STR2

Bending Moment in a
Beam
Student’s Guide

© TecQuipment Ltd 2010

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PE/AD/ajp/db/0210
SECTION 1 INTRODUCTION AND DESCRIPTION

Figure 1 Bending moment in a beam experiment

Introduction How to Set up the Equipment

This guide describes how to set up and perform Bending The Bending Moment in a Beam experiment fits into a
Moment in a Beam experiments. It clearly demonstrates Test Frame. Figure 2 shows the Bending Moment of a
the principles involved and gives practical support to Beam experiment assembled in the Frame.
your studies.
Before setting up and using the equipment, always:
Description  Visually inspect all parts, including electrical leads,
for damage or wear.
Figure 1 shows the Bending Moment in a Beam
 Check electrical connections are correct and secure.
experiment. It consists of a beam, which is ‘cut’ by a
pivot. To stop the beam collapsing a moment arm  Check all components are secured correctly and
bridges the cut onto a load cell thus reacting (and fastenings are sufficiently tight.
measuring) the bending moment force. A digital display  Position the Test Frame safely. Make sure it is
shows the force from the load cell. mounted on a solid, level surface, is steady, and
A diagram on the left-hand support of the beam easily accessible.
shows the beam geometry and hanger positions. Hanger
supports are 20 mm apart, and have a centre slot, which Never apply excessive loads to any part of the
positions the hangers. The moment arm is 125 mm long. equipment.

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TecQuipment Bending Moment in a Beam: Student Guide

Figure 2 Bending moment of a beam experiment in the structures frame

Steps 1 to 4 of the following instructions may already nuts. Push the support on to the frame to ensure the
have been completed for you. internal bars are sitting on the frame squarely.
Position the support horizontally so the rolling pivot
1. Place an assembled Test Frame (refer to the separate
is in the middle of its travel. Tighten the
instructions supplied with the Test Frame if
thumbscrews.
necessary) on a workbench. Make sure the ‘window’
5. Make sure the Digital Force Display is ‘on’. Connect
of the Test Frame is easily accessible.
the mini DIN lead from ‘Force Input 1’ on the
2. There are four securing nuts in the top member of
Digital Force Display to the socket marked ‘Force
the frame. Slide them to approximately the positions
Output’ on the left-hand support of the experiment.
shown in Figure 3.
Ensure the lead does not touch the beam.
3. With the right-hand end of the experiment resting on
6. Carefully zero the force meter using the dial on the
the bottom member of the Test Frame, fit the left-
left-hand beam of the experiment. Gently apply a
hand support to the top member of the frame. Push
small load with a finger to the centre of the beam and
the support on to the frame to ensure that the internal
release. Zero the meter again if necessary. Repeat to
bars are sitting on the frame squarely. Tighten the
ensure the meter returns to zero.
support in position by screwing two of the
thumbscrews provided into the securing nuts (on the
Note: If the meter is only ±0.1 N, lightly tap the frame
front of the support only).
(there may be a little stiction and this should overcome
4. Lift the right-hand support into position and locate
it).
the two remaining thumbscrews into the securing

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SECTION 2 EXPERIMENTS

Experiment 1: Bending Moment Variation at the Point of Loading

This experiment examines how bending moment varies Check the Digital Force Display meter reads zero with
at the point of loading. Figure 3 shows the force diagram no load.
for the beam. Place a hanger with a 100 g mass at the ‘cut’. Record
the Digital Force Display reading in a table as in Table
1. Repeat using masses of 200 g, 300 g, 400 g and
500 g.
Convert the mass into a load (in N) and the force
reading into a bending moment (Nm). Remember;
Bending moment at
= Displayed force  0.125
the cut (in Nm)
Calculate the theoretical bending moment at the cut and
Figure 3 Force diagram
complete Table 2.

The equation we will use in this experiment is: Mass Load Force
Experimental Theoretical
bending moment bending moment

BM (at cut) = Wa
l  a  (g) (N) (N)
(Nm) (Nm)
0
l
100
You may find the following table useful in converting 200
the masses used in the experiments to loads. 300
400
Mass (Grams) Load (Newtons) 500
100 0.98
Table 2 Results for Experiment 1
200 1.96
300 2.94
Plot a graph which compares your experimental results
400 3.92 to those you calculated using the theory.
500 4.90 Comment on the shape of the graph. What does it tell
us about how bending moment varies at the point of
Table 1 Grams to Newtons conversion table loading? Does the equation we used accurately predict
the behaviour of the beam?

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TecQuipment Bending Moment in a Beam: Student Guide

Experiment 2: Bending Moment Variation away from the Point of Loading

This experiment examines how bending moment varies

at the cut position of the beam for various loading
conditions. Figure 4, Figure 5 and Figure 6 show the
force diagrams.

Figure 6 Force diagram

We will use the statement:

“The Bending Moment at the ‘cut’ is equal to the

Figure 4 Force diagram algebraic sum of the moments caused by the forces
acting to the left or right of the cut.”

Check the Digital Force Display meter reads zero with

no load.
Carefully load the beam with the hangers in the
positions shown in Figure 4, using the loads indicated in
Table 3. Record the Digital Force Display reading in a
table as in Table 2.
Convert the force reading into a bending moment (in
Nm). Remember;
Bending moment at
= Displayed force  0.125
the cut (in Nm)
Calculate the support reactions (RA and RB) and
calculate the theoretical bending moment at the cut.
Repeat the procedure with the beam loaded as in
Figure 5 and Figure 6.
Comment on how the results of the experiments
compare with those calculated using the theory.

Figure 5 Force diagram

Experimental Theoretical
W1 W2 Force bending moment RA RB bending moment
Figure (N) (N) (N) (N) (N)
(Nm) (Nm)
4 3.92
5 1.96 3.92
6 4.91 3.92

Table 3 Results for Experiment 2

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