Addis College COTM Department

Chapter Five: Flexural and Shearing Stresses in Beams

5.1 Introduction

Lateral loads acting on a beam cause the beam to bend, or flex, there by deforming the axis of the
beam in to a curve. Thus the axis is bent into a curve called the deflection curve of the beam or the
elastic curve. The loads create internal actions, or stress resultants, in the form of shear forces and
bending moments as shown in the preceding chapter. This chapter deals with the stresses and strains
associated with the shear forces and bending moments.

Basic assumptions in flexure (bending) theory:

1. Transverse sections of the beam, which are plane before bending, will remain plane during
bending.
2. From consideration of symmetry during bending, transverse sections will be perpendicular to
circular arcs having a common center of curvature.
3. The radius of curvature of the beam during bending is large compared with the transverse
dimensions.
4. Longitudinal elements of the beam are subjected only to simple tension or compression and
there are no lateral stresses & shear stresses.

5.2 Normal stress in beams

Expressions of normal stress in beams are best explained by determining the normal strains in beams.
The strains and stresses in the beam are directly related to the shape of deflection curve, which is
determined by the curvature.

Consider portion of a beam subjected to pure bending (See figure 5.1). (Pure bending refers to flexure
of a beam under a constant bending moment. In contrast, non-uniform bending refers to flexure in
where there is variation in bending moment.) The upper surface of the beam stretches and is therefore
in tension and the lower surface shortens and thus is in compression. Hence there must be an xz-plane
in between in which longitudinal deformation is zero. This plane of the beam is called the neutral plane
or surface and the intersection of this surface with a cross section is called neutral axis. Consider the
deformations between two sections AC and BD, a distance dx apart, of an initially straight beam. A
longitudinal fiber EF at a distance y below the neutral axis will have initially the name length as the
fiber GH at the neutral axis. During bending EF shortens to become E'F', but GH, being at the neutral
axis, is unstrained when it becomes G'H'. Therefore if ρ is the radius of curvature of G'H',

G ' H '  dx   .d

E' F '    y d
The longitudinal strain in fiber E'F' is

E ' F ' EF
x 
EF

But EF = GH=G'H'=ρ.dθ; therefore

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Strength of Materials Lecture Note, Chapter 5
Addis College COTM Department

x 
  y d   .d
 .d
y
x 

The term 1/ρ is the curvature of the beam and is designated by the Greek letter κ (kappa).

  x   . y (5.1)

Since ρ = dx/dθ
d
 x  y
dx
Eqn.5.1 is derived solely from the geometry of the deformed beam; the properties of the material did
not enter into the derivation. Therefore, the equation is valid irrespective of the shape of the stress-
strain diagram of the material. It can be seen that strain is distributed linearly across the section, being
zero at the neutral axis.

z x
' '
A B
'
G H'
'
E' F
C' D' y
A B
G H
M E F M
C D

dx

A' B
'

G' '
H
M M
E' F'
C' D'

dθ

O
Fig. 5.1 Beam under pure bending.

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Strength of Materials Lecture Note, Chapter 5
Addis College COTM Department

The Stress- Strain Relation ship

The stress σx acting normal to the cross-section of a beam can be obtained from the normal strains εx.
Longitudinal elements of the beam are subjected only to tension or compression (i.e., σy = σz = 0);
therefore, the stress strain diagram for the material will provide the relationship between σx and εx. if
the material is elastic with a linear stress-strain diagram, Hooke’s law can be used and the stress will
become
 x  E x   Ey (5.2)

x E
    .E
y 
Thus eqn. 6.2 shows the normal stress acting on the cross section vary linearly with the distance y from
the neutral surface.

Internal resisting moment

As no resultant normal force acts on the cross section

  x dA   EydA  0
Because the curvature κ & modules of elasticity E are constants at the cross section, we have
 ydA  0 (5.3)
Provided the beam is under pure bending, eqn. 5.3 implies the neutral axis passes through the centroid
of cross section.

z
N.A

y
x
dF=σx dA
y
dA

Fig. 5.2 Derivation of relation between bending moment and bending stress

Considering fig. 5.2 above the moment of the differential axial force dF about the neutral axis is
dMo =y.dF.
Therefore the total internal resisting moment is

M o   dM o   ydFx   y x dA
A A A
This internal stress resultant must balance the external applied moment M. Thus from equilibrium;
y
M  M o   y x dA , But  x   E
A 
E
 M    y 2 dA
A

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Strength of Materials Lecture Note, Chapter 5
Addis College COTM Department

y
2
But the expression dA in the above equation is the moment of inertia (second moment of area) of
A
the cross-sectional area with respect to the neutral axis and will be denoted by I. Thus
EI 1 M
M  or     (5.4)
  EI
From eqns. 5.2 and 5.4 normal stress can be obtained by
My
 (5.5)
I
Where M = bending moment, in N.m
I = second moment of area (moment of inertia), in m4
σx = Stress, N/m2
y = distance from NA to point in question, in m
E = Young's modulus, in N/m2
ρ = radius of curvature of NA, in m
The quantity EI is the flexural rigidity of the beam.

