A14.

10 Example problem for beams with constant shear flows between

Flange Members
Problem1: Beam section symmetrical about one axis.
Fig A14.31 shows an open beam section composed of 8 flanges connected by
thin sheets to form the webs and walls
The flange members are numbered a to h and the areas of of each are given
in the figure.
It will be assumed that the webs and walls develop no bending resistance and
thus the shear flow between adjacent flange members will be constant.
The problem is to determine the shear center of the beam cross section

The beam section is symmetrical

about x-axis. The centroidal axes x
and z are therefore principal axes
and Ixz=0.
The vertical position of the beam
section centroid due to symmetry,
is midway between the upper and
lower flanges.
To find the horizontal position of
the centroid, take moment of the
flange areas about line bc.

Ax Ag A f x 15 Ah Ae x 10 Aa Ad x 5
X

A
Ag Af Ah Ae Aa Ad Ab Ac
0.2 0.2 15 0.1 0.110 0.1 0.1 5

0.2 0.2 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.4 0.4

0.4 15 0.2 10 0.2x5

5.625 inch
1.6

The beam section is symmetrical

about x-axis. The centroidal axes x
and z are therefore principal axes
and Ixz=0.

The moment of inertia for the section

about the centroidal x z axes are

I x 40 in

I x AZ2
2

Ab Aa Ah Ag Z 5 2

0.4 0.1 0.1 0.2 52 2

0.8 52 2 40 in 4

The moment of inertia for the section

about the centroidal x z axes are

I z AX

Ab Ac x 5.625 Aa Ad x 5.0
2

Ah Ae 10.0 x Ag Af

15.0 x
0.8 5.625 0.2 0.625 0.2 4.375
0.4 9.375
2

I z 64.4 in 4

I x 40 in 4
I z 64.4 in 4

Horizontal position of shear center:

The horizontal position of shear center will coincide with centriod of the
shear flow force system due to bending about x-x axis without twist
We assume Vz = 100 lb acting at the unknown shear center and
compute the shear flows:

Vz
100
eq 8 q y ZA
ZA 2.5 ZA
Ix
40

We could start computing qy at either

of the two points a or h since these
points are free edges and thus qy = 0
We will start with the free edge at point
(a) and go counter clockwise around
the beam section

The areas of each flange member has been concentrated at their

respective centroids
In solving for q values, the subscript y of q will be omitted and the
flange letters will be used as subscripts in order to indicate what point
the shear flow q is being calculated

q ab 2.5 ZA 2.5 Z 5 Aa 0.1 1.25 lb / in

a

The first letter of the subscript refer to the

flange member where the shear flow is
being calculated. The second letter in the
subscript indicate on which adjacent side
of the flange member
Hence qab is the shear flow at flange (a)
but on the side towards (b)

q y 2.5 ZA

q ab q ab 1.25 lb / in since the shear flow is constant

q bc q ab 2.5 ZA
b

1.25 2.5 Z 5 Ab =0.4

6.25 lb / in
q bc q cb 6.25 lb / in

q cd q cb 2.5 ZA
c

6.25 2.5 Z 5 Ac 0.4 1.25

q cd q dc 1.25

q de q dc 2.5 ZA 1.25 2.5 Z 5 A d = 0.1 0

d

q de q ed 0

q ef q ed 2.5 ZA 0 2.5 Z 5 A e = 0.1 1.25

e

q ef q fe 1.25

q fg q fe 2.5 ZA 1.25 2.5 Z 5 Af =0.2 3.75

f

q fg q gf 3.75

q gh q gf 2.5 ZA 3.75 2.5 Z=5 Ag 0.2 1.25

g

q gh q hg 1.25
q ha q hg 2.5 ZA 1.25 2.5 Z 5 A h =0.1 0
h

q ha q ah 0 checks

The sign of each shear flow is for the shear flow in the y-direction. We
now have to determine the sense of shear flows in the x-z plane (plane of
the cross-section)
It is only necessary to determine this at the beginning point, that is the
sheet panel ab

The surest way to determine the sense of qab is to draw a simple free
body sketch of flange member (a) as illustrated in Fig A14.31(a)

