Bachelor of Science (Engineering)

BSC103C
Engineering Dynamics and Mechanics
Topic 9.1
Bending, Deflection and Shear Stresses in
Beams

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 Stresses in beams Topic 9
9.1 Deflection of beams by superposition and the equations for deflection, slope,
and bending moment
9.2 Buckling
9.3 Trusses

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 Deflection of Beams
• Deflection of beams happens when the axis of the
intended beam gets deflected by means of applied
forces.

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 Methods to find deflection
• A beam deflection can be determined accurately by the
following methods:

– Integration method
– Area-moment method
– Conjugate-beam method
– Macaulay's method
– Method of superposition

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 Types of Beams

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 Bending or Flexure
• Bending is a characteristic of any slender mechanical
element where it deforms perpendicular to the
longitudinal axis on the application of load.
• In the following figure, 𝜌 is the radius of curvature of
bending.

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 Assumptions in beam deflection
The following assumptions are made
• Stress is always proportional to strain so that Hooks law
applies. Thus, the equation is valid only for beams that are
stressed within the elastic limit.

• The radius of curvature is always small compared to the

length of the beam.

• Any deflection resulting from the shear stresses or shear

deformation in the material of the beam is neglected

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 Method of Superposition
Deflections for a series of separate loadings acting on a beam may be
superimposed. For example, if v1 is the deflection for one load and v2 is
the deflection for another load, the total deflection for both loads acting
together is the algebraic sum v1 + v2 . Using tabulated results for various
beam loadings, such as the ones found in various engineering
handbooks, it is therefore possible to find the slope and displacement at a
point on a beam subjected to several different loadings by algebraically
adding the effects of its various component parts.

The following examples illustrate how to use the method of superposition

to solve deflection problems.

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 Method of Superposition
Example Simply supported beam
Determine the displacement at C (EI is constant)

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 Method of Superposition
Example: A Cantilever beam is 4m long and has a point load of 5kN at
the free end. EI = 53.3 MN/m2. Calculate the deflection at the free end

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 Stresses in beams Topic 9
9.1 Deflection of beams by superposition and the equations for deflection, slope,
and bending moment
9.2 Buckling
9.3 Trusses

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 Bachelor of Science (Engineering)

BSC103C
Engineering Dynamics and Mechanics
Topic 9.2
Bending, Deflection and Shear Stresses in
Beams

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 Stresses in beams Topic 9
9.1 Deflection of beams by superposition and the equations for deflection, slope,
and bending moment
9.2 Buckling
9.3 Trusses

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 Buckling of Columns
Whenever a member is designed, it is necessary that it satisfy specific
strength, deflection, and stability requirements. So far, we have
discussed some of the methods used to determine a member’s strength
and deflection, while assuming that the member was always in stable
equilibrium. Some members, however, may be subjected to
compressive loadings, and if these members are long and slender the
loading may be large enough to cause the member to deflect laterally or
sideways. To be specific, long slender members subjected to an axial
compressive force are called columns , and the lateral deflection that
occurs is called buckling . Quite often the buckling of a column can lead
to a sudden and dramatic failure of a structure or mechanism, and as a
result, special attention must be given to the design of columns so that
they can safely support their intended loadings without buckling.

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 Buckling of Columns
• This topic of Buckling is primarily
concerned with the buckling of slender
columns which support compressive loads
in structures.
• First, the critical axial load which indicates
the onset of buckling is defined.
• Stable, neutral, and unstable equilibrium
conditions are described for these
idealized rigid structures.
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 Buckling of Columns
• We will consider specifically the buckling of
columns, which are long, slender structural
members loaded axially in compression. If
a compression member is relatively
slender, it may deflect laterally and fail by
bending rather than failing by direct
compression of the material.

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 Buckling of Columns
• You can demonstrate this behaviour by
compressing a plastic ruler or other
slender object.
• When lateral bending occurs, we say that
the column has buckled.
• Under an increasing axial load, the lateral
deflections will increase too, and
eventually the column will collapse
completely.

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 Buckling of Columns
• Buckling can occur in many kinds of
structures and can take many forms.
When you step on the top of an empty
aluminium can, the thin cylindrical walls
buckle under your weight and the can
collapses.
• When a large bridge collapsed a few
years ago, investigators found that failure
was caused by the buckling of a thin steel
plate that wrinkled under compressive
stresses.
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 The maximum axial load that a column can support when it
is on the verge of buckling is called the critical load , Pcr

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 Critical Load

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 Critical Load

Critical load of a column is proportional

to the flexural rigidity EI and inversely
proportional to the square of the
length. Of particular interest is the fact
that the strength of the material itself
does not appear in the equation for the
critical load.

