MODULE – IV

STRESSES IN BEAMS

Noushad. K

Assistant Professor

Department of Civil Engineering

MEA Engineering College, Perinthalmanna

Email: noushadk@meaec.edu.in
 4. STRESSES IN BEAMS
A member subjected to bending and shear undergoes certain deformations (bending). In this
chapter we discuss about the bending due to moment

4.1 THEORY OF SIMPLE BENDING

Simple bending or Pure Bending: If a member or part of a member subjected to bending only due to
moment. i.e. if no shearing force exist in this part

Assumptions of pure bending

1) Beam is subjected to pure bending (free from shear force)

2) Material of the beam is homogenous and isotropic
3) The value of young’s modulus (E) is same in tension and compression
4) The section of the beam which is plane before bending will remain plane even after bending
5) The Hooke’s law is valid
6) The resultant force on the section of the beam is zero
7) The radius of curvature of bending is very large

Consider a part of beam subjected to simple bending as shown in the figure 4.1 (a). The part of
length δx has deformed as shown in figure 4.1 (c).

Fig 4.1 (a) Fig 4.1 (c)

A fiber AC has been shortened and takes the shape A1C1. The fiber BD has been elongated and
takes the shape B1D1. Hence it is found that all the fibers in the section have changed their shape;
some of them have been shortened while some of them have been elongated. But in between, there
will be a layer which is neither shortened nor elongated. This layer is called neutral layer or neutral
surface
Let A1B1 and C1D1 meet at O. Let the angle between the planes be θ. Let the radius of neutral
layer is R. Consider a fiber GH which is distance y from neutral layer

Original length of GH = δx =Rθ

After bending the fiber takes the shape of G1H1, the new length of the fiber = (R+y)θ

Change in length = (R+y)θ – Rθ = yθ

𝑐ℎ𝑎𝑛𝑔𝑒 𝑖𝑛 𝑙𝑒𝑛𝑔ℎ𝑡 yθ 𝑦
Strain in GH = e = Rθ =
𝑂𝑟𝑖𝑔𝑖𝑛𝑎𝑙 𝑙𝑒𝑛𝑔ℎ𝑡 𝑅

𝐸
The stress f (flexural stress or bending stress) in the fiber = Ee = 𝑅 𝑦

Or we have

𝑓 𝐸
=
𝑦 𝑅

4.2 NEUTRAL AXIS (NA)

It is the line of intersection of neutral layer with the section.

The neutral axis passes through the centroid of the beam section

4.3 MOMENT OF RESISTANCE

It is the internal moment caused by compressive and tensile force at the section

Moment of resistance is equal to the bending moment at the section

Consider an elemental area δa at adistance y from neutral axis

𝐸
The stress intensity on the elemental area = f = 𝑅 𝑦

𝐸
Force on the elemental area = f δa = 𝑅 𝑦δa

Moment of resistance by the elemental area = moment of the force about the neutral Axis
𝐸
Moment of resistance = 𝑅 𝑦 2 δa

𝐸
Total moment of resistance = M = 𝑅 ∑ 𝑦 2 δa

But ∑ 𝑦 2 δa is the moment of inertia (I) of the beam about neutral axis
𝐸 𝑀 𝐸
So 𝑀 = 𝐼 or =
𝑅 𝐼 𝑅

𝑓 𝐸
But we have 𝑦
= 𝑅

𝑀 𝑓 𝐸
Hence = = ………………The Bending Equation or flexural formula
𝐼 𝑦 𝑅
4.4 LIMITAIONS OF SIMPLE BENDING

1) In practical cases, the beam will be subjected to different bending and shear forces
2) Due to warping of the beam, the plane before bending will not be plane after bending
3) Flexural formula does not give accurate results in the region close to the supports and close
to a concentrated load

4.5 SECTION MODULUS (Z)

𝑀𝑜𝑚𝑒𝑛𝑡 𝑜𝑓 𝑖𝑛𝑒𝑟𝑡𝑖𝑎 𝑎𝑏𝑜𝑢𝑡 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑛𝑒𝑢𝑡𝑟𝑎𝑙 𝑎𝑥𝑖𝑠
Section Modulus (Z) = 𝐷𝑖𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑐𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝑚𝑜𝑠𝑡 𝑑𝑖𝑠𝑎𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑡 𝑝𝑜𝑖𝑡 𝑜𝑓 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑠𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝑓𝑟𝑜𝑚 𝑛𝑒𝑢𝑡𝑟𝑎𝑙 𝑎𝑥𝑖𝑠

𝐼
i.e. Z=𝑦
𝑚𝑎𝑥

4.6 BEAM OF TWO MATERIALS

In this topic, we discuss about stress in beams which is made up of two materials

Flitched Beam is an example which is a beam with wood and steel

In flitched beam

 Moment Resistant of the section M = Moment of resistant of wood + Moment of

resistant of steel

𝑀 = 𝑀𝑤 + 𝑀𝑠

 The strain in wood is equal to that in steel at a given vertical distance from NA

𝑒𝑤 = 𝑒𝑠 𝑎𝑡 𝑎 𝑔𝑖𝑣𝑒𝑛 𝑣𝑒𝑟𝑡𝑖𝑐𝑎𝑙 𝑑𝑖𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑐𝑒

𝑦
 Stress at a distance y from NA = 𝑦 𝑓𝑚𝑎𝑥
𝑚𝑎𝑥

4.7 STRAIN ENERGY DUE TO BENDING

𝟏 𝒍
Strain Energy due to bending U = 𝟐𝑬𝑰 ∫𝟎 𝑴𝒙 𝟐 𝒅𝒙

(1) Simply supported beam with central point load

𝑀𝑥 = 𝑊
𝑥
2

𝟏 𝒍
U = 𝟐𝑬𝑰 ∫𝟎 𝑴𝒙 𝟐 𝒅𝒙

𝑙⁄
2
1×2 𝑊 2
𝑈= ∫ ( 𝑥) 𝑑𝑥
2𝐸𝐼 2
0

𝑊 2 𝐿3
𝑈=
96𝐸𝐼
(2) Simply supported Beam with UDL, w

𝑀 𝑤𝐿 𝑤𝑥 2
𝑥= 𝑥−
2 2

𝑙 2
1 𝑤𝐿 𝑤𝑥 2
𝑈= ∫( 𝑥 − ) 𝑑𝑥
2𝐸𝐼 2 2
0

𝑤 2 𝐿5
𝑈=
240 𝐸𝐼

(3) Cantilever with UDL, w

𝑤𝑥 2
𝑀𝑥 =
2
𝑙 2
1 𝑤𝑥 2
𝑈= ∫( ) 𝑑𝑥
2𝐸𝐼 2
0

𝑤 2 𝐿5
𝑈=
40 𝐸𝐼

4.8 SHEAR STRESS IN BEAMS

Shear stress in Beams

𝐹
𝜏= (𝐴𝑦̅)
𝐼𝑧

F – Shear force
I – Moment of inertia
Z – width of section at y distance from NA
𝐴𝑦̅ − 𝑀𝑜𝑚𝑒𝑛𝑡 𝑜𝑓 𝐴𝑟𝑒𝑎

Shear stress distribution for a Rectangular Section

𝐹 𝐹 𝑑2
𝜏= (𝐴𝑦̅) = ( − 𝑦2)
𝐼𝑧 2𝐼 4

Where d – depth of rectangular beam

y – distance to the section

Shear stress distribution for a Circular Section

𝐹 𝐹 2
𝜏= (𝐴𝑦̅) = (𝑟 − 𝑦 2 )
𝐼𝑧 3𝐼

Where

r – radius of circular beam