Theory of Structures 1

3.0 Internal Loadings Developed in Structural Members

Content:
3.1 Internal Loadings at a Specified Point
3.2 Shear and Moment Functions
3.3 Shear and Moment Diagrams for a Beam
3.4 Shear and Moment Diagrams for a Frame
3.5 Moment Diagrams Constructed by the Method of Superposition

3.1 Internal Loadings at Specified Point

 The internal load at a specified point in a member can be determined by using
the method of sections.
 This consists of: (i) N, normal force, (ii) V, shear force and (iii) M, bending
moment.
 Sign convention: although the choice is arbitrary, the convention shown has been
widely accepted in structural engineering

 Procedure for analysis

1. Determine the support reactions before the member is “cut”.
2. If the member is part of a pin-connected structure, the pin reactions can be
determine using the methods of section.
3. Keep all distributed loadings, couple moments & forces acting on the
member in their exact location.
4. Pass an imaginary section through the member, perpendicular to its axis at
the point where the internal loading is to be determined.
5. Then draw a free-body diagram of the segment that has the least no. of
loads on it.
6. Indicate the unknown resultants N, V & M acting in their positive
directions.
7. Moments should be summed at the section about axes that pass through
the centroid of the member’s cross-sectional area in order to eliminate N &
V, thereby solving M.

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 8. If the solution of the equilibrium eqn yields a quantity having a –ve
magnitude, then the assumed directional sense of the quantity is opposite
to that shown on the free-body diagram

Example:
The building roof shown in the photo has a weight of 1.8 kN/m2 and is supported on
8-m long simply supported beams that are spaced 1 m
apart. Each beam as shown transmits its loading to two girders, located at the front and
back of the building. Determine the internal shear and moment in the front girder at
point C. Neglect the weight of the members.

Solution:

Roof loading is transmitted to each beam as a one-way slab (𝐿𝐿2 ⁄𝐿𝐿1 = 8 > 2)
Tributary load on each interior beam = (1.8 kN⁄m2 )(1m) = 1.8 kN⁄m
(1.8 kN⁄m)(8m)�
Reaction on girder = 2 = 7.2kN
The two edge beams support 0.9 kN/m

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Each column reaction is 2(3.6kN) + 11(7.2kN)�2 = 43.2kN

∑ 𝐹𝐹𝑦𝑦 = 0; 43.2 − 3.6 − 2(7.2) − 𝑉𝑉𝑐𝑐 = 0; 𝑉𝑉𝑐𝑐 = 25.2kN

With moments in the anti-clockwise as positive,
∑ 𝑀𝑀𝑐𝑐 = 0; 𝑀𝑀𝑐𝑐 + 7.2(0.4) + 7.25(1.4) + 3.6(2.4) − 43.2(1.2) = 0;
𝑀𝑀𝑐𝑐 = 30.2kNm

3.2 Shear and Moment Functions

 Design of beam requires detailed knowledge of the variations of V & M.
 Internal N is generally not considered as:
(i) The loads applied to a beam act perpendicular to the beam’s axis.
(ii) For design purposes, a beam’s resistance to shear & bending is more
important than its ability to resist normal force.
(iii) An exception is when it is subjected to compressive axial force where
buckling may occur.
 In general, the internal shear & moment functions will be discontinuous or
their slope will be discontinuous at points where:
(i) The type or magnitude of the distributed load changes.
(ii) Concentrated forces or couple moments are applied.

 Procedure for Analysis

1. Determine the support reactions on the beam.
2. Resolve all the external forces into components acting perpendicular &
parallel to beam’s axis.
3. Specify separate coordinates x and associated origins, extending into:
 Regions of the beam between concentrated forces and/or couple
moments; or
 Discontinuity of distributed loading
4. Section the beam perpendicular to its axis at each distance x.
5. From the free-body diagram of one of the segments, determine the
unknowns V & M.
6. On the free-body diagram, V & M should be shown acting in their +ve
directions.
7. V is obtained by ∑ 𝐹𝐹𝑦𝑦 = 0; M is obtained by ∑ 𝑀𝑀𝑠𝑠 = 0.

