CE 103

Mechanics of Solids- 1

Lecture 6 : Stresses in Beams

Dr. Banat Gul / Associate Professor,

Department of Basic Sciences, Military College of Engineering (MCE),
National University of Science & Technology(NUST), Islamabad, Pakistan.
 Outlines

➢Introduction
➢Assumptions
➢Derivation of flexural formula
➢Related Problems
➢Most Economical Section
➢Problems

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 STRESSES IN BEAMS
◼ Forces and couples acting on the beam cause
bending (flexural stresses) and shearing stresses
on any cross section of the beam and deflection
perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the
beam.
◼ If forces produce the bending, the bending is
called ordinary bending.
◼ If couples are applied to the ends of the beam
and no forces act on it, the bending is said to
be pure bending.
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 STRESSES IN BEAMS

◼ The non uniform , normal stresses produced in a beam

due to bending moment are known as flexural stresses
or bending stresses.
◼ The shear stresses produced in a beam due to the
shear force are also non uniform.

➢ Beams-------------Carry Transverse load.

➢ These transverse loading induces “Shear Force” and “ Bending
Moment” in a beam.
Two type of stresses in a beam are produced due to above induced loads
i.e.
1) Shear Stresses : Due to SF in a beam
2) Flexural Stresses : Due to BM in a beam.
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BENDING (Flexure)

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 ASSUMPTIONS - STRESSES IN BEAMS
◼ All cross sections of the beam remain plane and perpendicular

to its longitudinal axis during deformation.

◼ The material in the beam is homogeneous & obeys Hooke’s law.

◼ The moduli of elasticity for tension and compression are equal.

◼ The beam is initially straight and of constant cross section.

◼ The plane of loading must contain a principal axis of the beam

cross section and the loads must be perpendicular to the

longitudinal axis of the beam.

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 FLEXURE FORMULA
◼ Stresses caused by the bending moment are
known as flexural or bending stresses.

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 FLEXURE FORMULA
◼ Stresses caused by the bending moment are
known as flexural or bending stresses.

Consider a beam loaded as shown in the figure Consider a differential

element abcd of length dx .

The exaggerated view of this element is shown (next slide)

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FLEXURE FORMULA

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 FLEXURE FORMULA

From the “plane section remains

plane”, the sections a’b and c’d
after bending are plane.
Let fiber ef is the neutral fiber
(N.A).

As the element is differential, it may

be assumed that element will bend
about a center of curvature “
After bending, the relative rotation
of “ab” with respect to “bc” is “dθ”
𝜌 is the radius of curvature.
For differential length dx, the length
of chord may be taken equal to the
length of the arc, i.e.

dx = 𝜌 d θ
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 FLEXURE FORMULA
Now consider a fiber gh at a
distance y from the neutral axis.
Length of fiber gh before bending
= gh= ef= 𝜌 d θ
Length of fiber after bending
g’h’ = (𝜌 +y) d θ

Change in length of fiber = 𝜹,

𝜹 = g’h’ - gh
𝜹 = (𝜌 +y)d θ - 𝜌 d θ = y d θ

Strain in fiber,
Є =𝜹/(𝜌 d θ) = y d θ/(𝜌d θ) = y/𝜌

Using Hook’s Law, σ = E Є = Ey/𝜌

σ = Ey/𝜌 ---------- (Eqn.-A)
At N.A, y=0 , so σ = 0.
Above Equation indicates that the
stresses varies linearly with 11
distance from neutral axis
 FLEXURE FORMULA
Now consider a differential area dA on
the cross section as shown.

The force dF on the differential area is

dF = σdA = (Ey/𝜌)dA

Now applying the equilibrium

condition,
ΣFx = 0
∫dF = 0 , ∫ (Ey/𝜌)dA = 0 , (E/𝜌)∫ydA = 0
As E/𝜌 can not be equal to zero,
therefore,
∫y dA = 0 ---------- (Eqn. B)
ydA is the first moment of area about
the neutral axis.