The shear flow on the cut face qy(ab) = -1.25

and its direction is in negative y-direction as
shown in fig. Therefore the sense of qx(ab) will
be as shown in this figure
qab 2.5 ZA 2.5 Z 5 Aa 0.1 1.25 lb / in

The sense of shear flows will now continue in

the direction of qx(ab) until the sign qy changes in
the original calculations
once the qy sense change, the direction of flow
of qx and qz will also change
q ab q ab 1.25 lb / in
q bc q cb 6.25 lb / in
q cd q dc 1.25
q de q ed 0
q ef q fe 1.25
q fg q gf 3.75
q gh q hg 1.25
q ha q ah 0 checks

Fig A 14.32 shows a plot of shear flow pattern

with sense indicated by arrow heads
q ab q ab 1.25 lb / in

q ef q fe 1.25

q bc q cb 6.25 lb / in

q fg q gf 3.75

q cd q dc 1.25

q gh q hg 1.25

q de q ed 0

q ha q ah 0 checks

q ab =q ha
q bc =q ba

Vz
Ix

Vz
q cd =q cb
Ix

Vz
Ix

ZA q

1.25

ZA q o 1.25
b

Vz
Ix

Vz
c ZA q o 6.25 Ix

q de =q dc

Vz
Ix

ZA q

6.25

ZA q

ZA qo 1.25
d

1.25

Vz
Ix

ZA q
c

q ab =q o 1.25

q bc =q o 6.25
q cd =q o 1.25

q de =q o

Vz
q ef =q ed
Ix

Vz
e ZA q o Ix

ZA q

1.25

Vz
q fg =q fe
Ix

Vz
f ZA qo 1.25 Ix

ZA q

Vz
q gh =q gf
Ix

Vz
g ZA q o 3.75 Ix

ZA q

q ha =q hg

Vz
Ix

3.75

ZA q o 1.25
h

1.25

Vz
Ix

ZA q
c

q ef q o 1.25
q fg q o 3.75
q gh q o 1.25

q ha q o

q ab =q o 1.25

q ef q o 1.25

q bc =q o 6.25
q cd =q o 1.25

q fg q o 3.75
q gh q o 1.25

q de =q o

q ha q o

q ha q o
q ab =q o 1.25

q ha q o
q gh q o 1.25

q bc =q o 6.25

q fg q o 3.75

q cd =q o 1.25

q ef q o 1.25

q de =q o

q de =q o

qo

qo

qo

qo

qo
q ha q o

q ha q o

q ab =q o 1.25

q gh q o 1.25

q bc =q o 6.25

q fg q o 3.75

q cd =q o 1.25

q ef q o 1.25

q de =q o

q de =q o

qo

qo

qo

qo

qo

q ha q o
q ab =q o 1.25

q ha q o
q gh q o 1.25

q bc =q o 6.25

q fg q o 3.75

q cd =q o 1.25

q ef q o 1.25

q de =q o

q de =q o

qy(cd)= 1.25 d
c

qy(cd)= 1.25
c

qy(cd)= 1.25

The shear flow results will be checked to see if static

equilibrium exists relative to
Fx 0 and Fz 0

qa cancels qb
qh cancels qg
qf cancels qe
qd cancels qc

Fz 100 ext load 10 q bc 6.25 10 q gf =3.75 0

 Fx 5 qab =1.25 5 qhg =1.25 5 qef =1.25 5 qcd 1.25 0 checked

The shear flow force system in Fig A14.32 causes the section to bend
about X-axis without twist. The resultant of this system is 100 lb acting
downwards in the Z-direction

100

e 10 qgf = 3.75 15 0.5 q ab =1.25 2 5 0.5 q hg =1.25 2 10

0.5 q ef =1.25 2 15 0
e

562.5
5.625"
100

Equating the moments of the shear flow force system about some point such as
(c) to the moment of the resultant about the same point we obtain

100 e 10 qgf = 3.75 15 0.5 q ab =q cd =1.25 2 5

0.5 q hg =q ef =1.25 2 10 0.5 q ef =q gh =1.25 2 15 0

562.5
e
5.625"
100

The shear center is on a vertical

line 5.625 to the right of line bc