CHAPTER SIX

MOMENTS OF INERTIA OF AREAS

a
2
Moment of inertia of area = dA

Whre a is the distance of an element dA of an area from an axis about which the moment of
inertia is desired.

When the axis is the plane of the area, it is called rectangular moment of inertia, I.

When the axis is perpendicular to the area, it is called polar moment of inertia, J.

Rectangular moment of inertia:

Consider the area A, lying in the xy plane. dA is the differential area.

Moment of inertia about x axis,

I x =  y 2 dA

And that about y axis,

I y =  x 2 dA

Polar moment of inertia:

( )
J x =  r 2 dA =  x 2 + y 2 dA =  x 2 dA +  y 2 dA = I x + I y

Radius of gyration:

It is also a mathematical concept.

1 1
 I 2  J 2
 =  or,  =  
 A  A

I =2A J =2A
Example-138: Rectangle

Derive the expression for the moment of inertia of a rectangular area about an axis through the centroid
and parallel to both axis. Also find the radius of gyration
with respect to horizontal axis and the polar moment of
inertia with respect to an axis through the centroid.

Solution:

I x =  y 2 dA

h/2 h/2
=  y dA =
2
 y bdy = 2b  y 2 dy
2

−h / 2 0

3
h
h/2  
 y3   2 h3 bh3
= 2b   = 2b * = 2b * =
 3 0 3 3 * 8 12

I y =  x 2 dA

b/2 b/2
=  x 2 dA =  x 2 hdx = 2h  x 2 dx
−b / 2 0

3
b
b/2  
 x3 
= 2h *   = 2h *
2 b3 hb3
= 2h   =
 3 0 3 3 * 8 12

1
 bh 3 2
 
1 1 1
 I x  2  12 
 = bh 3
1  2  h 
2 2
h
kx =   =  *  =   =
 A  bh   12 bh   12  12
 
 

Polar moment of inertia about centroidal axis,

bh3 hb3 bh A
Jx = Ix + Iy = + = * (h 2 + b 2 ) = (h 2 + b 2 )
12 12 12 12
Example- 136 Triangle

Find the moment of inertia of a triangle area about base.

Solution:

I x =  y 2 dA

dA = (x2 – x1) dy

= xdy

From similar triangle,

x h− y b(h − y)
= or , x =
b h h

b(h − y)
Ix =  y2 * dy
h
h
b  hy 3 y 4  b  h * h3 h 4 
h
b
=  y 2 (h − y)dy =  −  =  − 
h0 h 3 4 0 h  3 4

b  h 4 h 4  b  4h 4 − 3h 4  b h 4
=  − =  = *
h 3 4  h 12  h 12

bh3
Ix = Ans.
12

Transfer formula- Parallel axes:

Let, C be the centroid of the area A, so that the x and y axes are centroidal axes. The x′ and y′ axes are
any other axes in the plane of the area and parallel to the chosen centroidal axes.
The moment of inertia of the differential area dA about the y′ axis is dIy′ = (d – x )2 dA

I y =  (d − x) 2 dA =  (d 2 − 2 xd + x 2 )dA =  x 2 dA − 2d  xdA + d 2  dA

Since y axis passes through the centroid, ∫xdA = 0

Iy  = I y − 0 + d 2 A = I y + Ad 2

In general terms,

I = I + Ad 2

J = J + Ad 2

Problem- Find the moment of inertia of the rectangle with respect to x′ and y′ axes.
y
y′

Solution:
1′
I x = I x + Ad 2

20′′
3 3 x
bh 10 * 20
= + Ad 2 = + (10 * 20) * 24 2
12 12
2′
= 121866 .67inch 4 Ans.
10′′
I y = I y + Ad 2
x′
3 3
hb 20 *10
= + Ad 2 = + (10 * 20) *17 2
12 12

= 59466 .67inch 4 Ans.

For circle:

D 4 r 3
Ix = Iy = =
64 4

D 4 r 3 Ar 2
J= = =
32 2 2
Example- 139 Triangle

Find the moment of inertia of a triangular area about a line through a vertex and parallel to the opposite
base.

