DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL

ENGINEERING
Strength of Materials (CENG 2102)
CHAPTER 3: STRESSES IN BEAMS

1. Pure Bending – Theory of Pure Bending At the end of this chapter,

2. Expression for Bending Stress students will be able to
3. Neutral Axis and Moment of Resistance – ❑ Develop the Bending and
4. Bending Stress for Various Sections – Shear Stress Distribution for
5. Section Modulus – Section Modulus for Various various cross sections.
Sections
❑ Design the cross section of
6. Shear Stress – Shear Stress Distribution for Various
beam Subjected to Bending,
Sections.
Shear and Torsion.
By SIMON H. April 2024
 Introduction
2

Bending in beams
 3.1 Pure Bending – Theory of Pure Bending
3

Symmetric Member in Pure Bending

• Internal forces in any cross section are equivalent to a
couple. The moment of the couple is the section bending
moment.
• From statics, a couple M consists of two equal and opposite
forces.
• The sum of the components of the forces in any direction is
zero.
• The moment is the same about any axis perpendicular to
the plane of the couple and zero about any axis contained
in the plane.
• These requirements may be applied to the sums of the
components and moments of the statically indeterminate
elementary internal forces.
 3.1 Pure Bending – Theory of Pure Bending
4

Pure vs. Non-Uniform Bending

 Prismatic beams subject to equal and opposite couples acting in the same
plane are in pure bending.
 Pure bending: Shear force (V) = 0 over the section
 Non-uniform bending: V ≠ 0 over the section
Non-uniform bending
• Moment → normal stresses
• Shear force → shear stresses

Pure bending
• Moment → normal stresses
 3.1 Pure Bending – Theory of Pure Bending
5

Assumptions:
 Beam is symmetric about the x – y plane
 All loads act in the x – y plane

Curvature
 Sections originally perpendicular to the
axis of the member remain plane and perpendicular:
“Plane sections remain plane.”
Right angle

 Sign convention
 Positive bending moment:
beam bends towards +y direction
 Negative bending moment:
beam bends towards -y direction
 3.1 Pure Bending – Theory of Pure Bending
6

Bending Deformations

Beam with a plane of symmetry in pure

bending:
• Member remains symmetric
• Bends uniformly to form a circular arc
• cross-sectional plane passes through arc center and
remains planar
• length of top decreases and length of bottom increases
• A neutral surface must exist that is parallel to the upper
and lower surfaces and for which the length does not
change
• Stresses and strains are negative (compressive) above the
neutral plane and positive (tension) below it
 3.1 Pure Bending – Theory of Pure Bending
7

Deformation
 Since angles do not change
(remain plane), there is no
shear stress.
 The top part of the beam contracts
in the axial direction.
 The bottom part of the beam expands
in the axial direction.
 There exists a line in the beam that
remains the same length called the
neutral line.
 Set y = 0 at the neutral line.
 ρ = radius of curvature
 εx < 0 for y > 0 and εx > 0 for y < 0
 3.1 Pure Bending – Theory of Pure Bending
8

Strain Due to Bending

Consider a beam segment of length L.

After deformation, the length of the neutral
surface remains L. At other sections,

L = (  − y )
 = L − L = (  − y ) −  = − y
 y y
x = =− =− (strain varies linearly)
L  
c c
m = or ρ=
 m
y
 x = − m
c
 3.1 Pure Bending – Theory of Pure Bending
9

Strain Due to Bending

Consider a beam segment of length L.
After deformation, the length of the neutral
surface remains L. At other sections,

L = (  − y )
 = L − L = (  − y ) −  = − y
 y y
x = =− =− (strain varies linearly)
L  
c c
m = or ρ=
 m
y
 x = − m
c
• Maximum compressive strain occurs on the upper
surface.
• Maximum tensile strain occurs on the lower surface.
 3.1 Pure Bending – Theory of Pure Bending
10