Equation 5.5 is called the flexural formula and the normal stress. Stress computed using this formula is
known as bending stress.

For the outer surface of the beam, the maximum stress will be

My t max M My c max M
 t max    c max  
I Zt I Zc
σc

σt

Fig. 5.3 Typical bending stress distribution due to positive bending moment

The quantities I/ytmax and I/ycmax are functions of geometry only; they are termed as the section moduli
and are denoted by Ztand Zc. For a beam of rectangular cross section with width b and height h, the
moment of inertia and section modulus are
bh 3 bh 2
I and therefore section modulus, Z 
12 6
For circular cross section of diameter d, these properties are
d 4 d 3
I and therefore section modulus, Z 
64 32

Discuss on the determination of bending stress distribution on T, I, and U sections. (Procedures only)

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Strength of Materials Lecture Note, Chapter 5
Addis College COTM Department

6.3 Shear stress in beams

When a beam is subjected to lateral loads, both bending moments M and shear forces V act on the
cross sections. If we consider a beam of rectangular cross- section having width b and height h it can
reasonably be assumed that the shear stress τ acts parallel to the shear force V. If it is assumed that
these shear stresses have a uniform distribution across the width of the beam the shear stress can then
be determined.

Consider a small element of the beam. When shear stresses act on one side of an element they are
accompanied by shear stresses of equal magnitude acting on perpendicular faces of the element (fig
5.3). At any point within the beam, these complementary shear stresses are equal in magnitude. This
observation leads to the fact that at either the top or bottom of the element the horizontal shear stresses
must vanish because there are no stresses on the outer surface of the beam. Therefore, the vertical shear
stress τ also must vanish at the top & bottom of the beam (that is , τ = o when y=± h/2).

τ
b
z n τ
V τ
h
O n m τ τ
m x
τ

Fig. 5.3 Shear stresses acting on an element.

To evaluate these shear stresses consider the equilibrium of an element pp1n1n between two adjacent
cross sections separated by a distance dx.
m m1 b

h/2 M M+dM τ
x h O
τ z
h/2 σx p p1 y1 y y1
■
n n1 dA
dx y τmax

(a) Side view (b) cross-section (c) shear stress

Fig. 5.4 Diagram for derivation of the shear formula

If the element of area dA is located on the left hand face pn of the element, the normal force is
My
dF1   x dA  dA
I
My
The total horizontal force F1 acting on the left hand face: F1   dA
I

( M  dM ) y
Similarly the total force F2 acting on the right hand face: F2   dA
I

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Strength of Materials Lecture Note, Chapter 5
Addis College COTM Department

The horizontal force F3 acting on the top face PP1 is: F3  bdx
For static equilibrium F1  F3  F2
My M  dM  y dA
Or  I dA  bdx   I

dM 1 dM
dx Ib 
From which  ydA but V
dx

V
Ib   ydA  first moment of the area about the neutral axis = Q
Therefore  ydA in which

VQ
The above equation becomes   and it is called the shear formula.
Ib
The first moment Q for the shaded area in the figure 5.4 above is obtained by multiplying the area by
the distance from the centroid of the area to the neutral axis.
 h 
  y1 
 h   2 
Q  b  y1  y1  2   b  h  y1 2 
 
2  2  2 4 
 
 
h 2
2
V   y1 
From which    
4
2I
The maximum value of shear stress occurs at the neutral axis, Where y1 = 0 and it becomes 0
when y1= ± h/2.
Vh 2 3V
Therefore  max  
8I 2A
Substituting the expressions for I, b, and Q in to the shear formula, we can obtain an expression for
maximum shear in beams of circular cross section.
VQ 4V 4V
Thus,  max    in which A is the area of the beam.
Ib 3r 2
3A

This equation shows that the maximum shear stress in a circular beam is 4/3 times the average shear
stress V/A. If a beam has a hollow circular cross section, we may obtain the maximum shear stress
from the shear formula by substituting the properties of the cross section.
 4

i.e I  r2  r1
4
4
 2 3
3
 3

b  2r2  r1  and Q  r2  r1 (where r2 is the outer radius.)
And the maximum shear stress is
VQ 4V r2  r2 r1  r1
2 2

 max  
r2  r1
2 2
Ib 3 A
In the above equation if r1 = 0 it will reduce to the maximum shear stress equation for a solid circular
beam.
Discuss shear stress distribution on I, T, and U sections.(with example)

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Strength of Materials Lecture Note, Chapter 5
Addis College COTM Department