First moment of area is zero only about the

centroidal axis, which means
“The neutral axis coincides with the centroidal
axis of the section” 12
 FLEXURE FORMULA
Apply moment equilibrium condition
ΣMz = 0
Mz + ∫(dF y) = 0 ,

Mz = - ∫(dF y) , where dF = (Ey/𝜌)dA

Mz = -(E/𝜌) ∫ y2dA
y2dA is the 2nd moment of area (moment of
inertia) of the section about the z axis Iz
therefore
Mz = -(E/𝜌)Iz --------- (Eqn. C)
Using Eqn. A , σ = Ey/𝜌 , Eqn.C can be
written as
Mz = -(σ/y)Iz
Rearranging
σ = -(Mz/Iz)y ----------(Eqn. D)
This is the required flexural formula.
The formula indicates that the flexural stress
directly proportional to the distance from
centroidal axis, i.e., the stress will be zero at
the centroidal axis and maximum in the outer 13

most fiber
 FLEXURE FORMULA
σ = -(Mz/Iz)y ----------(Eqn. D)
This is the required flexural formula.
Sometimes Notation fb will be used for
bending stress instead of σ.

fb = σ = -(Mz/Iz)y
If “c” is the distance of outer most fiber from
the centroidal axis, then maximum stress is
fmax = -(Mz/Iz)c

M/I = σ/y = E/𝜌 (Bending Equation)

M/I = fb /y = E/𝜌

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 SECTION MODULUS FLEXURE FORMULA
If “c” is the distance of outer most fiber from
the centroidal axis, then maximum stress is
σMax = -(Mz/Iz)c
σMax = -Mz/(I z/c)

(I z/c) is known as elastic section modulus

and is denoted by “S” i.e., S z = (I z/c)
σMax = -Mz/S z --------------- (Eqn. E)
Section modulus indicates the moment
capacity of a section.
The elastic moment capacity (yielding
capacity) of section is given by
My= σySz ----------------(Eqn. F)

For rectangular section, Iz= bh3/12 and c = h/ 2,

Therefore, S z = (I z/c)
S z = {(bh3/12 )/ (h/ 2)}
S z = bh2/6
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 STRESSES IN BEAMS
EXAMPLE
Determine the absolute maximum bending stress in the 2-in.-
diameter shaft which is subjected to the concentrated forces.
The journal bearings at A and B only support vertical forces.

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 STRESSES IN BEAMS
EXAMPLE : SOLUTION

The FBD of the shaft is shown in Fig. a.

The shear and moment diagrams are shown in
Fig. b and c, respectively.

As indicated on the moment diagram,

Max moment = 15000 lb.in

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 STRESSES IN BEAMS
EXAMPLE : SOLUTION

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 STRESSES IN BEAMS
Self Assessment

Determine the smallest allowable diameter of the shaft

which is subjected to the concentrated forces. The
journal bearings at A and B only support vertical
forces. The allowable bending stress is = 22 ksi.

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 STRESSES IN BEAMS
Self Assessment
The beam has a rectangular cross section as shown.
Determine the largest load P that can be supported on its
overhanging ends so that the bending stress does not
exceed 10 MPa.

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 Problem # 504 (Flexure)

A simply supported beam, 2-in wide by 4-in high and 12-

ft long is subjected to a concentrated load of 2000 lb at a
point 3-ft from one of the supports. Determine the
maximum fiber stress and the stress in a fiber located
0.5in from the top of the beam at midspan.

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 STRESSES IN BEAMS
Problem # 504: Solution

As indicated on the moment diagram,

Max moment = 4500 lb.ft = 4500(12) lb.in

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 STRESSES IN BEAMS
Problem # 504: Solution

Stress in a fiber located 0.5 in from

the top of the beam at midspan

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 STRESSES IN BEAMS
Problem # 503
A cantilever beam, 50 mm wide by 150 mm high and 6 m
long, carries a load that varies uniformly from zero at the free
end to 1000 N/m at the wall.
(a) Compute the magnitude and location of the maximum
flexural stress.
(b) Determine the type and magnitude of the stress in a fiber
20 mm from the top of the beam at a section 2 m from the
free end.

