5 The elastic theory of

bending and the

moment of inertia

We have already seen that bending plays a major part in structural

behaviour and that this is caused by bending moments. We have also
seen that to equilibrate moments, opposing moments are required.
Figure 56 shows how a beam under bending stress has to react
internally to produce these equilibrating moments. It was also
explained above that deformation is indicative of the stresses
involved. These stresses, which are the result of the elastic
deformation, produce the forces required for equilibrium. Figure 91
shows a beam under load and its deformation at one section. We see
that the greatest shortening occurs at the top causing compressive
stresses, while the greatest lengthening occurs at the bottom causing
tensile stresses.
The deformation in this case is in exact proportion to the
distance of individual beam particles from the centre. A particle of
fibre at a distance e from the centre extends by one unit of length; a
fibre at twice that distance extends twice as much; a fibre 3 X e from

e
e
e
e
e neutral axis
e
e
e

lengthening
Fig. 91.

53

H. W. Rosenthal, Structure
© H. Werner Rosenthal 1972
the centre extends by 3 units and so on. It can be inferred from
Hooke's Law that the stress in each fibre increases at the same rate.
With the centre line as fulcrum, we now have the necessary set of
forces to produce the counteracting moment. The total moment is
composed of the sum of the individual moments and, as a moment
equals force times lever arm, we have a force (acting on a unit of
area) times a lever arm of 1, plus twice the force (over the identical
area) times twice the lever arm, plus three times the force times
three times the lever arm and, in our illustration, a force four times
as large acting on four times the lever arm, or a total moment about
the centre line in the top half of: 1 X 1 + 2 X 2 + 3 X 3 + 4 X 4 and
the same in the lower half. Figure 92 shows this numerically.

IG4x4=1s}
I ~3x3= 9
Tt'") 2X 2 = 4 30

eT~1x1= 1 60 units
101x1= 1}
l02x2= 4 30
I~Jx3= 9
1J4x4=16
Fig. 92.

Whatever the unit of force, the combined moment grows with the
square of the distance of area units from the centre of the beam. The
actual moment will depend upon the magnitude of the force.
As all the fibres in our beam are inert and try to return to their
original length, this moment is called the moment of inertia. This is a
misnomer as it is only a potential moment, one which would occur if
the beam were actually to be bent. The term is generally accepted,
however. It describes a geometric property of a section, because it
describes the moment provided by area particles of the section
resulting from their distance (hence lever arm) from the centre line.
The moment of inertia therefore depends on the shape of the
section. It must be emphasized that this geometric relationship only
applies if two adjacent sections are very close to each other.
Otherwise the relative distances would change too much. The
important fact is that this potential moment increases with the
square of the distance from the centre line.
This line, which is assumed as remaining unchanged, is called the
zero line or neutral axis of a section. li can be proved mathematic-
ally that the neutral axis passes through the centroid of any section

54