Moment of Inertia

- Second moment of area

Definition:
I =∫ ρ dA
2

x
dA

r
y

I X =∫ y dA
2

I Y =∫ x dA
2

Polar Moment of Inertia, JZ

J Z =∫ r 2 dA=∫ ( x 2+ y 2 ) dA
J Z =I X + I Y

Radius of Gyration, K

A
Area A,
k squeezed into a
strip

Transfer Formula for Moment of Inertia

k=
√ I
A
 dA
y
xo
c.g.

x
I X =∫ ( y+ d ) dA=∫ ( y +2 yd +d ) dA
2 2 2

I X =∫ y dA +2 d ∫ ydA +d ∫ dA=I X + A d
2 2 2

Moment of Inertia of Composite Area

When a composite area can be divided into geometric elements for which the
moments of inertia are known, the moment of inertia for the composite area is the sum
of the moments of inertia for the separate elements.
Before the moments of inertia of the elements can be added, However they must
all be found with respect to the same axis, using the transfer formula when necessary.

I X = ∑ I X + ∑ A y 2= ∑ ( I X + A y 2)
I Y =∑ I Y + ∑ A x 2=∑ ( I Y + A x 2)

x3

x2
x1

A3

y3
A1
A2
y1
y2

I X =∑ ( I X + A y 2 ) =I 1 X + I 2 X −I 3 X
I X =( I X 1 + A 1 y12 ) + ( I X 2 + A 2 y 22 ) −( I X 3 + A 3 y 32 )
I Y =∑ ( I Y + A x 2 ) =I 1 Y + I 2 Y −I 3 Y
I Y =( I Y 1 + A1 x 12 ) + ( I Y 2 + A2 x 22 ) −( I Y 3+ A 3 x 32 )
Derive the centroidal moment of inertia

()
2
1 ( ) ( )3 2 1 3 h 1 3 1 3 1 3
I X= b h + A y = ( b ) ( h ) +( b x h ) = ( b ) ( h) + ( b) (h) = ( b ) ( h)
12 12 2 12 4 3

Example 1: Determine the moment of inertia about its centroidal Xo axis.

Solution: 6
2
A=A 1 + A 2=2 ( 6 )+6 (2 )=12+12=24 unit
2
A y= A 1 y 1 + A2 y 2
24 y =12 ( 7 )+ 12 ( 3 )
84 +36
y= =5
24
6

1 1
I Xo =( I X 1 + A1 y 1 ) + ( I X 2 + A2 y 2 ) =
2 2
( 6 ) ( 2 )3 +12 ( 2 )2+ ( 2 ) ( 6 )3 +12 ( 2 )2=4+ 48+36+ 48=136 unit 4
12 12
Example 2: Blocks of wood are glued together to form the shaded section shown in the figure.
Find the moment of inertia of the shaded section about its horizontal and vertical centroidal
axes.

Required: moment of inertia of the shaded section

about its horizontal and vertical centroidal axes

Solution:

I X=
1
12
1
[
( b ) ( h )3+ A y 2= ( 9 ) ( 8 )3 + ( 9 x 8 )( 0 )2−2
12
1
12 ]
( 3 ) (6 )3 + ( 3 x 6 )( 0 )2 =276.00 ¿4

IY=
1
12
1
[
( h ) ( b )3 + A x 2= ( 8 ) ( 9 )3 + ( 9 x 8 )( 0 )2−2
12
1
12
)( ) ]
( 6 ) ( 3 )3+ ( 3 x 6 2 2 =315.00 ¿ 4

Example 3: The short legs of four 6 x 4 x1/2inch angles are connected to a web plate 23
½ inch by 5/16 inch to form the plate and angle girder shown in the figure. Compute the
value of I X .

Required: I X

Solution:

I X =I X + A y 2=4 [ 6.3+4.75 ( 12−0.99 )2 ]+

[ ( )
1 5
12 16
( 23.5 )3 +
5
16 ( ) ]
x 23.5 ( 0 )2 =2666.35 ¿4
Example 4: Find the moment of inertia about the centroidal Y axis for the shaded area
shown in the figure

1 2
A1= ( 6 ) ( 4 )=12inches
2
2
A2=4 ( 4 ) =16 inches
2
π (4 )
A3 = =4 π=12.57 inches 2
4
2
A=A 1 + A 2− A 3=12+16−12.57=15.43 inches

A x= A1 x 1+ A 2 x 2− A3 x 3

15.43 x=12 ( 4 )+ 16 ( 6+2 )−4 π 10− ( 4 ( 4)

3π )
x=4.64∈¿

1 1 π
I Yo=( I Y 1 + A1 x12 ) + ( I Y 2 + A 2 x22 ) −( I Y 3 + A 3 x 32 )= ( 4 )( 6 )3+ 12 ( 0.64 )2 + ( 4 )( 4 )3 +16 ( 8−4.64 )2− ( 4 ) 4−4
36 12 16

Example 5: determine the moment of inertia of the I – section shown in the figure about
its centroidal Xo axis.

