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Appendix B
Area Properties of Cross Sections

B.1 Introduction
The area, the centroid of area, and the area moments of inertia of the cross sections are needed in slender
bar calculations for stress and deflection. To simplify the problem we place the x axis so that it coincides
with the loci of centroids of all cross sections of the bar. In our examples the cross sections lie in the
yz plane. Furthermore, for beam bending analysis in these chapters we orient the y and z axes so that
they are principal axes of inertia of the cross section area. This simplifies the equations for stress and
displacement. Just what this means is explained in the following sections.

B.2 Centroids of Cross Sections

Consider a cross section with a general shape such as shown in Figure B.2.1 with the x axis normal to
the cross section.

Figure B.2.1

The x axis is a centroidal axis if

 
ydA = 0 zdA = 0 (B.2.1)
A A

Analysis of Structures: An Introduction Including Numerical Methods, First Edition. Joe G. Eisley and Anthony M. Waas.
© 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Published 2011 by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
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602 Appendix B: Area Properties of Cross Sections

If the cross sectional is symmetrical the centroid is easily found since it will always lie on the axis of
symmetry. For sections with double symmetry, that is, symmetry about both the y and z axes, such as
those sections in Figure B.2.2, the location is obvious.

y y y

z z z

(a) (b) (c)

Figure B.2.2

For sections with symmetry about just one axis we know the centroid lies on that axis but we must
locate just where on that axis. For the sections in Figure B.2.3 we use the formulae
 
ydA zdA

ȳ =  z̄ = 
A A
(B.2.2)
dA dA
A A

as appropriate.

y y y
z z

z z
y

(a) (b) (c)

Figure B.2.3

When an area can be divided into sub areas with simple geometry so that the centroid of the sub area
is easily identified the process of finding the centroid of the original area is simplified to
 
ys As z s As
ȳ =  z̄ =  (B.2.3)
As As
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Appendix B: Area Properties of Cross Sections 603

where ys and zs represent the distances from base axes to the centroids of the sub areas and As represents
the areas of the sub areas. An example will help.

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Example B.2.1

Consider the cross section in Figure (a) to which some dimensions have be added.

y
20 z

z 100

100

Figure (a)

We place the y axis on the axis of symmetry where we know the centroid lies and the z axis conveniently
at the right edge. The cross section is divided into three rectangular areas for which their centroids are
known. To find z̄

z 1 A1 + z 2 A2 + z 3 A3 50 · 100 · 20 + 10 · 60 · 20 + 50 · 100 · 20
z̄ = = = 40.77 (a)
A1 + A2 + A3 100 · 20 + 60 · 20 + 100 · 20

For slender bar analysis the y axis is moved to the new location. Centroids of some common shapes
are given in the last section of this appendix.

###########

B.3 Area Moments and Product of Inertia

The area moments of inertia are
 
Izz = y 2 dA I yy = z 2 dA (B.3.1)
A A

and the area product of inertia is


Iyz = yzdA (B.3.2)
A
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604 Appendix B: Area Properties of Cross Sections

We are interested primarily in values referred to centroidal axes. In many cases Iyz = 0. This occurs
when either the xy or the xz axes plane is a plane of symmetry or the yz axes are oriented so that Iyz = 0.
Then the axes are called principal axes of inertia. For sections with double symmetry the integration is
often straight forward. An example will help.

###########

Example B.3.1

Consider first the rectangular cross section with double symmetry as shown in Figure (a).

z h

Figure (a)

Given a height h and a width b we have

 h  b  b  h
2 1 3 2 1 3 2 2
Izz = y 2 bdy = bh I yy = z 2 hdz = b h Iyz = yzdydz = 0 (a)
− h2 12 − b2 12 − b2 − h2

Moments of inertia of typical double and single symmetry sections are given in the last section of this
appendix.

###########

For sections made up of subsections with known moments of inertia about the centroids of the sub
sections there is a transfer process. It is known as the parallel axis theorem.
Let the yc zc axes be centroid axes for an area whose moments and product of inertia are known. We
wish to find the moments of inertia of this area with respect to a yz set of axes. Let ȳc and z̄ c be the
distances from the yz axes to the yc zc axes as shown in Figure B.3.1.
   
Izz = (yc + ȳc )2 dA = yc2 dA + 2 ȳc yc dA+yc2 dA (B.3.3)
A A A A

Since
 
yc dA = 0 dA = A (B.3.4)
A A
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Appendix B: Area Properties of Cross Sections 605

yc y
zc

yc

Figure B.3.1

this becomes

Izz = Izc zc + A ȳc2 (B.3.5)

Likewise

I yy = I yc yc + Az̄ c2 (B.3.6)

and

Iyz = I yc zc + A ȳc z̄ c (B.3.7)

###########

Example B.3.2

Find the area moments of inertia with respect to centroidal axes for the cross section in Example B.2.1.
Units are millimeters.

y
20 40.77

z 100

100

Figure (a)
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606 Appendix B: Area Properties of Cross Sections

Transferring the three sections from top to bottom:

1 1 1
Izz = · 100 · (20)3 + 100 · 20 · (40)2 + · 20 · (60)3 + · 100 · (20)3 + 100 · 20 · (40)2
12 12 12 (a)
= 6,893,333 mm 4

1 1
I yy = · 20 · (100)3 + 100 · 20 · (9.23)2 + · 60 · (20)3 + 60 · 20 · (30.77)2
12 12
1 (b)
+ · 20 · (100)3 + 100 · 20 · (9.23)2
12
= 4,850,256 mm 4

From symmetry the product of intertia Iyz = 0.

