure bending since the
shear is zero in this region






Experimental evidence from a beam segment Ax taken
in this beam region under pure bending shows that
plane sections remain plane after bending but they
rotate w.r.t each other as illustrated in Fig.C. Here the
dashed lines represent the unstressed beam element
and the solid line is the element after bending (pure)








The top fibers are shortened subjected to compressive
stresses and the bottom fibers are elongated subjected
to tensile stresses. So that at some plane n-n on the
cross section the fibers suffer no deformation due to
zero stresses
This location of the plane of zero stress under pure
bending is referred to as the neutral plane (neutral-axis)





Fig d shows a cantilever beam subjected to a pure
moment at its free end. Under this bending, the
deformation of the beam is shown to an exaggerated
shape in fig d



A13.1 Location of Neutral axis







The applied bending moment acts in a plane perpendicular
to the z-axis in the figure
Consider a beam element of length L shown in dotted lines
The distortion of this element due to bending where plane
sections remain plane is shown by solid lines in Fig d




It will be assumed that the beam section is homogenous and the
beam stresses are below the proportional limit stress of the
material
In other words Hooks law applies
From the geometry of similar triangle


( )
c
c
c
e e
e e
2 2
= or =
y c y c
e
e= y1
c



The stress and strain at a
distance, y, from N.A are
related by Hooks law:








c
c
L
E or
e
e
L
e
e E
E. y
L L c
e E
y
L c
y
y y
y
e
o o o
o
o
= = =
e
| |
= = =
|
\ .
| |
=
|
\ .
c
e
e= y
c





Similarly the compressive stress in the
outermost fiber can be expressed as









c
c
c
E
e
L
e E
C
L C
o
| | | |
= =
|
| |
|
\
|
.\ . \ .
c
c
e E
y
L c
E y
c
e
L
y
y
o
o
| |
|
\
| |
=
|
\ .
=
.
( )
c c y
c
y
Substituting by in the equa

E
e :
L
y .. B
ti

on f
C
or
or
y
c
=
y
C
o o
o
o
o
o
| |
|
\ .
= .....





For equilibrium of the bending stress perpendicular to
the beam cross section or in the x-direction we can write






However in this expression is not zero hence the term
}yda must equal zero
This can only be true if the material axis coincides with
the centroidal axis of the beam cross section


x
c
c
F 0
da 0
yda 0
yda 0
o

r
y
c
c
o
o
o
=
=
=
=
}
}
}
c
c
o
y
-y
da
da
yda
-yda
Y
Y
However in this expression is not zero hence the term }yda
must equal zero
This can only be true if the material axis coincides with the
centroidal axis of the beam cross section
c
c
o





The neutral axis does not pass through the
beam section centroid when the beam is
not homogenous, that is, the modulus of
elasticity is not constant over the beam
section and also when the Hooks law does
not apply or the o-e relation is non-linear

These beam conditions are described later
in the chapter






Stresses from moments, section properties and distances
referred to any pair of rectangular axes through the
centroid of the section

A beam cross section subjected to bending moments M
x

and M
y
. The expression for bending stress o
b
due to M
x

and M
y
is
A13.5 Method 3












Where I
x
, I
y
and I
xy
are moments of inertia about the
rectangular axes X and Y passing through the centroid
of the cross section
Thus the bending stresses can be found without resort
to principal axes or to the neutral axes
( )
b 3 y 1 x 2 x 1 y
xy
1
2
x y
y
2
2
x y
x
3
2
x y
(K M K M )x (K M K M )y . 14
I
K
I I I
I
K
I I I
I
K
I I I
wh re

e
xy
xy
xy
o = ...
=

A13.10 Bending stresses of homogenous beams
stressed above the elastic limit stress range
In airplane structural design, the limit loads on the
airplane must be taken by the structure without
suffering permanent strain. This means that stresses
should fall within the elastic range
The airframe should also be able to take the ultimate
load without collapse or rupture with no restriction on
permanent strain
Many airplane structures will not fail until the stresses
are considerably above the elastic stress range of the
materials






The o-e curve of a
material in the
inelastic range is
non linear.

Also in the inelastic
range the o-e curve
in tension is
different than that in
compression.








For these two
reasons the beam
bending stress
formula
does not apply in
the inelastic range
since its derivation is
based on the linear
relation between
o-e
b
M
y
I
o
| |
=
|
\ .