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 Buckling of Columns
• Pcr can only be raised by:
• increasing the flexural rigidity (EI)
• reducing the length
• or providing additional lateral
support. .

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 Effective Length
• Different supports at the ends of columns
affect the buckling load
• Critical load

• becomes

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 Effective Length
• Different supports at the ends of columns
affect the buckling load

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 Buckling of Columns summary
• When the axial load is less than the critical load
(Pcr), the structure is in equilibrium when it is
perfectly straight. Because the equilibrium is
stable, the structure returns to its initial position
after being disturbed.
• When the axial load is greater than the critical
load (Pcr), the structure is still in equilibrium
when it is straight, but the equilibrium is unstable
and cannot be maintained. The slightest
disturbance will cause the structure to buckle.

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•
Buckling of Columns summary
The three equilibrium conditions are analogous to those of a ball placed upon a smooth
surface If the surface is concave upward, like the inside of a dish, the equilibrium is stable
and the ball always returns to the low point when disturbed. If the surface is convex
upward, like a dome, the ball can theoretically be in equilibrium on top of the surface, but
the equilibrium is unstable and in reality, the ball rolls away. If the surface is perfectly flat,
the ball is in neutral equilibrium and remains wherever.

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 References :
MECHANICS OF MATERIALS NINTH EDITION
R. C. HIBBELER published by Prentice Hall

Mechanics of Materials, Seventh Edition

James M. Gere and Barry J. Goodno
published by Cengage Learning

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 Stresses in beams Topic 9
9.1 Deflection of beams by superposition and the equations for deflection, slope,
and bending moment
9.2 Buckling
9.3 Trusses

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 Bachelor of Science (Engineering)
BSC103C
Engineering Dynamics and Mechanics
Topic 9.3 Trusses
Bending Moment and Shear Force in Beams

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 Stresses in beams Topic 9
9.1 Deflection of beams by superposition and the equations for deflection, slope,
and bending moment
9.2 Buckling
9.3 Trusses

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 Trusses:

• The members of a pin-jointed

frame are therefore subject to
axial forces only, which can be
either tensile or compressive.

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Member
Supports

Introduction to Pin-Jointed
Frames TRUSSES
• A pin-jointed frame is a rigid structure
built up of rods or bars (called
members), attached to each other only
at their ends. These points where the
members are attached are called joints
or nodes.

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 Representation of Joints
• Although in practice the joints are
formed by bolting or welding, for the
purpose of analysis the members are
considered to be pinned together similar
to a hinge pinning a door to its frame.

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 Analysis of
Trusses
• Introduction
• The discussion on Trusses will be limited to pin-jointed frames, in
other words frames where the connections between members are
considered to be hinges (or pins), and thus cannot transfer
moments to the members.
• The members of a pin-jointed frame are therefore subject to axial
forces only, which can be either tensile or compressive.
• All external loads are applied at the nodes of the frame. Many
frames in practice, of which a roof trusses is a typical case in point,
approximate to these conditions.
• Pin-jointed frames may be either plane frames or space frames. In
plane frames all the members are in one plane (usually the vertical
plane) and in space frames the frame is three-dimensional.
• The term analysis of frames refers to the process of determining
the axial forces in members, and also whether they are tensile
(ties) or compressive (struts).

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 Statically Determinate Plane
Frames
• A frame is statically determinate if it can
be solved by using the three laws of
static equilibrium, viz.

• ΣH=0
• ΣV=0
• ΣM=0

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A Truss must
be statically
determinate
and stable

More on next slide

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 A Truss must be
statically determinate
and stable

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 Calculation of Member Forces in a Truss
• In order to choose the size of the members
needed to construct a pin-jointed frame it is
essential that the magnitude as well as the
sense of the forces in the members of the
frame be known. The methods used to
calculate these are:
• Resolution of joints:
– Analytically
– Graphically
• Method of sections
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 Resolution of Joints
Example

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 Method of Sections

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 Method of
Sections: step by
step
• It is normally necessary to start by determining the horizontal and vertical
components of the reactions at the supports. This step is not required if the
support reactions are not part of the part-frame under consideration
• Draw a straight cut line through the frame such that it cuts through the
member(s) in which the force is required. It is sometimes inevitable for this
cut line to bisect members which are not of concern.
• An important requirement of this cut line is that it must separate the frame
into two portions while not passing through more than three unresolved
members .
• Considering the part of the frame either to the left or right hand side of the
cut line, draw the free body diagram assuming the unknown forces in the
cut member to be tensile
• Apply the conditions of equilibrium to the free body diagram and thus solve
the unknown forces. If the forces thus calculated are positive the initial
assumption of tension in the member is confirmed and vice versa if
negative

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Method of Sections Example

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 End of Topic 9

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