###########

For a section with no symmetry the process requires also finding the product of inertia. We show an
example next.

###########

Example B.3.3

Consider the following section. Find the centroid and the area moments and product of inertial with
respect to the centroidal axes.

yc y
20
zc

zc
100
yc

z
50
100

Figure (a)

First find the centroid:

z 1 A1 + z 2 A2 + z 3 A3 100 · 20 · 50 + 60 · 20 · 10 + 50 · 20 · 25
z̄ c = = = 32.62 mm
A1 + A2 + A3 100 · 20 + 60 · 20 + 50 · 20
(a)
y1 A1 + y2 A2 + y3 A3 100 · 20 · 90 + 60 · 20 · 50 + 50 · 20 · 10
ȳc = = = 59.52 mm
A1 + A2 + A3 100 · 20 + 60 · 20 + 50 · 20
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Appendix B: Area Properties of Cross Sections 607

Now the moments of inertia:

1 1
Izz = · 100 · (20)3 + 100 · 20 · (30.48)2 + · 20 · (60)3 + 60 · 20 · (9.52)2
12 12
1
+ · 50 · (20)3 + 50 · 20 · (49.52)2
12
= 4,879,048 mm 4
1
I yy = · 20 · (100)3 + 100 · 20 · (17.38)2 (b)
12
1 1
+ · 60 · (20)3 + 60 · 20 · (22.62)2 + · 20 · (50)3 + 50 · 20 · (7.62)2
12 12
= 3,191,190 mm 4
Iyz = 100 · 20 · 17.38 · 30.48 + 20 · 60 · 9.52 · 22.62 + 50 · 20 · 7.62 · 49.52
= 1,695,238 mm 4

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Since in the main text we do all analysis with respect to principle axes, that is, axes for which Iyz = 0,
we must reorient the axes to apply those methods. Consider the rotated y z axes in Figure B.3.2.

y
y′

θ
z

z′

Figure B.3.2

A point with the coordinates y and z with respect to the yz axes have the coordinates y’ and z’ with
respect to the y z axes. The transformation equations are
y  = y cos θ + z sin θ
(B.3.8)
z  = z cos θ − y sin θ
From this we obtain
 
  2
Iz  z  = y dA = (y cos θ + z sin θ )2 dA
A A
= Izz cos2 θ + I yy sin2 θ + 2Iyz sin θ cos θ (B.3.9)
I yy + Izz I yy − Izz
= − cos 2θ + Iyz sin 2θ
2 2
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608 Appendix B: Area Properties of Cross Sections

 
  2
I y y = z dA = (z cos θ − y sin θ )2 dA
A A
= I yy cos2 θ + Izz sin2 θ − 2Iyz sin θ cos θ (B.3.10)
I yy + Izz I yy − Izz
= + cos 2θ − Iyz sin 2θ
 2  2
I y z = y  z  dA = (y cos θ + z sin θ ) (z cos θ − y sin θ ) dA
A A
= I yy sin θ cos θ Izz sin θ cos θ + Iyz sin2 θ − cos2 θ (B.3.11)
I yy − Izz
= sin 2θ + Iyz cos 2θ
2

There is a value of θ for which Ixy = 0. I may be found by setting

I yy − Izz 2Iyz
sin 2θ + Iyz cos 2θ = 0 → tan 2θ = (B.3.12)
2 Izz − I yy

It may be noted that when Ixy = 0 then Iyy is either a maximum or a minimum and Izz is a corresponding
minimum or a maximum. These values are
 2
I yy + Izz I yy − Izz
I max
min
= ± + Iyz
2 (B.3.13)
2 2

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Example B.3.4

Find the rotation angle of the axes to obtain principal axes of inertia and the resulting values for the cross
section in Example B.3.2.

y′
yc y
zc

zc

yc z′

Figure (a)

The angle of rotation is

Iyz 1,695,238
tan 2θ = = = 1.00437 → θ = 22.56 ◦ (a)
Izz − I yy 4,879,048 − 3,191,190
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Appendix B: Area Properties of Cross Sections 609

The principal moments of inertia are

I max = 5,928,805 mm 4 I min = 2,141,433 mm 4 (b)

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B.4 Properties of Common Cross Sections

yc

A = bh
h
z Iyy = bh 3/12

Izz = hb 3/12

Iyz = 0

yc

A = πR 2

Iyy = Izz = π R 4/4

R
zc
J = π R 4/2

Iyz = 0

yc

A = bh/2

h Izz = bh3/36

Iyy = hb3/36
zc
h/3 Iyz = b2h2/72

b/3
b