Tests, however, have shown that even in the
inelastic stress range, plane sections remain
plane during bending. This implies that
across the section (on either side of N.A) the
strain still varies linearly with distance from
N.A even in the inelastic range




c
y
= o y,
Strain variation





Because of non-linear o-e relationship in the inelastic range the
stress variation is not linear across the section. Nevertheless,
the inelastic stresses can still be found from the o-e relationship




c
y
= o y,
Strain variation





A general method of approach to
solving beams that are stressed above
the elastic range can be explained by
the solution of a problem








Example Problem-7
Portion (a) of Fig A13.20 shows a solid round bar made from
24ST aluminum alloy material.





Let it be assumed that maximum
failing compressive stress occurs
at a strain of 0.01 in/in
The problem is to determine the
ultimate resisting bending
moment developed by this
round bar and then compare the
result with that obtained by
using the beam bending formula
based on linear o-e relation






Solution:
Since the stress-strain
diagram in tension and
compression are different
the neutral axis will not
coincide with the
centroidal axis of the
round bar regardless of
the fact that it is
symmetrical in shape

Thus the method of
solution is a trial and error
one since the location of
neutral axis cannot be
solved for directly







Solution:
Since the stress-strain diagram in tension and compression are
different the neutral axis will not coincide with the centroidal axis
of the round bar regardless of the fact that it is symmetrical in
shape
Thus the method of solution is a trial and error one since the
location of neutral axis cannot be solved for directly














Solution:
In fig b of Fig13.20 the N.A has been assumed to be
0.0375 inch above the centroidal axis







Solution:
It was assumed
towards the
tension side
because for a
given inelastic
strain the tensile
stress is higher
than the
compressive
stress







Solution:
This higher tensile stress has to be
kept in mind in ensuring that the total
tensile force must equal the total
compressive force on the cross
section






As stated earlier, the problem assumes that a compressive unit
strain of 0.01 will cause failure of the cross section

Fig (b) shows the linear strain variation with most remote fiber
compressive strain = 0.01 passing through zero strain through the
assumed N.A which is 0.0375 above the centroidal axis

This will be the strain distribution on the cross section at the
assumed failure compressive strain = 0.01







We need to estimate what
internal resisting bending
moment will correspond to
this ultimate strain
distribution

Table A13.2 gives the detailed
calculations for the ultimate
internal resisting bending
moment






Column-1
The cross section of the rod is divided
in to 20 strips of 0.1 thick as shown in
Fig A13.20 (a)
Column-2
gives the areas of each strip
Column-3
gives the distance of the mid point of
the strip to the center line of the cross
section







Column-4 Based on the ultimate
strain variation in fig (b) the
strain in each strip is calculated
as



on the compression side of NA


0.01
y 0.0375 1 0.0375
e
=
+






Column-4 Based on the ultimate
strain variation in fig (b) the
strain in each strip is calculated
as



on the compression side of NA


0.01
y 0.0375 1 0.0375
e
=
+
e






Column-5
for each strip-strain values in column-
4, the corresponding stress values for
the strip is obtained from o-e curve in
Fig A13.19







Column-6
The forces (compressive
and tensile) on each strip =
stress times strip area are
calculated
Column-7
gives the moments of the
strip-force about N.A






If the assumed location of N.A
were correct, then the
summation of column-6 would
equal zero. However, as shown
in the table it is not zero and
=740 lb which is a small value
and no further iteration for
N.A location determination is
really necessary








The total internal resisting
moment = 56735 in lb
(column 7)









If we assume that stress also varies linearly
with distance from N.A then the maximum
compressive stress corresponding to
e = 0.01 will be 48,500 PSI
If this stress is used as failing stress in the
beam formula then the bending moment
will be



I I
M 48500 0.785
c c
38, 000 in lb
o
| |
= = =
|
\ .
=
3
for round
I
bar
4
r
c
t
=












Therefore, the linear beam formula will
predict an ultimate M =38000 in lb where
as the true M under elasto plastic stress =
56735 in lb

The linear M is 67% M
true
I I
M 48500 0.785 38, 000 in lb
c c
o
| |
= = = =
|
\ .
3
for round
I
bar
4
r
c
t
=




Fig A13.20 (c) shows the true stress distribution on the
cross section which explains why the resisting moment is
higher