Deformations in a Transverse Cross Section /Transverse Strain

• Deformation due to bending moment M is quantified by the
curvature of the neutral surface • The curvature is
1 m m
1 Mc the reciprocal of
= = = radius of curvature.
 c Ec Ec I
M
=
EI
• Although cross sectional planes remain planar when
subjected to bending moments, in-plane deformations are
nonzero,
y y
 y = − x =  z = − x =
 

• Expansion above the neutral surface and contraction

below it cause an in-plane curvature,
1 
= = anticlasti c curvature

 
 3.2 Expression for Bending Stress
11

 Bending stress is an expression of the distribution of

internal forces and moments within the beam's cross-
section as it undergoes deformation.
 Bending stress specifically refers to the item's
internal resistance that counteracts a bending
moment.
 3.3 Neutral Axis and Moment of Resistance
12

 The neutral axis of a beam is the line that passes through the centroidal depth
of the beam where no longitudinal stress either compressive or tensile stress or
no strain exists. The neutral axis is represented by a dotted line.
From the neutral axis,
▪ The upper part of the beam is under compressive stress and
▪ The lower part of the neutral axis of the beam is under tensile stress.
 Hence the moment of area of any structure with respect to the neutral axis is
always zero due to this from the neutral axis or centroidal axis for a beam
subjected to the same simple bending moment.
 Moment of resistance is defined as the algebraic sum of moments of internal
forces about the neutral axis of the section.
 For the safety of the structure/section, the externally applied moment should
be less than or equal to the moment of resistance of the section.
 3.4 Bending Stress for Various Sections
13

Normal Stress Due to Bending

• For a linearly elastic material,
y
 x = E x = − E m
c
y
= −  m (stress varies linearly)
c • For static equilibrium,
 y 
• For static equilibrium, M =  (− y x dA) =  (− y ) −  m  dA
y  c 
Fx = 0 =   x dA =  −  m dA   I
c M = m  y 2 dA = m
 c c
0 = − m  y dA Mc M
c m = =
I S
First moment with respect to neutral y
plane is zero. Therefore, the neutral Substituting  x = −  m
c
surface must pass through the section My
centroid. x = −
I
 3.4 Bending Stress for Various Sections
14

 The benefit of the section modulus is that it

characterizes the bending resistance of a cross
section in a single term.
 The section modulus can be substituted into the
flexure formula to calculate the maximum bending
stress in a cross section:
𝑀𝑦
𝑄𝑥 = −
𝐼
𝑀
𝑄𝑚𝑎𝑥 =
𝑆
 3.5 Section Modulus – Section Modulus for Various Sections
15

Beam Section Properties • The maximum normal stress due to bending,

Mc M
m = =
I S
I = section moment of inertia
I
S= = section modulus
c
A beam section with a larger section modulus will
have a lower maximum stress
• Consider a rectangular beam cross section,
1 3
I 12 bh
S= = = 16 bh3 = 16 Ah
c h2
Between two beams with the same cross sectional area,
the beam with the greater depth will be more effective
in resisting bending.
• Structural steel beams are designed to have a large
section modulus.
 Section
Modulus
for
Various
Sections

16
 3.6 Shear Stress – Shear Stress Distribution for Various Sections
17

 The applied shear force will induce shear stress across

transverse section of the beam.
 At each point on a section, the transverse shear stress will
produce a complementary horizontal shear stress.
 The longitudinal shear stresses will balance the variation
of bending stresses along the beam.
 If the bending moment is constant, there is no shear force
and hence no shear stress.
 If there is no variation of bending stress between
successive transverse sections, there can be no
longitudinal shear stresses.
 3.6 Shear Stress – Shear Stress Distribution for Various Sections
18

 Shearing stresses are important, particularly in the design of short, stubby beams.
 Figure below graphically expresses the elementary normal and shearing forces
exerted on a transverse section of a prismatic beam with a vertical plane of
symmetry that are equivalent to the bending couple M and the shearing force V.
 Three more equations involving the shearing forces τxydA and τxzdA now can be
written.
 One equation expresses that the sum of the moments of the shearing forces about the
x-axis is zero and can be dismissed as trivial in view of the symmetry of the beam
with respect to the xy plane.
 The other two involve the y and z components of the elementary forces and are
 3.6 Shear Stress – Shear Stress Distribution for Various Sections
19

• Transverse loading applied to a beam

results in normal and shearing stresses in
transverse sections.