Solution:

We know moment of inertia about base,

bh3
Ix =
12

Moment of inertia about centroid,

2
bh3 bh  h 
I = I c = I x − Ad = 2
− ( ) * 
12 2 3

bh3 bh3 3bh3 − 2bh3 bh3

I= − = =
12 18 36 36
2
bh3  bh   2h 
I x = I + Ad =2
+  * 
36  2   3 

bh3 bh 4h 2 bh3 2bh3

= + * = +
36 2 9 36 9

bh3 + 8bh3 9bh3 bh3

= = = Ans.
36 36 4

Composite area

Example- 143

In designing a beam, the moment of inertia of a section of the beam about a centroidal axis is needed.
Find the moment of inertia of the T- section shown in Fig. about a centroidal axis parallel to MN.
 1

2
Solution:

A1 = 10 * 1 = 10 in2

y1 = 0.5 in

A2 = 1 * 6 = 6 in2

y2 = 1 + 3 = 4 in

A1 y1 + A2 y 2 10 * 0.5 + 6 * 4
y= = = 1.81
A1 + A2 10 + 6

I = I1 + I 2

10 *13  1 * 6 3 
= + 10 * (1.81 − 0.5) 2  +  + 6 * (4 − 1.81) 2  = 64.77in 4 Ans.
 12   12 

Problem- 805

In a channel section shown in Fig. let a = 1 in, b = 4 in, and c = 10 in. Find I x , I y .

3
A1 = 4 * 1 = 4 in2

x1 = 2 in

y1 = 0.5 in

A2 = 1 * 8 = 8 in2

x2 = 0.5 in

y2 = 1 + 4 = 5 in

A3 = 4 * 1 = 1 in2

x3 = 2 in

y3 = 9 + 0.5 = 9.5 in

A1 x1 + A2 x2 + A3 x3 4 * 2 + 8 * 0.5 + 4 * 2
x= = = 1.25
A1 + A2 + A3 4+8+4

y = 5

I x = I x1 + I x 2 + I x3

 4 *13  1 * 8 3   4 *13 
= + 4(5 − 0.5) 2  +  + 8(5 − 5) 2  +  + 4(9.5 − 5) 2 
 12   12   12 

= 81.33 + 42.67 + 81.33 = 205.33in 4 Ans.

Again,

I y = I y1 + I y 2 + I y 3

1 * 4 3   8 *13  1 * 4 3 
= + 4(2 − 1.25) 2  +  + 8(1.25 − 0.5) 2  +  + 4(2 − 1.25) 2 
 12   12   12 

= 7.58 + 5.17 + 7.58 = 20.33in 4 Ans.

Problem- 801

In the standard structural steel angle of Fig, a = 1 in, b = 2 in and c = 5 in. Find the centroidal
moments I x , I y .

Problem- 814

a) For the shaded area of Fig. compute Ix

b) Determine the moment of inertia about a centroidal parallel to x axis

c) Determine Iy and the polar moment of inertia for axis through.

Solution:

x=0

A1 * y1 * 2 + A2 y 2 − A3 y3
y=
2 A1 + A2 − A3
 2r sin  2 * 3 * sin 90
y3 = = = 1.27
3 
3*
2

 * 32
(1 / 2 * 4 * 6) * (1 / 3 * 6) * 2 + (8 * 6) * 3 − ( ) *1.27
2 174
y= = = 3
 *3 2
57.86
(1 / 2 * 4 * 6) * 2 + (8 * 6) − ( )
2

I x = I x1 + I x 2 + I x 3

 4 * 63  8 * 63   * 6 4 
= * 2 +  + (8 * 6) * (3) 2  −  
 12   12   128 

= 144 + 576 − 32 = 688in 4

1  * 32  2
I x = I x − Ad 2 = 688 −  * (16 + 8) * 6 −  * 3 = 167 in
4

2 2 

Iy = I y1 + I y 2 − I y 3

 * 64
2
6 * 43  1   1  6 * 83
= 2 *[ +  * 4 * 6 *  4 + * 4 ] + [ + (4 * 8) * 0 3 ] − [ ]
12 2   3  12 128

= 2 * 352 + 256 − 32 = 928in 4

Polar moment of inertia, J = I x + I y = 688 + 928 = 1616 in

4

Prob- 781, 786, 788