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 STRESSES IN BEAMS
Problem # 503: Solution

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 STRESSES IN BEAMS
Problem # 503: Solution
The maximum moment occurs at the
support or at x = 6 m.

The magnitude of the maximum flexural stress

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 STRESSES IN BEAMS
Problem # 503: Solution
(b) Determine the type and magnitude of the stress in a
fiber 20 mm from the top of the beam at a section 2 m from
the free end.

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 STRESSES IN BEAMS

Problem # 505 (Flexure)

A high strength steel band saw, 20 mm
wide by 0.80 mm thick, runs over
pulleys 600 mm in diameter.
What maximum flexural stress is
developed?
What minimum diameter pulleys can be
used without
exceeding a flexural stress of 400 MPa?
Assume E = 200 GPa.
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 STRESSES IN BEAMS
Problem # 505: Solution

What maximum flexural stress is

developed? Assume E = 200 GPa.

ρ is the radius of curvature

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 STRESSES IN BEAMS
Problem # 505: Solution
What minimum diameter pulleys can be
used without exceeding a flexural stress of
400 MPa?
Assume E = 200 GPa.

ρ is the radius of curvature 32

 SECTION MODULUS - FLEXURE FORMULA

the ratio I/c is called the section modulus and is usually

denoted by S with units of mm3 (in3). The maximum bending
stress may then be written as

Section modulus is geometric property for a given cross

section. It is of significant importance in designing of beams
and is a direct measure of strength of beam.
The values of S are available in handbooks for a wide range of
standard structural shapes, e.g:-
• For rectangle, S = bh2/6
• For circle, S = Πr3/4 = Πd3/32
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 ECONOMIC SECTIONS
◼ From the flexure formula , it can be seen
that the bending stress at the neutral axis, where
y=0, is zero and increases linearly outwards.
◼ This means that for a rectangular or circular section
a large portion of the cross section near the middle
section is under-stressed.
◼ For steel beams or composite beams, instead of
adopting the rectangular shape, the area may be
arranged so as to give more area on the outer fibers
and maintaining the same overall depth, and saving
a lot of weight.
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 ECONOMIC SECTIONS

When using a wide flange or I-beam section for long

beams, the compression flanges tend to buckle
horizontally sidewise. This buckling is a column effect,
which may be prevented by providing lateral support
such as a floor system so that the full allowable
stresses may be used, otherwise the stress should be
reduced. 35
 STRESSES IN BEAMS
Problem # 507

In a laboratory test of a beam loaded by end couples, the

fibers at layer AB in Fig. are found to increase 60 × 10–3
mm whereas those at CD decrease 100 × 10–3 mm in the
200-mm-gage length. Using E = 70 GPa, determine the
flexural stress in the top and bottom fibers.

45 mm
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 STRESSES IN BEAMS
Problem # 507: Solution

165
 STRESSES IN BEAMS
Problem # 507: Solution

165

(45+30)
 STRESSES IN BEAMS
Problem # 507: Solution

165

(165-x)
(45+30) (165-45)
0.16
 STRESSES IN BEAMS
Problem # 507: Solution

165

0.16
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 STRESSES IN BEAMS
Problem # 508:

Determine the minimum height h of the beam shown in Fig. if

the flexural stress is not to exceed 20 MPa.

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 STRESSES IN BEAMS
Problem # 508: Solution

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 STRESSES IN BEAMS
Problem # 508: Solution

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 STRESSES IN BEAMS
Problem # 508: Solution

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 STRESSES IN BEAMS

SELF ASSESEMENT

Consider the given loaded overhanging beam. If d = 450

mm, determine the absolute maximum bending stress in the
beam. ,
 SELF PRACTICE QUESTIONS

Problem # 511, 513, 526, 535, 549, 556

Problem # 6-75 , 6-73 , 6-101, 6-103

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