• Distribution of normal and shearing

stresses satisfies
Fx =   x dA = 0 ( )
M x =  y  xz − z  xy dA = 0
Fy =   xy dA = −V M y =  z  x dA = 0
Fz =   xz dA = 0 M z =  (− y  x ) = 0
• When shearing stresses are exerted on the vertical faces
of an element, equal stresses must be exerted on the
horizontal faces

• Longitudinal shearing stresses must exist in any

member subjected to transverse loading.
 3.6 Shear Stress – Shear Stress Distribution for Various Sections
20

Proof
To prove τv = τh
Force acting on a horizontal surface = τh x (ab)
Force acting on a vertical surface = τv x (cb)
Taking moments about anywhere on the front face of the element (e.g. the
centre of it);
τh (ab)c = τv (cb) a
So τv = τh
 3.6 Shear Stress – Shear Stress Distribution for Various Sections
21

shear formula Area= 𝐴′

𝑦ത σ 𝐹𝑥 = 0; ‫ 𝜎 ׬‬′ 𝑑𝐴′ − 𝜎 𝑑𝐴′ − 𝜏 𝑡𝑑𝑥 = 0

𝑡
𝑦′ 𝑀 + 𝑑𝑀 𝑀
න 𝑦 𝑑𝐴′ − න 𝑦 𝑑𝐴′
𝑑𝑥 𝑑𝑥 𝐼 𝐼
− 𝜏 𝑡𝑑𝑥 = 0
𝑑𝑀
න 𝑦 𝑑𝐴′ = 𝜏 𝑡𝑑𝑥
𝐼
Solving for 𝜏,
1 𝑑𝑀
𝜏= න 𝑦 𝑑𝐴′
It 𝑑𝑥
Noting that
𝜎 𝜎 ′ 𝑑𝑀
=𝑉
𝑑𝑥
𝑀 𝑀 + 𝑑𝑀 Q = න 𝑦 𝑑𝐴′ = 𝑦ത 𝐴′
𝜏 𝑦′
shear formula
𝑉𝑄
𝜏=
𝐼𝑡
𝑉𝑄
𝑞 = 𝜏𝑡 =
𝐼
 3.6 Shear Stress – Shear Stress Distribution for Various Sections
22
 3.6 Shear Stress – Shear Stress Distribution for Various Sections
23

Determination of the Shearing Stress in a

Beam
• The average shearing stress on the horizontal
face of the element is obtained by dividing the
shearing force on the element by the area of
the face.
𝑉𝑄
𝜏𝑎𝑣𝑒 =
𝐼𝑡
• On the upper and lower surfaces of the beam,
yx= 0. It follows that xy= 0 on the upper and
lower edges of the transverse sections.
• If the width of the beam is comparable or large
relative to its depth, the shearing stresses at
edges (D1 and D2) are significantly higher than
at the middle ( D.
 3.6 Shear Stress – Shear Stress Distribution for Various Sections
24

Shearing Stresses xy in Common Types of Beams

the distribution of shearing stresses in a transverse section of a rectangular beam is parabolic.

Making y = 0 in Eq. (6.9), we obtain the value of the maximum shearing stress in a given
section of a narrow rectangular beam:
• For American Standard (S-beam)
and wide-flange (W-beam) beams
VQ
 ave =
It
V
 max =
Aweb
 Worked Examples
25

Example 3.1:
 The simply supported beam has a rectangular cross

section 120 mm wide and 200 mm high. Compute

the maximum bending stress in the beam and the
bending stress at a point on section B that is 25 mm
below the top of the beam.
 Worked Examples
26

Solution:
Preliminary Calculations
 The shear force and bending moment diagrams.

