Mechanics of Materials

Chapter 7: Transverse Shear

Luay I. Qrenawi, PhD Candidate

Second Semester 2016 – 2017

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Transverse Shear:
Shear in Straight Members:
• For a beam supporting both an internal shear and a moment, the
shear V is the result of a transverse shear-stress distribution that
acts over the beam’s cross section, Fig. 7–1.

• Due to the complementary property of shear, this stress will also

create corresponding longitudinal shear stress that acts along the
length of the beam.

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Transverse Shear:
To illustrate the effect caused by the longitudinal shear stress:
• Consider the beam made from three boards shown in Fig. 7–2a.
• If the boards are not bonded together, application of the load P will
cause the boards to slide relative to one another when the beam
deflects.
• If the boards are bonded together, then the longitudinal shear
stress acting between the boards will prevent their relative sliding,
and the beam will act as a single unit, Fig. 7–2b.
• As a result of the shear stress, shear strains will be developed and
these will tend to distort the cross section.

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Transverse Shear:
• Now, consider the short bar in Fig. 7–
3a made of a highly deformable
material and marked with horizontal
and vertical grid lines.

• When the shear force V is applied, it

tends to deform these lines into the
pattern shown in Fig. 7–3b.

• This non-uniform shear-strain will

cause the cross section to warp.

• Remember, in the development of

the flexure formula, the cross section
is assumed to remain plane.

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Transverse Shear:
• Consider the horizontal force
equilibrium of a portion of an
element taken from the beam in
Fig. 7–4a.

• A free-body diagram of the entire

element is shown in Fig. 7–4b.

• The normal-stress distribution

acting on it is caused by the
bending moments M and M + dM

• SFx = 0 is satisfied since the stress

distribution on each side of the
element forms only a couple
moment, and therefore a zero force
resultant.
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Transverse Shear:
Consider the top
portion of the
element, sectioned at
y’ from the neutral
axis, Fig. 7–4c.
We want to find the
shear stress at this
section.
This top segment has a width t
at the section, and the two cross-sectional
sides each have an area A’
The segment’s FBD is shown in Fig. 7–4d.
The resultant moments on each side of the
element differ by dM, so that Fx = 0 will not
be satisfied unless a longitudinal shear stress
t acts over the bottom sectioned plane.
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Transverse Shear:
• After performing the necessary derivations, we
will get the value of t from:
𝑽𝑸
• 𝝉=
𝑰𝒕
Where:
t = Shear stress in the member at the point located
a distance y from the neutral axis.
V = Shear force
I = Moment of inertia about the neutral axis
t = Width of the member’s cross section, measured at the point where
t is to be determined
Q = Ȳ’A’
A’ = Area of the top (or bottom) portion of the member’s cross section,
above (or below) the section plane where t is measured,
Ȳ’ = Distance from the neutral axis to the centroid of A’

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Transverse Shear:
Calculating Q:

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Transverse Shear:
Limitations on the use of Shear Formula:
• One of the assumptions used when developing
the shear formula; the shear stress is uniformly
distributed over the width t at the section.
• If the beam’s cross section is rectangular, the
shear-stress distribution across the neutral axis
actually varies as shown in Fig. 7–7.
• The maximum value, tmax , occurs at the sides
of the cross section, and its magnitude depends
on the ratio b/h.
• If b/h = 0.5, tmax is about 3% greater than the
shear stress calculated from the shear formula,
Fig. 7–7a.
• For flat sections, say b/h = 2, tmax is about 40%
greater than tmax , Fig. 7–7b.
• The error becomes even greater as b/h
increases.
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Transverse Shear:
Limitations on the use of Shear Formula:
• If we apply the shear formula to determine the (average) shear
stress t along the line AB in an irregular boundary cross section, it
will be directed downward across this line as shown in Fig. 7–9b.
• However, an element of material taken from the boundary point B,
Fig. 7–9c, must not have any shear stress on its outer surface.
• In other words, the shear stress acting on this element must be
directed tangent to the boundary, and so the shear-stress
distribution across line AB is actually directed as shown in Fig. 7–9d.

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Transverse Shear:

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Transverse Shear:
To be discussed with T.A.

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Transverse Shear:
Shear Flow in Built up Members:

• Loads cause the members to bend, so, fasteners such as nails,

bolts, welding material, or glue will be needed to keep the
component parts from sliding relative to one another.
• In order to design these fasteners or determine their spacing, it is
necessary to know the shear force that they must resist.
• This loading, when measured as a force per unit length of beam, is
referred to as shear flow, q.
• The magnitude of the shear flow is obtained using a procedure
similar to that for finding the shear stress in a beam.
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Transverse Shear:
Shear Flow in Built up Members:
• Shear flow (q) can be calculated from:
𝑽𝑸
𝒒 = , where:
𝑰
q = Shear flow, measured as a force per unit length
along the beam
V = Shear force
I = the moment of inertia of the entire cross
sectional area calculated about the neutral axis
Q = Ȳ’A’
A’, and Ȳ’ as stated before

Note: this formula will be used to determine the

fastener spacing

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Transverse Shear:
To be discussed with T.A.

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Transverse Shear:
Shear Flow in Thin Walled Members:
𝑽𝑸
• Shear flow formula 𝒒 = can be used to determine the
𝑰
distribution of the shear flow throughout a thin-walled member,
provided the shear V acts along an axis of symmetry or principal
centroidal axis of inertia for the cross section.
• If a member is made from segments having thin walls, then only the
shear flow parallel to the walls of the member is important.
• The shear flow varies linearly along segments that are
perpendicular to the direction of the shear V.
• The shear flow varies parabolically along segments that are inclined
or parallel to the direction of the shear V.
• On the cross section, the shear “flows” along the segments so that
it results in the vertical shear force V and yet satisfies horizontal
force equilibrium.

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Transverse Shear:
Shear Flow in Thin Walled Members:

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Transverse Shear:
Shear Flow in Thin Walled Members:

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Transverse Shear:
The Shear Center for Open Thin Walled Members:
• Consider the cantilever channel shown, is subjected to the force P.
• If this force is applied through the centroid C of the cross section,
the channel will not only bend downward, but it will also twist
clockwise.
• This twist is a result of the shear flow distribution shown.
• When this distribution is integrated over the flange and web areas,
the resultant forces of Ff in each flange and a force of V = P in the
web will be obtained, Fig. 7–24c.

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Transverse Shear:
The Shear Center for Open Thin Walled Members:
• If the moments of these three forces are summed about point A,
the unbalanced couple or torque created by the flange forces is
seen to be responsible for twisting the member.
• In order to prevent this twisting and therefore cancel the
unbalanced moment, it is necessary to apply P at a point O located
an eccentric distance e (e = Ff × d/P) from the web, Fig. 7–24d.
• The point O so located is called the shear center or flexural center.
When P is applied at this point, the beam will bend without
twisting, Fig. 7–24e.

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Transverse Shear:
The Shear Center for Open Thin Walled Members:
• It should be noted that the shear center will always lie on an axis
of symmetry of a member’s cross-sectional area.
• If the channel is rotated 90° and P is applied at A, Fig. 7–25a, no
twisting will occur since the shear flow in the web and flanges for
this case is symmetrical, and therefore the force resultants in these
elements will create zero moments about A, Fig. 7–25b.

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To be discussed with T.A.

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