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 8. The results can be checked by noting that:
𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑 𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑
= 𝑉𝑉; = 𝑤𝑤
𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑 𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑

Example:
Determine the shear and moment in the beam shown as a function of x.

Solutions:
Support reactions:
For the purpose of computing the support reactions, the distributed load is replaced
by its resultant force of 135 kN. However, this resultant is not the actual load on the
beam.

Shear & moment functions:

A free-body diagram of the beam segment of length x is shown.
Note that the intensity of the triangular load at the section is found by proportion.
With the load intensity known, the resultant of the distributed load is found in the usual
manner.

Shear & moment functions:

1 10𝑥𝑥
∑ 𝐹𝐹𝑦𝑦 = 0; 135 − � � 𝑥𝑥 − 𝑉𝑉 = 0
2 3

𝑉𝑉 = 135 − 1.667𝑥𝑥 2

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With anti-clockwise moment as +ve:
1 10𝑥𝑥 𝑥𝑥
∑ 𝑀𝑀𝑠𝑠 = 0; 810 − 135𝑥𝑥 + � � � 𝑥𝑥� + 𝑀𝑀 = 0
2 3 3

𝑀𝑀 = 810 + 135𝑥𝑥 − 0.556𝑥𝑥 3

𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑 𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑 −10𝑥𝑥

Note that = 𝑉𝑉 and = = 𝑤𝑤 serves as a check of the results.
𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑 𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑 3

Example:
Determine the shear and moment in the beam as a function of x.

Support reactions:
The reactions at the fixed support are V = 480kN and M = 2274kNm.

Shear and moment functions:

Since there is a discontinuity of distributed load at x = 3.6m, two regions of x must be
considered in order to describe the shear and moment functions for the entire beam.
Here x1 is appropriate for the left 3.6m and x2 can be used for the remaining segment.

0 ≤ 𝑥𝑥1 < 3.6m,

∑ 𝐹𝐹𝑦𝑦 = 0; 480 − 50𝑥𝑥1 − 𝑉𝑉 = 0; 𝑉𝑉 = 480 − 50𝑥𝑥1
𝑥𝑥
∑ 𝑀𝑀𝑠𝑠 = 0; 2274 − 480𝑥𝑥1 + 50𝑥𝑥1 � 1 � + 𝑀𝑀 = 0; 𝑀𝑀 = −2274 + 480𝑥𝑥1 − 25𝑥𝑥1 2
2

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3.6m ≤ 𝑥𝑥2 ≤ 6m,
∑ 𝐹𝐹𝑦𝑦 = 0; 480 − 180 − 𝑉𝑉 = 0; 𝑉𝑉 = 300
∑ 𝑀𝑀𝑠𝑠 = 0; 2274 − 480𝑥𝑥2 + 180(𝑥𝑥2 − 1.8) + 𝑀𝑀 = 0; 𝑀𝑀 = 300𝑥𝑥2 − 1950

These results can be partially checked by noting that when 𝑥𝑥2 = 6m, then 𝑉𝑉 =
𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑 𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑
300kN and 𝑀𝑀 = −150kNm. Also, note that = 𝑉𝑉 and = 𝑤𝑤.
𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑 𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑

3.3 Shear and Moment Diagrams for a Beam

 If the variations of V & M are plotted, the graphs are termed the shear diagram
and moment diagram.

Applying the equation of equilibrium,

∑ 𝐹𝐹𝑦𝑦 = 0; 𝑉𝑉 + 𝑤𝑤(𝑥𝑥)∆𝑥𝑥 − (𝑉𝑉 − ∆𝑉𝑉) = 0;
∆𝑉𝑉 = 𝑤𝑤(𝑥𝑥)∆𝑥𝑥

With anti-clockwise moments taken as +ve:

∑ 𝑀𝑀0 = 0; −𝑉𝑉∆𝑥𝑥 − 𝑀𝑀 − 𝑤𝑤(𝑥𝑥)∆𝑥𝑥𝑥𝑥(∆𝑥𝑥) + (𝑀𝑀 + ∆𝑀𝑀) = 0
∆𝑀𝑀 = 𝑉𝑉∆𝑥𝑥 + 𝑤𝑤(𝑥𝑥)𝜀𝜀(∆𝑥𝑥)2

Dividing by Δx and taking the limit as Δx→0, the equations become:

𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑 𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑
= 𝑤𝑤(𝑥𝑥); = 𝑉𝑉
𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑 𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑

Integrating from one point to another between concentrated forces or couples in which
case:
∆𝑉𝑉 = ∫ 𝑤𝑤(𝑥𝑥)𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑; ∆𝑀𝑀 = ∫ 𝑉𝑉(𝑥𝑥)𝑑𝑑𝑥𝑥

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 In order to account for concentrated force and moment, consider the free-body
diagrams of differential elements of the beam.

 It is seen that force equilibrium requires the change in shear to be ∆𝑉𝑉 = −𝐹𝐹.
 Moment equilibrium requires the change in moment to be: ∆𝑀𝑀 = 𝑀𝑀′

Example:
Draw the shear and moment diagrams for the beam.

The point of zero shear can be found by using method of sections from abeam
segment of length x,
1 𝑥𝑥
𝑉𝑉 = 0; 30 − �20 � �� 𝑥𝑥 = 0
2 9

𝑥𝑥 = 5.20m

From the shear diagram, for 0 < 𝑥𝑥 < 5.2m, the value of shear is +ve but decreasing.
𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑
At 𝑥𝑥 = 5.20m, =0
𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑

For 5.20m < 𝑥𝑥 < 9m, the shear is negative increasing.

𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑
Maximum bending moment, M is at x = 5.20m since = 𝑉𝑉 = 0.
𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑
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 1 5.20 5.20
−30(5.20) + �20 � �� 5.20 � � + 𝑀𝑀 = 0
2 9 3
𝑀𝑀 = 104kNm

Example:
Draw the shear and moment diagram for each of the beams.

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Example:
Draw the shear and moment diagrams for the compound beam. Assume the supports
at A and C are rollers and B and E are pin connections.

Solutions:
Support reactions:
The beam segments are disconnected from the pin at B.

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Shear Diagram:
The shape of the V diagram is formed by following its slope, defined by the loading.
The zero value for shear at x = 1m can either be found by proportional triangles, or by
using statics.

Moment diagram:
The end moments MA = 150kNm and ME = 0 are plotted first. Verify the numerical
values for the peaks using static or by calculating the appropriate areas under the shear
diagram o find the change in moment.

3.4 Shear and moment diagrams for a frame

 A frame is composed of several connected members that are either fixed or pin
connected at their ends.
 We will use the opposite sign convention and always draw the moment diagram
positive on the compression side of the member.

Example:
Draw the moment diagram for the tapered frame shown. Assume the support at A is a
roller and B is a pin.

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Solution:

Member CB Member AC

Example:
Draw the shear and moment diagrams for the frame. Assume A is a pin, C is a roller
and B is a fixed joint. Neglect the thickness of the members.

Solution:
Notice that the distributed load acts over a length of 3m√2 = 4.234m. The
distributed loading on BC has components along BC and perpendicular to its axis of
(2.121 kN⁄m) cos 45° = (2.121 kN⁄m) sin 45° = 1.5 kN⁄m.

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Support reaction:

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Example:
Draw the shear and moment diagrams for the frame. Assume A is a pin, C is a roller
and B is a fixed joint.

Solution:
Support reaction:
The distributed load, which represents wind loading has been replaced by its resultant,
and the reactions have been computed.

Shear and moment diagrams:

The components of the distributed load, (72kN)⁄5m = 14.4 kN⁄m and
(96kN)⁄5m = 19.2 kN⁄m.

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3.5 Moment diagrams constructed by the method of superposition
 Beams are used primarily to resist bending stress, it is important that the moment
diagram accompany the solution for their design.
 Most loadings on beams in structural analysis will be a combination of the loadings
as shown.

Following show the method of superposition for simply supported beam.

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