Bending theory

Bending stress:
• We already know that transverse loads carried by a beam give rise to an internal bending
action, M, and a shearing action, V at any section along a beam.
• These transverse loads deform the beam and the subsequent ‘internal bending moments’
generate longitudinal bending stresses within the beam.
• The theory presented here relates to prismatic beams (constant cross-section), operating
in the linear elastic region where deflections and strains are small.
• An axially loaded bar will either extend or shorten, where as a beam will curve (or flex)
which results in an extension of one side and a shortening of the opposite side.
• This means that the stresses (and strains) will not be constant over the beams cross-
section.
 • When a beam is bent (as in the diagram), the top surface is shortened and the bottom
surface extends.
• As such, the stress in the top surface is compressive, and in the bottom surface it is
tensile.
• This means there must be a surface where the stress (and strain) is zero, this is called
the neutral surface.
• The intersection of the neutral surface with the cross-section of the beam is known as
the neutral axis.
• The neutral axis passes through the centre of area (the centroid) of the beams cross-
section.
• For symmetrical cross-sections, this is equal distance from the top and bottom surfaces.

Deformation-stress relationship
Stress – strain relationship
• For a linearly elastic material, stress is directly proportional to strain (Hookes Law).
 = E

• Direct strain
y
=
R
• Direct stress in fibres
Ey
=
R
Condition of equilibrium
• Consider a small strip of material with an area dA on the cross section of the beam at a
distance y from the neutral axis.

• The stress acting of the strip σx produces a force in the strip of σx×dA

• The moment of this ‘strip’ force, about the neutral axis will be given as (σx.dA)×y

• The total moment M produced over the entire cross section is found by adding up all
such ‘strip’ moments over the whole area.

• Mathematically this is equivalent to integrating with respect to the whole area A

M =  y x dA
A
• Substituting into the equation the expression for σx from equation (1)

Ey
x = (1)
R

• In this equation E and R are constant so they can be taken out of the integration process
to give:
E
M =  y 2 dA
R A

• The integral term in this equation is purely a geometrical expression. It provides a

measure of the effectiveness of the beam cross-section to resist bending and is known
as the second moment of area I.
I =  y 2 dA
A
EI
M= (2)
R

• Combining equations (1) and (2)

Ey EI
= M=
R R

• This gives the equation for elastic bending of straight beams

M  E
= =
I y R
▪ M is applied bending moment at section of interest (Nm)
▪  is longitudinal bending stress at point of interest (N/m2)
▪ I is 2ndmoment of area (m4)
▪ y is the distance from the neutral axis (m)

▪ E is the Modulus of Elasticity (N/m2)

▪ R is radius of curvature of beam (m)
Properties of area:

• The ‘second moment of area’ provides a measure of the effectiveness of a particular

beams cross-sectional shape and area to resist bending deformation.
• The larger the second moment of inertia is, the better the resistance to bending will be.

• The second moment of area of a section about its neutral axis I is defined as:
I =  y 2 dA
A

• This equation can be used to determine standard expressions for the second moment of
area of various beam section shapes about their neutral axis.
I for rectangular section beam

• Consider a beam whose plane of bending is confined to the x-y plane.

• The bending deformation would occur about the z-axis (which is the neutral axis for
this particular case of loading)
• Therefore we need to find the second moment of area I about the z-axis
• Consider the thin strip shown on the beam cross section with area dA=bdy.
• I for this‘strip’can be found I =  y 2 dA
A

• I for the beam can be found by adding all such ‘strips’ across the entire section.

• Mathematically, this is equivalent to integrating y2dA between the limits of the top of
the rectangle (+h/2) and the bottom(-h/2)
 • For a rectangular beam
bh3
I=
12
Second moment are for different section beam
Distribution of stress

• The ‘bending theory equation(3)’ predicts that the distribution of stress through the
beam cross-section is directly proportional to the distance from the neutral axis‘y’
M  E My
= = =
I y R I

• As such, the maximum bending stress occurs at a layer maximum distance ‘y’ from
the neutral axis.