DEPARTMENT OF ENGINEERING SCIENCE

College of Engineering and Agro-Industrial Technology

ENSC 13 – Strength of Materials

Problem Set – Stresses in Beams

1. Refer to Figure 1. If the wide-flange beam is subjected to a shear of V = 20 KN, determine the (a) maximum
horizontal shear stress in the beam, (b) shear stress at point A. [3.4591 MPa; 2.5593 MPa]

2. Refer to Figure 2. The steel rod is subjected to a shear of 30 kip. Determine maximum horizontal shear stress.
[3.1831 ksi]

3. Refer to Figure 3. Determine the moment M that should be applied to the beam in order to create a 30 MPa
compressive stress at point D. Also sketch the stress distribution acting over the cross section and compute the
maximum stress developed in the beam. [36.4583 kN-m; 40 MPa]

Figure 1 Figure 2 Figure 3

4. Determine the maximum shear stress and flexural stress in beam AD. [124.298 psi; 280.124 psi]

5. Determine the shear stress and flexural stress at point B at section a-a of the cantilevered strut. What is the
maximum shear stress and flexural stress at section a-a? [4.409 MPa; 24.563 MPa C; 4.852 MPa; 81.246 MPa T]

6. What is the maximum shear stress and flexural stress at point C of the simple beam? [3.667 MPa; 108.333 MPa]
 DEPARTMENT OF ENGINEERING SCIENCE
College of Engineering and Agro-Industrial Technology
University of the Philippines Los Baños

7. Beam ABCD, loaded as shown, is fixed-supported at A and D. The members of the beam are connected by the
internal hinges at B and C. Based on the given cross-section, determine the following: [Ans. a) 12.67 MPa; 4.12MPa]
a) At the section 3 meters from the left support, the flexural and shear stresses at a point 75 mm from the bottom.
b) At the section 4 meters from the left support, the maximum flexural and shear stresses. [236.49 MPa T; 0]
c) At the section 5 meters from the left support, the total compressive force. [372.466 kN]

8. For the beam loaded as shown, determine the safe value of P if σ T ≤ 500 MPa, σC ≤ 300 MPa and τ ≤ 100 MPa.
[4.0737 kN]

9. The maximum required load on the compound beam shown below is to be designed in this problem. Beam ABC,
found to have an internal hinge at B, is supported by a fixed support at A and a roller support at C. Beam DEF then
supports beam ABC and is supported by a pin at F. Beam DEF rests on a smooth surface at section DE. If the flexural
and shear stresses on both beams are limited to 70 MPa and 25 MPa, respectively, solve for the maximum allowable
value of P. The cross-sections of both beams are shown below. (Hint: Draw separate shear and bending moment
diagram for each beam.)[19.0437 kN]

10. The beam carries a concentrated load W and a uniformly distributed load that totals 4W. Determine the largest
allowable value of W if the working stresses are 60 MPa in tension and 100 MPa in compression. [26.786 KN]
 DEPARTMENT OF ENGINEERING SCIENCE
College of Engineering and Agro-Industrial Technology
University of the Philippines Los Baños

11. The intensity of the triangular load carried by the T-section varies from zero at the free end to wo at the support.
Find the maximum safe value of wo given that the working stresses are 4000 psi in tension and 10 000 psi in
compression. [320 lb/ft]

12. The rectangular wood beam is loaded as shown in the figure. Determine the largest allowable magnitude of the
load P if the working stresses are 10 MPa in bending and 1.2 MPa in shear. [11.4342 kN]

13. The channel section carries a uniformly distributed load totaling 8W and two concentrated loads of magnitude W.
6
(a) Verify that the neutral axis is located at d = 50 mm and that the moment of inertia about the axis is 15.96 x 10
4
mm . (b) Determine the maximum allowable value for W if the working stresses are 30 MPa in tension, 70 MPa in
compression, and 20 MPa in shear. [3192 N]

14. The beam is subjected to the loading shown. Determine its required cross-sectional dimension b, if the allowable
shear stress is τallow = 75 MPa and the allowable bending stresses are σC = 50 MPa in compression and σT = 120 MPa
in tension. [183.716 mm]

10 kN 25 kN/m ½b
20 kN/m

⅔b
30 kN-m

⅓b
0.25

1m 0.75 1m 1m b
 DEPARTMENT OF ENGINEERING SCIENCE
College of Engineering and Agro-Industrial Technology
University of the Philippines Los Baños

15. Beam ABCDHJ is supported by a cable at A and a hinge at J and it is subjected to the loading as shown.
Determine its minimum required cross-sectional dimension f, if the allowable shear stress is 7 ksi and the allowable
bending stresses are 15 ksi and 10 ksi, for compression and tension, respectively. [3.8650 in]

16. Beam ABC carries the loads as shown and is fixed at wall A. It is supported by a link CD to prevent vertical
displacement at point C. The beam has a T cross-section with the following dimensions. Determine the following:
a) Maximum tensile stress due to bending. [592.97 MPa]
b) Maximum compressive stress due to bending. [638.51 MPa]
c) Maximum horizontal shear stress. [16.14 MPa]
d) Normal and type of stress due to a normal force in the beam. [14.07 MPa, C]

17. For the beam and loading shown below, determine the magnitude and type of flexural stress and shear stress of a
fiber 45 mm from the top of the beam at a section 3m from A. [77.11 MPa; 7.096 MPa]

18. A simply supported W530 x 101 beam supports a uniformly distributed load at 12 kN/m over its entire span of 6m
and a concentrated load of 5 kN at midspan. Compute the force acting at the flange at 3.5m from the right support.
2
(use g = 9.806 m/s ). [96.9985 kN]
W 530 x 101: Theoretical mass 101.4 kg/m
3 3
Section Modulus 2300x10 mm
Flange: width = 210 mm; thickness = 17.4 mm
Web: Height = 251.1 mm; thickness = 10.9 mm