• Mmax = +16kNm, occurring at D.

• Because Mmax is positive, the top half of the
cross section is in compression and the bottom
half is in tension.
• The neutral axis (NA) is an axis of symmetry of
the cross section. Due to symmetry of the cross
section about the neutral axis, the maximum
tensile and compressive stresses are equal in
magnitude.
 Worked Examples
27

Solution:…
• The neutral axis (NA) is an axis of symmetry of the cross section.
Due to symmetry of the cross section about the neutral axis, the
maximum tensile and compressive stresses are equal in
magnitude.
• The distance c between the neutral axis and the top (or bottom)
of the cross section is c = 100mm = 0.1m.
• The moment of inertia of the cross section about the neutral axis is

• The maximum bending stress in the beam on the cross section that
carries the largest bending moment, which is the section at D.
 Worked Examples
28

Solution:…
• From Fig. (c) we see that the bending moment at section B is M =
+ 9.28kNm. The y-coordinate of the point that lies 25 mm below
the top of the beam is y = 100-25 = 75mm = 0.075m.
 Worked Examples
29

Example 3.2:
 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.
 Worked Examples
30

Solution:
• Part(a):
• The maximum moment occurs at the support (the
wall) or at x = 6m.

• Part(b):
• At a section 2 m from the free end or at x = 2
m at fiber 20mm from the top of the beam:
 Worked Examples
31

Example 3.3:
 Determine the minimum height h of the beam shown in
figure if the flexural stress is not to exceed 20 MPa.
 Worked Examples
32

Solution:
• SFD and BMD
 Worked Examples
33

Example 3.4:
 The simply supported beam has the T-shaped cross
section as shown in figure. Determine the values and
locations of the maximum tensile and compressive
bending stresses.
 Worked Examples
34

Solution: b) Compute the moment of inertia I about the neutral

a) Find the largest positive
axis.
and negative bending
moment.

The largest positive and negative bending moment are

3200lb·ft and 4000 lb.ft respectively.
 Worked Examples
35

Solution: • Stresses at x = 10 ft: The

c) Maximum Bending stresses
bending moment at this
• The distances from the neutral axis to the top and the section is M=-4000lb.ft,
bottom of the cross section are 𝑐𝑡𝑜𝑝 = 8.8 − 𝑦ത = resulting in tension above the
8.8 − 5.886 = 2.914𝑖𝑛 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑐𝑏𝑜𝑡 = 𝑦ത = neutral axis and compression
5.886𝑖𝑛. below the neutral axis.
• Because these distances are different, we must
investigate stresses at two locations: at x = 4ft (where • The corresponding bending
the largest positive bending moment occurs) and at x stresses at the extremities of
= 10ft (where the largest negative bending moment the cross section are
occurs).
• Stresses at x = 4ft: The bending moment at this section
is M = +3200 lb.ft causing compression above the
neutral axis and tension below the axis. The resulting • Inspecting the above results, we conclude
bending stresses at the top and bottom of the cross that the maximum tensile and compressive
stresses in the beam are
section are
 Worked Examples
36

Example 3.4:
 The cantilever beam is composed of two segments with

rectangular cross sections. The width of the each section is

2in, but the depths are different, as shown in the figure.
Determine the maximum bending stress in the beam.
 Worked Examples
37

Solution: • Comparing the above values, we find that

• Because the cross section of the beam is not the maximum bending stress in the beam
constant, the maximum stress occurs either at is (𝜎𝐵)𝑚𝑎𝑥 = 18000𝑃𝑠𝑖 (𝑜𝑛 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑐𝑟𝑜𝑠𝑠
the section just to the left of MB= - 8000lb.ft) 𝑠𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝑗𝑢𝑠𝑡 𝑡𝑜 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑙𝑒𝑓𝑡 𝑜𝑓 𝐵)
or at the section at D (MD= -16000lb.ft). • This is an example where the maximum
• The section moduli of the two segments are bending stress occurs on a cross section at
the bending moment is not maximum.