5.4 Stresses in Members under Axial Load Combined With Bending

Structural members often are subjected to the simultaneous action of bending loads and axial forces.
Consider a cantilever beam subjected to an inclined load P acting through the centroid of the end cross
section. The load P can be resolved in to two components, a lateral load Q and an axial load S. These
loads produce stress resultants in the forms of bending moments M, shear forces V, and axial forces N.
For a cross section at distance X from the support, these stress resultants are
M=Q (L-X) V=-Q and N=S
The axial force produce a uniform stress distribution given by σ =N/A
The bending moment M produces a linearly varying stress given by
MY
σ=
I
The final distribution of the normal stress acting on the cross section is obtained by combining ( or
superimposing) the stresses produced by the force N and the moment M.Thus, the total stresses are
obtained from
N MY
σ= 
A I
The final distribution in the beam depends up on the relative algebraic values of the terms in the above
equation.
Whenever bending and axial loads act simultaneously, the neutral axis is no longer through the centroid
of the cross section. As can be seen on fig. e, f and g the neutral axis may be out side the cross section,
at the edge of the cross section, or any where within the section.

Q
P V
N M
S
L x

(a) (b)

(+) (-) (+) (-)

(+) (+) (+) (+)

(+)

(f) (g)
(c) (d) (e)

Fig. 5.5 A beam subjected to inclined force

Beams with axial loads: - the beam should be relatively short & stiff, or stocky. This implies lateral
deflection ≈ 0

BENDING WITH ECCENTRIC AXIAL LOADS

An important case of practical interest occurs when a bar is subjected to an axial load applied
eccentrically, as illustrated in the figure below. In this example, the tensile load P acts normal to the
end cross-section at distance ez and ey from the principal Y and Z axes, respectively.

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Strength of Materials Lecture Note, Chapter 5
Addis College COTM Department

X X

P
Mz
P
c c

ey My
ez z z

Mz=Pey P z
Y Y

My=Pez

Fig. 5.6 A member loaded by eccentric force.

The eccentric load P is statically equivalent to a force P applied at the centroid and bending couples
P*ez and P*ey about the Y and Z axes, respectively. Therefore at any point in a cross section (a point
defined by coordinates y and z), the resultant normal stress is:

P ( Pe z z ) Pe y y 
  
A Iy Iz
Where Iy and Iz are the moments of inertia about the Y and Z axes respectively
In the above figure, the axial force p is positive if it is tensile, and e y and ez are positive in the
coordinate directions shown in the fig.5.3.
The equation of the neutral axis can be found by setting the normal stress σ equal to zero in the above
equation. With the corresponding coordinates denoted as y0 and z0, that equation becomes:-
(Aey / Iz) * y0 + (Aez / Iy)*z0 + 1=0
This equation is linear in y0 and z0, and therefore the neutral axis is a straight line, such as line n-n in
figure 5.7.
The neutral axis may or may not intersect the cross-section, depending upon the shape of the cross-
section and the position of the load P.

Fig. 5.7 Eccentric axial force P producing bending about both centroidal principal axes

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Strength of Materials Lecture Note, Chapter 5
Addis College COTM Department

THE CORE OF A CROSS-SECTION

When the eccentricities e y and ez of the axial load P (Fig. 5.6) are small, the neutral axis will lie outside the cross-section
and the normal stresses will have the same sign throughout the cross-section. A condition of this kind is important, for
instance, when a compressive load acts on the material that is very weak in tension, such as glass, concrete, stone and
ceramic materials. For such materials, it may be necessary to ensure that the load produces no tension at any point of the
cross-section. This condition exists if the load remains within a certain small region surrounding the centroid. Compressive
force acting within that region produces compression over the entire cross-section, and tensile force acting within that
region produces tension over the entire cross-section. This region is called the CORE (or the KERN) if the section.

The core of a rectangular cross-section (Fig. 5.4) can be found in the following manner. If the load lies along the positive y-
axis ( ez  0 ), the neutral axis nn will coincide with the upper edge of the section when the load is at point p a distance
e1 from the centroid.
h bh3 h
Where, e1 can be obtained by setting, ez  0, y0  , Iz  , and A  bh into eqn. 6.2. Thus, e1  . Similarly,
2 12 6
the neutral axis coincides with the left-hand edge of the section when the load P acts on the positive z-axis ( e y  0 ) at
point q a distance e2 from the centroid.

b b3h b
In this case e2 can be obtained by setting, e y  0, z0  , Iz  , and A  bh into eqn. 6.2. Thus e2  . As
2 12 6
the load moves along a straight line between point p and q, the neutral axis will rotate about point R at the corner of the
rectangular cross section fig. 5.4 (a).hence, line pq is one of the sides of the core; the other three sides can be located by
symmetry. It can be seen that the core is a rhombus with diagonals of lengths b/3 and h/3 Fig. 5.4 (b).

Fig 5.8

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Strength of Materials Lecture Note, Chapter 5