THE PAPUA NEW GUINEA UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY

DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL ENGINEERING

CE 211 – INTRODUCTION TO STRUCTURES

BENDING IN BEAMS
ASSIGNMENT # 3 – ANSWER KEY (SOLUTIONS)

Given Date: Monday 29th of April, 2024 Due Date: Friday 10th of May, 2024

Total: 40 Marks

Question 1 (10 Marks)

A horizontal steel girder has a span of 3 m and is built-in at the left-hand end and freely supported
at the other end. It carries a uniformly distributed load of 30 kN/m over the whole span, together
with a single concentrated load of 20 KN at a point 2 m from the left-hand end. The supporting
conditions are such that the reactions at the left-hand end is 65 kN.

a) Determine the bending moment at the left-hand end and draw the B.M. diagram. (5 marks)
b) Give the value of the maximum bending moment. (2 marks)
c) If the girder is 200 mm deep and has a second moment of area of 40 x 10-6 m4 determine
the maximum stress resulting from bending. (3 marks)

Solution:

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Therefore, the maximum bending moment is - 40 kN.m (2 marks)

The Maximum Stress resulting from Bending; (3 marks)

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Question 2 [Composite Beams] (10 Marks)

A 200 mm wide x 300 mm deep timber beam is reinforced by steel plates 200 mm wide x 12 mm
deep on the top and bottom surfaces as shown below in Figure 1. If the maximum allowable
stresses for the steel and timber are 120 MN/m2 and 8 MN/m2 respectively, determine the
maximum bending moment which the beam can safely carry.

For steel E = 200 GN/m2; for timber E = 10 GN/m2.

Figure 1
Solution:
(i) The position of the neutral axis must first be found. Taking first moment of areas
about the top end gives (3 marks)

(ii) Find the moment of inertia of the section about the neutral axis. This can be done
using the Negative Area Method or the Parallel Axes Theorem. (3 marks)

For INA, use the Negative Area Method;

Or you may also use the Parallel Axes Theorem (for 2nd Moment of Area)

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 (iii) Determine the Max. Bending Moment. (4marks)

From simple bending theory,

Maximum moment M, is given by

Additional Notes:

Assuming it’s a simply supported beam with a length of 8 m, we can also determine the
greatest or maximum load, W, it can carry over the span.

Equation for moment for point load, W = M x 4/ L

W = M * 4 / L = 130.237 x 4/ 8 = 65.12 kN

Therefore, the greatest value of load, W, is 65.12 kN

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Question 3 (10 Marks)

A rectangular reinforced concerete beam is 200 mm wide and 350 mm deep to reinforcemnt, the latter
consisting of three 20 mm diameter steel rods. If the following stress are not to be exceeded, calculate:
(a) the maximum bending moment which can be sustained, and
(b) the steel stress and the maximum concrete stress when the section is subjected to this maximum
moment.

Maximum stress in concrete in bending not to exceed 8 MN/m2

Maximum steel stress not to exceed 150 MN/m2
Modular ration m = 15.

Solution:

(i) Calculate the area of steel reinforcement (1 mark)

Diameter of each steel rod = 20 mm
Number of rods = 3

For three rods:

= 942.4778 mm2

(ii) Determine the position of the neutral axis (3 marks)

Moments of area about the N.A

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 (iii) Calculate the moment of resistance (3 marks)
The moment of resistance is then the moment of the couple, therefore, Moment of
Resistance (based on compressive forces,

Moment of Resistance (based on tensile forces)

Thus, the safe moment which the beam can carry within both limiting stress values is
38.49 kN.m., since the larger moment would give a stress greater than the allowed
maximum stress in the other material.

(iv) Verify the stresses in steel and concrete (3 marks)

Use the bending moment and find the stress in the reinforcement.

Since the maximum steel stress is given as 150 MN/m2, and the calculated stress is less that this, it is
within the allowable limits.

Similarly, the maximum concrete stress of 8 MN/m2 is already considered, so no further verification is
needed.

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Question 4 (10 Marks)

A uniform T-section beam is 200 mm wide and 250 mm deep with a flange thickness of 30 mm and a
web thickness of 15 mm. If the limiting bending stresses for the material of the beam are 80 MN/m2 in
compression and 160 MN/m2 in tension, find the maximum u.d.l. that the beam can carry over a simply
supported span of 8 m.

Solution:

(i) The position of the neutral axis must first be found. Taking first moment of areas
about the top end gives (2 marks)

200 x 30 = 6000 x 15 = 90 x 103

15 x 220 = 3,300 x 140 = 462 x 103

9,300 x = 552 x 103 mm4

= 552 x 103 /9,300 = 59.35 mm (from top end)

H1 = 59.35 – 15 = 44.35 mm
H2 = 190.65 –110 = 80.65 mm

(ii) Find the moment of inertia of the section about the neutral axis. This can be done by
considering each rectangle separately as follows; (2 marks)

Top section 1 (200 x 303)/12 + 6000 x 44.352 = 12.251 x 106 mm4

Bottom section 2 (15 x 2203)/12 +3300 x 80.652 = 34.774 x 106 mm4

= 47.026 x 106 mm4

(iii) Determine the maximum compressive stress that will occur on the upper surface
where y = 59.35 mm, and using the limiting compressive stress value provided. (6
marks)

This is the maximum allowable Bending Moment, however, the tensile stress at
the lower surface must be checked.

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 Stress at the lower surface;

Therefore, the greatest moment that can be applied to retain stresses within both
conditions provided is;

But for a simply supported beam with u.d.l.,

Hence the u.d.l. must be limited to 4.933 kN/m.

All the best in your studies!!

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