SHEAR and MOMENT in BEAMS

Reference Books:

1. Strength of Materials by R Subramanian, second edition, OXFORD university press.

2. Strength of Materials by F.L. Singer and Andrew Pytel, Harper & Row Publishers.
3. Strength of Materials by R.K. Bansal, Laxmi Publications (P) Ltd.
4. Basavarajaiah & Mahadevappa , Strength of Materials, CBS Publishers, 2001.
5. Ramamrutham & Narayanan, Strength of Materials, Dhanpat Rai Publishers, 1989
6. James M Gere & Stephen P Timoshenko, Mechanics of Materials , CBS Publishers &
Distributers, New Delhi, 2004
7. Timoshenko, Strength of Materials Vol. I & Vol. II , CBS Publishers & Distributers, New Delhi,
2002.
8. Reddy C.S., Basic Structural Analysis, Tata McGraw Hill, New Delhi, 2004

In last semester you have studied simple stress and strain.

Where material is subjected to axial loading.

Beam is very long member compared to their cross-sectional dimensions and supported at one or
more than one point and subjected to transverse loads. Beams carry the loads transverse to
longitudinal axis.

The load P acting perpendicular to the axis of the beam AB

Types of Beams:
1. Simply supported beam with a hinge at one end and a roller support at the other.
 2. Cantilever beam which has a fixed support at one end and is free at the other.
3. Overhanging beam where one support of simply supported beam is shifted to the interior.
4. Doubly overhanging beam with overhanging segments at both the ends.
5. Continuous beam which has more than two supports

Under the action of loads a beam get deflected. This is known as bending or flexure.

The curved shape of the beam after bending is known as the deflected shape or elastic curve.

The beam may bend with convexity downwards or upwards.

When convexity is downwards it is called sagging

And when convexity is upwards it is called hogging.

Find reactions at the supports A and B for the beam loaded as shown in figure.

Free Body Diagram (FBD) of Beam AB

Draw the FBD for the Beam AB. Replace support by reaction components.

Hinge support can be replaced by two perpendicular reaction components, RAx and RAy

Roller support can be replaced by one reaction component with direction perpendicular to the
support.

If you observe the FBD there are three unknown forces which can be solved by using three equations
of equilibrium, i.e

∑Fx = 0

∑Fy = 0

∑M = 0

The whole beam is under equilibrium and hence if we add algebraically all forces acting on the FBD
in x-direction it will be equal to zero.

∑Fx = 0 = RAx, i.e. RAx = 0 -------------------------- (1)

∑Fy = 0 = +RAy - 30 -50 -20 +RB = 0, i.e. RAy + RB = 100 kN ---------------------- (2)

To use the equation ∑M = 0, i.e. algebraic sum of moment of all forces acting on the FBD of AB
about any point is equal to zero. If support A is selected, and anticlockwise as positive, then

∑MA = 0 = - (30 kN x 1 m) – (50 x 4) –(20 x 6) + RB x 8 = 0 ---------------- (3)

While taking moment consider all forces acting on the FBD including RAx and RAy. But moment of
force RAx and RAy about the point A is zero.

(Forces RAx and RAy passes through the point A hence the corresponding moment is zero)

Solving RB = + 350 kNm /8m = + 43.75 kN

The sign of RB is positive i.e. it is acting in the assumed direction (upward).

Now using equation (2) we can find RAy,

RAy = 100 – 43.75 = 56.25 kN.

Consider a section at x = 2 m from the support A.

Consider left side part of the section at ‘C’,

If we add all vertical froces on left part of the section ‘C’, (there are two vertcal forces on the left
part)
+56.25 – 30 = +26.25 kN

So + 26.25 kN is the unbalanced vertical force on the left part of the section ‘C’.
This foce has to be resisted by the cross-section of the beam and it is acting parallel to the surface.

Hence it is called shear force.

The algebraic sum of vertical forces acting on one side of the section ‘C’ is called SHEAR FORCE
acting on the beam at ‘C’

If we consider right side part of section ‘C’

Total unbalanced forces on the left of section ‘C’ equal to

= + 50 kN + 20kN - 43.75 kN = + 26.25 kN

Sign convention for shear force:

If left side is selected, then force acting upward are positive.

If right side is considered, then forces acting downward are positive.

Sign convention for BENDING MOMENT:

If the load is acting upward then the corresponding moment is considered as
positive, irrespective of the side considered.
Now if we consider the Moment of all the forces acting on one side of the section ‘C’, about the
point ‘C’
Then we have

+ 56.25 kN x 2 m – 30 x (2-1) = + 82.5 kNm.

Bending moment at the section ‘c’ is + 82.5 kNm.

+ sign indicate sagging bending moment i.e.

Force 56.25 is acting upward and hence sign of corresponding moment is positive.

Force 30 kN is acting downward and hence sign of corresponding moment is negative.

Algebraic sum of moment of all forces on one side of the section ‘C’ = Bending moment at the
section ‘C’.