© Vocational Training Council

Hong Kong Institute

of
Vocational Education

香港專業教育學院

HD in Civil Engineering

(EG114101)

Notes :
Structural
1. The result of this examination will not be
counted if you do not meet the minimum
Mechanics
attendance requirement governed by the
General Academic Regulations of your
(CON4331)
programme unless approval from the
Campus Principal has been granted.
2. This paper consists of TEN (10) pages
including this cover page.
3. This question paper contains FIVE (5)
questions. AY 2015/16
4. Answer any FOUR (4) questions. Semester 2
5. ALL questions carry EQUAL marks. Examination
6. Start each question on a new page.
7. All calculation must be clearly shown step
by step. 5th May 2016
8. The use of calculators not included in the 1:30 pm – 3:30 pm
Approved List is prohibited.
9. All symbols have their usual meaning
unless otherwise defined.
10. The following materials will be provided
separately:
(a) Graph paper; and
(b) Supplementary sheet.

Structural Mechanics (CON4331) Page 1 of 10

AY 2015/2016 Semester 2 Examination [EG114101/1] FT
© Vocational Training Council

Q.1 A simply supported beam has a pinned support at B and a roller support at E as
shown in Figure Q1. The beam is subjected to two point loads at A and C, and
a uniformly distributed load on segment DEF.

(a) Find the reactions at supports B and E. (5 marks)

(b) Draw the shear force diagram for the beam. (7 marks)

(c) Draw the bending moment diagram for the beam. (10 marks)

(d) Sketch the deflected shape of the beam. (3 marks)

Figure Q1

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Q.2 (a) Figure Q2(a) shows the cross-section of a beam with centroidal axes at X-X
and Y-Y.

(i) Calculate the distance Yc measured from the top of the section. (4 marks)

(ii) Calculate the moment of inertia (Ixx) of the section about X-X axis.
(6 marks)

(iii) Calculate the moment of inertia (Iyy) of the section about Y-Y axis.
(3 marks)

Figure Q2(a)

(b) A cantilevered beam is subjected to a point load and a uniformly distributed

load as shown in Figure Q2(b). Determine the deflection of the beam at
point C due to the applied loads. Given that the flexural rigidity (EI) of the
beam is 200,000 kNm2. (12 marks)

25 kN
8 kN/m

A B C
3m 3m

Figure Q2(b)

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AY 2015/2016 Semester 2 Examination [EG114101/1] FT
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Q.3 A simply supported beam is subjected to a uniformly distributed load of w

kN/m as shown in Figure Q3(a) and its cross section is shown in Figure Q3(b).

20 mm

x x
w kN/m 260 mm

A B
20 mm
5m
20 mm 20 mm
Figure Q3(a)
160 mm

Figure Q3(b)

(a) Calculate the reactions at supports A and B. (2 marks)

(b) Draw the bending moment diagram for the beam. (3 marks)

(c) Determine its moment of inertia Ixx about the neutral axis x-x. (3 marks)

(d) If the maximum permissible bending stresses of the beam material is 250
N/mm2, calculate the uniformly distributed load of w kN/m that the beam
can carry. (3 marks)

(e) Sketch the shear stress distribution across the section of the beam at the
location with a shear force of 25 kN. (14 marks)

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AY 2015/2016 Semester 2 Examination [EG114101/1] FT
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Q.4 A truss shown in Figure Q4 has a pinned support at D and a roller support at A,
and it is subjected to point loads of 100 kN and 50 kN at B and F respectively.

(a) Find the reactions at supports A and D. (5 marks)

(b) Determine the member force in each member by calculation and / or

inspection. Indicate whether the members are in tension or compression by
adopting the sign convention “+ve sign” for tensile and “-ve sign” for
compressive force. (20 marks)

Insert the member forces into the attached Answer Sheet on Page 10 of this
paper and submit it together with your answer book.

E F
50 kN

4m

A D
B C
100 kN

3m 6m 3m

Figure Q4

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AY 2015/2016 Semester 2 Examination [EG114101/1] FT
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Q.5 (a) A 2 m-long steel bar ABC is fixed at supports A and C, and it is subjected to a
torsional moment (T) of 6 kNm as shown in Figure Q5(a). The diameters of
segments AB and BC are 300 mm and 200 mm respectively. Segment AB and
BC are rigidly jointed at B. Given that the Shear Modulus (G) is 90 GPa.

(i) Determine the support reactions at the supports A and C. (10 marks)

(ii) Calculate the maximum torsional shear stresses of segments AB and BC.
(4 marks)

(iii) Determine the angle of twist (in degree) at B. (3 marks)

D1 = 300 mm T = 6 kNm D2 = 200 mm

1.5 m 0.5 m

Figure Q5(a)

(b) A 3.5 m-long column, with solid circular section and 400 mm diameter, is
subjected to a limited axial compressive stress of 30 N/mm2. Given that the
Young’s Modulus is 200 GPa and the Poisson’s ratio is 0.3, calculate:

(i) the maximum allowable compressive load; (2 marks)

(ii) the shortening of the column under the maximum load; and (3 marks)

(iii) the change in the diameter of the column. (3 marks)

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AY 2015/2016 Semester 2 Examination [EG114101/1] FT
© Vocational Training Council

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Examination Data Sheet: Page 2

Reproduced from “Statics and Mechanics of Materials, SI Edition (2004)” by R.C.

Hibbeler, Prentice Hall.

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AY 2015/2016 Semester 2 Examination [EG114101/1] FT
© Vocational Training Council

Examination Data Sheet: Page 3

Reproduced from “Statics and Mechanics of Materials, SI Edition (2004)” by R.C.

Hibbeler, Prentice Hall.

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AY 2015/2016 Semester 2 Examination [EG114101/1] FT
© Vocational Training Council

Name : ______________________
Student Number : ______________________
Class : ______________________

Structural Mechanics ( AY15-16 Examination )

Answer sheet of Q4

E F
50 kN

4m

A D
B C
100 kN
3m 6m 3m

Member mark Member Force (kN) Member mark Member Force (kN)
( + : Tension ( + : Tension
– : Compression ) – : Compression )
AB AE
BC BE
CD BF
DF CF
EF

- END OF PAPER -

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AY 2015/2016 Semester 2 Examination [EG114101/1] FT