• The maximum bending stresses on the two cross

sections of the interest are
 Worked Examples
38

Example 3.4:
 The simply supported beam has the cross-sectional area

shown in figure. Determine the absolute maximum

bending stress in the beam and draw the stress
distribution over the cross section at this location. Also,
what is the stress at point B?
 Worked Examples
39

Solution:
a) Maximum Internal Moment.
• The maximum internal moment in the beam, c) Applying the flexural formula
M = 22.5kNm, occurs at the center, as
indicated on the moment diagram, Fig. c.

• A three-dimensional view of the

stress distribution is shown in Fig. d.
Specifically, at point B, yB= 150 mm,
and so as shown in Fig. d,
b) Section Property.
By reasons of symmetry, the neutral axis passes through
the centroid C at the mid height of the beam, Fig. b. The
area is subdivided into the three parts shown, and the
moment of inertia of each part is calculated about the
neutral axis using the parallel-axis theorem. Choosing to
work in millimeters, we have
 Worked Examples
40

Example 3.5:
 The simply supported wood beam is fabricated by
gluing together three 160mm by 80mm plans as shown
in the figure below. Calculate the maximum shear stress
in the glue and the wood.
 Worked Examples
41

Solution: • Therefore, the shear stress in the

• From the shear force diagram in Fig. (b), the glue, which occurs over either
maximum shear force in the beam is Vmax= support, is
24kN, occurring at the supports. • Because the cross section is
• The moment of inertia of the cross-sectional rectangular, the maximum shear
area of the beam about the neutral axis is stress in the wood can be calculated
by:

• The shear stress is the glue corresponds to the

horizontal shear stress. Its maximum value can
be computed from τmax=VmaxQ/(Ib), where Q is
the first moment of the area A’ shown in Fig.(c);
that is,
 Worked Examples
42

Example 3.6:
 The W12×40 section is used as a beam. If the vertical
shear acting at a certain section of the beam is 16 kips,
determine the following at that section: (a) the minimum
shear stress in the web; (b) the maximum shear stress in
the web; and (c)the percentage of the shear force that
is carried by the web.
 Worked Examples
43
Solution: b) The maximum shear stress is located at the
• The W12×40 section is shown in Fig.(b), where neutral axis, where Q/b is largest. Hence,
the dimensions were obtained from the steel Q is the first moment of the area above
section tables. The drawing approximates the (or below) the neutral axis.
web and the flanges by rectangles, thereby • The moment of A1’ was calculated in part
ignoring the small fillets and rounded corners (a). The moment of A2’ about the neutral
present in the actual section. The tables also axis is where
list the moment of inertia of the section about
the neutral axis as I = 310in4.
a) The minimum shear stress in the web occurs at the
junction with the flange, where Q/b is smallest
(note that b = 0.295in is constant within the web).
• Q is the first moment of the area A1’ shown in
Fig.(b) about the neutral axis:

• The minimum shear stress in thus becomes

 Worked Examples
44

c) Percentage of the shear force  The result confirms that the flanges are
carried by the web. ineffective in resisting the vertical shear

 The distribution of the shear stress in  Note that for wide flanges (W-shapes),
the web is shown in Fig.(c).The shear we can use 𝜏𝑚𝑎𝑥 = 𝑉⁄𝐴𝑤𝑒𝑏 as a rough
force carried by the web is approximation for the maximum shear
stress.
 Vweb= (cross section area of web) ×
(area of shear diagram)
 The shear stress distribution is
parabolic. Recalling that the area of
a parabola is (2/3) (base× height).  Which differs from τmax= 4890 psi
computed in Part (b) by less than 2%.
 Worked Examples
45

 Example 3.7:
 Worked Examples
46

Solution:
47

Any Question?

Thank you!