Engineering Mechanics I (Statics)

 2004 Page | 1

Chapter 7

Area Moments of Inertia

 Moment of Inertia (I) is also known as the Second Moment of the Area is a term used to
describe the capacity of a cross-section to resist bending. The deflection of a beam under load
depends not only on the load, but also on the geometry of the beam's cross-section. This is why
beams with higher area moments of inertia, such as I-beams, are so often seen in building
construction as opposed to other beams with the same area.
b Rectangular and Polar Moments of Inertia
Consider the area A in the x-y plane in figure below.

 The first moment of area dA is given by:

∫ xdA ∫ ydA
A or A

 An integral of the second moment of an area is referred to as the

moment of inertia for the area.
 The moments of inertia of the element dA about x- and y-axes are:
d Ix = y 2 dA …moment of Inertia about x-axis
Fig. 1
d I y = x 2 dA …moment of Inertia about y-axis

 Then the Second moments or moments of inertia of the area A with

respect to the x and y axes,

I x   y 2 dA I y   x 2 dA

Compiled by G/Tsadik T. Adigrat University, Electrical &

Computer Engineering Dep’t
Engineering Mechanics I (Statics)
 2004 Page | 2

b The expressions are called the rectangular

I x   y 2 dA I y   x 2 dA
moments of inertia.
b Second moment of differential area dA about the pole O or z axis is called the polar moment of

inertia, d J o=r 2 dA . For the entire area:

J o =∫ r 2 dA
A
r 2 =x + y 2
2

J o =∫ ( x2 + y 2 )dA=I x +I y
A

 Rectangular moments of Inertia

I x   y 2 dA I y   x 2 dA
 Polar moment of inertia

J 0   r 2 dA

 Note: The second moment of area cannot be negative. It is always positive.

Compiled by G/Tsadik T. Adigrat University, Electrical &

Computer Engineering Dep’t
Engineering Mechanics I (Statics)
 2004 Page | 3

Radius of Gyration of an Area

The entire area, in fig.1, may be concentrated at a single point (k x ,k y ) to give the same second
moment of area for a given reference. The distancesk x,¿ k y are called the radii of gyration. Thus,
2
I x =k x A

kx = √ Ix

2
I y =k y A
ky = √ IA
A
y
kO2  k x2  k y2

J O =k O A
2 kO = √ JO
A

Parallel-Axis Theorem (Transfer Axes)

 It is often necessary to get moment of inertia of an area about axes parallel to centroidal axes. So
this theorem provides relationship between centroidal moments of inertia and moments of inertia
about parallel axes.
 Consider the figure given. The x’-y’ axes pass through the
centroid C. Our aim is to determine the moments of inertia of
the area about the parallel x-y axes.
 By definition, the moment of inertia of the element dA about
x-axis is given by

d Ix = ( y ' + d y )2 dA and for the entire area,

Ix = ∫ ( y ' + d ) dA
y
2

Fig. 2
= ∫ y ' dA + 2 d ∫ y ' dA + d ∫ dA
2 2
y y

Compiled by G/Tsadik T. Adigrat University, Electrical &

Computer Engineering
1
Dep’t
2 3
Engineering Mechanics I (Statics)
 2004 Page | 4

 The first integral is the moment of inertia about the centroid.

 The second component is the first moment area about the centroid, i.e about x’ axis.

y'A = ∫ y ' dA ⇒ y ' = 0, since this is the y-coordinte of the centroid of the area located
on the x’ axis.

⇒ ∫ y ' dA = 0

 The third term is simply A d y 2

0
Ix = ∫ y ' dA + 2 d ∫ y ' dA + d ∫ dA
2
y y
2

= I + Ad
x y
2

 Thus, the expression for I x and the similar expression for I y become

2
I x =I x + A d y

2
Parallel Axis I y =I y + A d x
2
J O =J C + Ad

Compiled by G/Tsadik T. Adigrat University, Electrical &

Computer Engineering Dep’t
Engineering Mechanics I (Statics)
 2004 Page | 5

d
2
= d x + d y and
2 2
JC = Ix + Iy

Examples

Compiled by G/Tsadik T. Adigrat University, Electrical &

Computer Engineering Dep’t
Engineering Mechanics I (Statics)
 2004 Page | 6

Exercises:

Moment of Inertia of Composite bodies

 The moment of inertia of a composite area A about a given axis is obtained by adding the
moments of inertia of the component areas A1, A2, A3…, with respect to the same axis. The
procedures are given below.

1. Divide the composite area into simpler parts.

2. Compute the moment of inertia of each simple body about its

centroidal axis from table.

3. Transfer each centroidal moment of inertia to a parallel reference axis

using parallel axis theorem.

Compiled by G/Tsadik T. Adigrat University, Electrical &

Computer Engineering Dep’t
Engineering Mechanics I (Statics)
 2004 Page | 7

4. The sum of the moments of inertia for each simple body about the
parallel reference axis is the moment of inertia of the composite body.

5. Any cutout area (hole) must be assigned a negative moment; all others
are considered positive.

 Usually it is convenient to tabulate the results for each of the parts in terms of its area A, its
centroidal moment of inertia I , the distance d from its centroidal axis to the axis about which
the moment of inertia of the entire section is computed, and the product Ad 2.

2 2
Parts Area, A dx dy Adx Ady Ix Iy

A1
A2
A3
⋮

Sums ∑A ∑ A d x2 ∑ A d y2 ∑ Ix ∑ Iy

Compiled by G/Tsadik T. Adigrat University, Electrical &

Computer Engineering Dep’t
Engineering Mechanics I (Statics)
 2004 Page | 8

Examples

Compiled by G/Tsadik T. Adigrat University, Electrical &

Computer Engineering Dep’t
 Engineering Mechanics I (Statics)
 2004 Page | 9

Find the moment of inertia of the body,

Ix and the radius of gyration, kx (rx)

Set up the reference axis at AB and find

the centroid

Bodies Ai yi y i*A i Ii di=y i-ybar d i2 A i

1 18 1 18 6 -2 72
2 18 5 90 54 2 72

36 108 60 144

ybar 3 in.
I 204 in4

Compiled by G/Tsadik T. Adigrat University, Electrical &

Computer Engineering Dep’t
Engineering Mechanics I (Statics)
 2004 Page |
10

Compute the radius of gyration, rx.

Compiled by G/Tsadik T. Adigrat University, Electrical &

Computer Engineering Dep’t
Engineering Mechanics I (Statics)
 2004 Page |
11

Compiled by G/Tsadik T. Adigrat University, Electrical &

Computer Engineering Dep’t
Engineering Mechanics I (Statics)
 2004 Page |
12

Exercises

Compiled by G/Tsadik T. Adigrat University, Electrical &

Computer Engineering Dep’t
Engineering Mechanics I (Statics)
 2004 Page |
13

Find the moment of inertia of the

body, Ix and the radius of gyration,
kx (rx)

The components of the

two bodies and subtract
the center area from the
total area.

Compiled by G/Tsadik T. Adigrat University, Electrical &

Computer Engineering Dep’t
Engineering Mechanics I (Statics)
 2004 Page |
14

Compute the radius of

gyration, rx.

Compiled by G/Tsadik T. Adigrat University, Electrical &

Computer Engineering Dep’t
Engineering Mechanics I (Statics)
 2004 Page |
15

Compiled by G/Tsadik T. Adigrat University, Electrical &

Computer Engineering Dep’t
Engineering Mechanics I (Statics)
 2004 Page |
16

Products of Inertia and Rotation of Axes

Compiled by G/Tsadik T. Adigrat University, Electrical &

Computer Engineering Dep’t