BFC 20903 (Mechanics of Materials)

Chapter 2: Shear Force and Bending Moment

Shahrul Niza Mokhatar

shahruln@uthm.edu.my
 Chapter Learning Outcome
1. Draw the shear and moment
diagrams.
2. Determine the largest shear and
moment in a member and specify
the location.
 Introduction
Changes of shear force and bending moments
in beams as reactions to several types of
loading or combinations of loading using
different support conditions.
Value of shear force and bending moment as
well as the location of maximum values can be
determined.
These maximum values are important because
they will be used in the analysis of structural
design.
 Equilibrium system
Brick /
load Beam
Roller

How to make this system to be

balanced?
 Types of beam
Beams can be defined as a structural
component that has a smaller dimension of
cross section than its length.
Statically determinate beam
Statically indeterminate beam
These classifications of beams depend on the
unknown total reactions to the static
equilibrium equation.
There are 3 static equilibrium equations:
classified into two types based on their
analyses
 Types of beam
These classifications of beams depend on
the unknown total reactions to the static
equilibrium equation. There are 3 static
equilibrium equations:

if unknown total reaction is more than 3,

thus the beam is Statically indeterminate
beam. Below is how the stability and
capability of beams are being determined:
 Type of support
Reaction can be determined according to its
support.
Simply support

This beam is supported by rollers at one end

and by pins at the other end.
This beam is a statically determinate beam.
 Cantilever beam

This beam has a fixed support at one end

and a free support at the other end.
The beam is a statically determinate
beam
 Continuous Beam

This beam has several supports.

This beam is a statically indeterminate beam
Type of support
 Types of loading
Dead Load
Loading is fixed and very close to the approximation values
(very little change). Some examples are structure self
weight, ceiling and fixed equipment such as the piping
system services, lighting and air conditioning. For a sample
of construction elements please refer to BS / EUCode.
Live Load/Imposed Load
It is a variable load on a structure for example; human
weight, furniture, and other equipment based on structure
purpose. Values for the loading can be referred to BS EN
1991.
Wind Load
The design of buildings must account for wind load
especially in high-rise buildings. However the effects of this
wind load depend on the location, shape, building
dimension, and wind speed in the particular region.
 Types of loading
Point load
This load acts at one position only whether in vertical or inclined direction.
The unit for this type of loading is N, kN.

Distributed load
This load acts at a certain distance or a distributed load. This loading is
measured in unit load per distance which is N/mm, kN/m and so on. The
value can be constant or it can increase and decrease along its reaction
distance .

Moment load
Resulting load made by a pair of forces and this force will create
moment on the point of loading The unit for this load is the unit of
load multiple with the perpendicular distance (Nmm, kNm and so on).
 Reactions on supports
Free Body Diagram
In order to calculate the reaction from any
structure, first, draw the actual structure
again in the form of a Free Body Diagram.
Free body diagram is the sketch of the actual
structure in lines form that are free from
supports as well as from loads acting on it.
Draw all reactions at the supports & the
directions of the reactions & their accurate
dimensions. Draw all forces or loads acting on
the structure elements.
 Equilibrium equation
This consists of 3 equations, where by using these
three equations, reactions of certain structures
can be determined. The equation is:

To avoid a simultaneous equation, lets use

moment equation, M = 0 first on any one
support point, followed by other reactions on
support point that can be determined using this
equation Fx = 0 ; Fy = 0.
If the solution of this simultaneous equation gives
the negative value, it means the earlier
assumption of reaction direction is incorrect and
the actual direction is the opposite direction.
 Example 1
Determine the reaction of beam stressed
with a load as shown in Figure
Example 1: Solution
 Example 2

Determine the reaction on beam

Example 2: Solution
 Example 3: Tutorial (Discuss in
Group)
Find all the reaction force.
4 kN/m

C D

3m
4m

2 kN B

E
3m

A
5m
 Example 3: Solution
Answer:
RAx = -2 kN
RAy = 8.8 kN
RCy = 8.8 kN, MC = 6 kNm
REy = 11.2 kN
RDy = 11.2 kN, MD = 0
 Shear Force Diagram (SFD) Bending
Moment Diagram (BMD)?
Why we need SFD &
BMD?

Before load act

Moment (-
ve)

Moment (+ve)
 Shear Force and Bending
Moment
Shear force, V at a section is the total algebra
force taken only at one side of the section. Any
section can be taken to be totaled provided that
both sections must have the same values and
they follow the marking direction.
Bending moment, Mx is the total algebra of
moments force acting on the section.
Shear Force and Bending
Moment
To make sure that the beam is in a

balanced vertical direction, there
should exist a V force that balances
the RA force and one moment M
with an anti clock wise movement
to prevent the beam from rotating.
Both the force and moment must be
balanced on the section that has
been cut. The total force and
moment at this section equals to
zero.
The V force is known as a shear
force, the force that causes the
member to slide and separate into
two sections . Meanwhile moment M
is known as the bending moment,
which is a reaction moment at a
certain point for all forces as well as
 Natural sign for shear force
and bending moment
Common sign
Horizontal direction

Vertical direction

Moment direction
Shape of SFD and BMD
 Procedure to draw SFD
and BMD
Support reactions determine all the reactive
force & couple moments acting on the beam.
Shear & moment functions specify separate
coordinates x having an origin at the beams left &
extending to regions of the beam between
concentrated forces &/or couple moments. Section
beam at each distance x, & draw the FBD of one of
the segments.
Shear & moment diagram Plot the shear
diagram (V versus x) & moment diagram (M versus
x). If the numerical values of the functions
describing V & M are positive, the values are
plotted above the x axis, whereas negative values
are plotted below the axis. It is convenient to show
 Equation & Diagram of
Shear Force & Bending Moment
1. Simply supported beam with point load acting.

To get the V and M

equations, make sections
on each part between the
point load, distributed
load and support.
The above equation shows that
shear force caused by point load
is constant or fixed and the
bending moment changes
linearly with x.
Note:
SFD positive, +ve is
drawn on top of the
beam.
BMD positive, +ve
is drawn on top of
the beam.
To draw SFD &
BMD, it is enough to
determine V & M
value on the
important points
only such as at the
support, point
under the point
load & at both ends
& in the middle of
the distributed load.
2. Distributed uniform load acting on simply
supported beam.
 The above equation shows that shear force caused by the
distributed uniform load will change linearly with x. SFD
needs to drawn first to see the relation with BMD.

From SFD above, there is one contra point, where the SFD line cuts
across the beam axis (shear force = 0). The distance of the point
from point A can be obtained as:
3. Uniform increase load acting on simply
supported beam.
 To determine the value of gx which is the value of uniform increase
load when the distance x is from A, the intensity of the load on the
section needs to obtained. From the figure above;
 plot every point on SFD & BMD, thus SFD & BMD will
appear as shown below.

When shear force, V = 0 ; bending moment is at the

maximum and the point distance from A is:
4. Point load acting on cantilever beam
5. Distributed uniform load acting on cantilever
beam.
6. Uniform increase load acting on cantilever beam
7. Several types of distribution load acting on
beam.
The relationship between shear
force and bending moment
SFD

SFD

SFD

SFD

SFD

SFD
- END -