2
A1=12 ( 1 )=12 inches
2
A2=1 ( 12 )=12 inches
2
A3 =6 ( 1 )=6 inches
2
A=A 1 + A 2 + A3=12+12+6=30 inches

A y= A 1 y 1 + A2 y 2+ A 3 y3
30 y=12 ( 0.5 ) +12 ( 7 ) +6 ( 13.5 )
y=5.7 inches

I Xo =( I X 1 + A1 y 12) + ( I X 2 + A2 y 22) + ( I X 3 + A3 y 32 )=
[ 1
12 ][
(12 )( 1 )3 +12 ( 5.2 )2 +
1
12 ][
( 1 )( 12 )3 +12 ( 7−5.7 )2 +
1
12
( 6) ( 1
Name:
Course, Yr & Section:

Find the moment of inertia about the centroidal X axis, x and y axis for the shaded area
shown in the figure

Transfer Formula for Product of Inertia

 y

dA
x’ ’
’
y’
’

P XY =P XY + A x y
P XY =∫ x y dA
+1 +1

P XY =product of inertia with respect ¿ centroidal axis

x , y =coordinates of the centroids relative ¿ the x∧ y axes

u
dA
x ’

u v

I X =∫ y dA P XY =∫ xydA
2

I Y =∫ x dA I U =∫ v dA
2 2
I V =∫ u dA PUV =∫ uvdA
2

Given: IX, IY & PXY

(I +I
2 )( I −I
)
I U = X Y + X Y cos 2 α−P XY sin 2 α
2

I V= (
I X+ I Y
2 )(
−
I X −I Y
2 )
cos 2 α + P XY sin 2 α

Check
I X + I Y =I U + I V
I X −I Y
PUV = sin 2 α + P XY cos 2 α
2

Maximum and Minimum Moments

I max=
I X + IY
2
+ ( ) √( ) I X −I Y 2
2
+ ( P XY )
2

=( ) √ 2 ) +(P
− (
2
I +I
X Y X I −IY 2
I min
2 XY )

Mohr’s Circle for Moment of Inertia

Procedure (rule)
1. On a set of rectangular coordinate axes choose one axis on which to plot
numerical values of moments of inertia, and the other on which to plot products
of inertia, call these I and P axes. Plot points having coordinates (I x, Pxy) and (Iy, -
Pxy). The values for Ix, Iy, and Pxy are assured to be already known.

2. Join the points just plotted by a straight line. This line is the diameter of Mohr’s
circle having its center on I coordinate axes. Draw the circle.

3. As different axes are pass through the selected points in the given area, the
values of I and P relative to these axes are represented by the coordinates of
points whose positions shift around the circumference of Mohr’s circle.

4. The radius between any two radii on Mohr’s circle is double the actual angle
between the two axes of inertia represented by these two radii. The rotational
sense of this angle corresponds to the actual angle between the axes i.e. if the U
– axis of inertia is located at a counter clockwise angle α relative to the x axis of
inertia, then on Mohr’s circle, u radius is laid off as a counter clockwise angle 2 α
from the x radius
 +P u-axis

x-axis

+I
O C

R
B
y-axis

v-axis

I X+ I Y
OC =
2
Example:

12”

6”

21
I X =I X + A y = (12 )( 6 )3+ (12 x 6 ) (3 )2=216+648=864 ¿ 4
12
2 1 3 2 4
I Y =I Y + A x = ( 6 ) ( 12 ) + ( 12 x 6 ) ( 6 ) =864 +2592=3456 ¿
12
4
P XY =P XY + Axy=0+ ( 12 x 6 )( 6 )( 3 )=1296 ¿

α =30 ; 2 α =60

I U=( I +2 I )+( I −I2 ) cos 2 α −P

X Y X Y
XY sin 2 α = ( 864+23456 )+( 864−3456
2 ) cos 60−1296 sin 60=2160−648
Mohr’s Circle
A ( I X , P XY ) =A ( 864 , 1296 )
B ( I Y ,−P XY )=B ( 3456 ,−1296 )

+P u-axis

x-axis

+I
O C

y-axis

v-axis

I X + I Y 864 +3456
OC = = =2160
2 2
√ 2
2 R= ( I X −I Y ) + ( 2 P XY )
2

1
R= √ ( 864−3456 ) + ( 2 x 1296 ) =1832.82
2 2
2

( ) √( )
I max=
I X + IY
2
+
I X −I Y 2
2
2
+ ( P XY ) =OC + R=2160+1832.82=3992.82 inches
4

I =( ) √
− (
2 )
2
I +I X Y I −I X Y 2 4
min + ( P ) =OC −R=2160−1832.82=327.18inches
XY
2

θ=sin (
R )
=sin (
1832.82 )
P
−1 XY 1296
−1
=45
4
I U =OC−RCos ( 2 α −θ )=2160−1832.82 cos ( 60−45 )=389.63 inches