AERO 234

Fundamentals of Aircraft Structures

Chapter 5
Stress Analysis
Lecture 1

Dr. Jihad Rishmany

In This Chapter
 5.1 Introduction
 5.2 Force-Stress Relationships
 5.3 Normal Stress in Beams
 5.4 Shear Stresses in Beams
 5.5 Shear Flow in Thin Webs
 5.6 Shear Center
 5.7 Torsion of Closed-Section Box Beams
 5.8 Shear Flow in Closed-Section Box Beams
 5.9 Spanwise Taper Effect
 5.10 Beams with Variable Stringer Areas
2
5.1 Introduction
 In order to select sizes of structural members to meet the
design load requirements on a specific aerospace vehicle, it is
necessary to find the unit stresses acting on the cross section of
each structural element.

3
5.2 Force-Stress Relationships
 The stress field at any chosen point in a solid beam may be
entirely defined by the components of force resultants or
stresses acting along the directions of some “gaussian"
coordinate system.

 The forces and stresses are

taken to be positive if they act
in the positive direction of the
corresponding coordinate axis.

4
5.2 Force-Stress Relationships
 The force resultants may be related to the stresses as follows:

P    xx dA M z    y xx dA
A A

Vy    xy dA M y   z xx dA Eq. (5.1)
A
A

Vz    xz dA T   ( y xz  z xy )dA
A A

where P = axial force

Vy,Vz = shear force
Mz, My = bending moments
T = torque
σxx = normal stress
σxy, σxz = shearing stresses
5
5.3 Normal Stress in Beams
 Two approaches may be used to determine stresses; the first is
based on the theory of elasticity, and the second is based on
strength of materials theory.
 The latter, which is used here, assumes that plane sections
remain plane after extensional-bending deformation takes
place. This assumption implies that the deformations due to
transverse shear forces (Vz and Vy) are very small and therefore
may be neglected. In addition, this assumption allows the
displacements (deflections) of any point in the beam to be
expressed in terms of the displacements of points located on
the beam axis.
6
5.3 Normal Stress in Beams
 Assume that the displacement in the x direction of any point in
the beam is represented by qx(x, y, z). If we take ux(s) to be the
extensional displacement of any point on the beam axis (y = z=
0) and ψz and ψy to be the rotational displacements of the beam
cross section, then:

qx  x, y, z   u x  x   y z  x   z y  x  Eq. (5.2)

 The axial strain from Eq. (3.14a) is defined by:  xx  qx , x

7
5.3 Normal Stress in Beams
 Hence, From Eq. (4.2):
 xx  u x , x  y z , x  z y , x Eq. (5.3)

 At any given cross section x = x0

du x ( x0 ) d y ( x0 )
 const  B1  const  B3
dx dx
d z ( x0 )
 const  B2
dx
 where Eq. (5.3) becomes:

 xx  B1  B2 y  B3 z Eq. (5.4)

8
5.3 Normal Stress in Beams
 In order to determine the stresses which correspond to the
strains in Eq. (5.4), the stress-strain relationship in Chap. 3 is
utilized. By assuming that the stresses σzz, and σyy are negligible
compared to σxx the following relationship for an isotropic
material may he obtained easily from Eq. (3.25):

 xx  E  xx Eq. (5.5)

 where E = modulus of elasticity of the material

9
5.3 Normal Stress in Beams
 Substituting Eq. (5.4) into Eq. (5.5) yields

 xx  E ( B1  B2 y  B3 z ) Eq. (5.6)

 Constants B1, B2, and B3 may now be determined through the

use of Eq. (5.1), or
P  E(B
A
1 B2 y  B3 z )dA

M z    Ey ( B1 B2 y  B3 z )dA
A

M y   Ez ( B1 B2 y  B3 z )dA
A
10
5.3 Normal Stress in Beams
 Carrying out the integrations yields:
P
 B1 A  B2 y  B3 z
E

M z
 B1 y  I z B2  I yz B3 Eq. (5.7)
E

My
 B1 z  I yz B2  I y B3
E

where A = cross-sectional area

11
5.3 Normal Stress in Beams

I z   y 2 dA  moment of inertia of cross section about x axis Eq. (5.8a)

A

I y   z 2 dA  moment of inertia of cross section about y axis Eq. (5.8b)

A

I yz   yz dA  product moment of inertia of cross section Eq. (5.8c)

A

y   ydA
A

z   zdA
A
Eq. (5.9)

12
5.3 Normal Stress in Beams
 If the z and y axes are taken through the geometric centroid of
the cross section, then 𝑦ത and 𝑧ҧ become identically zero. Hence
Eq. (5.7) reduces to
P
 B1 A
E
M z
 I z B2  I yz B3 Eq. (5.10)
E

My
 I yz B2  I y B3
E

13
5.3 Normal Stress in Beams
 Solving Eqs. (5.10) for the unknown constants yields:

P
B1 
AE

I y M z  I yz M y
B2   Eq. (5.11)
E ( I y I z  I yz )
2

I z M y  I yz M z
B3  
E ( I y I z  I yz 2 )

14
5.3 Normal Stress in Beams
 Substituting Eqs.(5.11) into Eq.(5.6) yields the general expression
of the normal stress:
P I y M z  I yz M y I z M y  I yz M z
 xx   y z Eq. (5.12)
A I y I z  I yz 2
I y I z  I yz 2

 When Eq. (5.12) is used, it is important to observe the sign

convention used in the derivation. In cases where y and z axes
are principal axes of the cross-sectional area, the product of the
moment of inertia Iyz about these axes is zero. For this condition,
Eq (5.12) reduces to: P Mz My
 xx   y z Eq. (5.13)
A Iz Iy

15
5.3 Normal Stress in Beams
 If there is no axial force acting on the beam and bending occurs
about the z axis only, then Eq. (5.13) reduces to the familiar
strength-of-material pure bending equation:

M z y
 xx  Eq. (5.14)
Iz

16
5.4 Shear Stresses in Beams
 The shear stresses in beams are induced by pure shear Force
action and/or torsional action. In this section, only shear
stresses due to shear forces are considered.
 Consider a small section of a beam. For simplicity, assume that
the beam cross section is symmetrical and the theory of
strength of materials holds.

17
5.4 Shear Stresses in Beams
 The shear force Vy parallel to the beam cross section produces
shear stresses σxy of varying intensity over the cross-sectional
area.
 Corresponding to the vertical shear stress σxy, there exists a
shear stress σyx in the xz plane which is equal to σyx at the points
of intersection of the two planes.
 Thus, the expression of the vertical shear stress σxy at any point
in the cross section is obtained by determining the shear stress
σyx on a horizontal plane through the point.

18
5.4 Shear Stresses in Beams
 The bending stresses on the left and right sections of the beam
element are shown below. At any point a distance y from the
neutral axis, the bending stress will be Mzy/Iz on the left face
and Mzy/Iz +Vyηy/Iz on the right face.

19
5.4 Shear Stresses in Beams
 In order to obtain the shear stress at a distance y = y1 above the
neutral axis, the portion of the beam above that point is
considered as a free body.
 For equilibrium of the horizontal forces, the force produced by
the shear stress σyx on the horizontal area of width t and length
𝛿x must be equal to the difference in the normal forces on the
two cross sections. Summing forces in the horizontal direction
yields:
c
Vy y
 yx t  
y1
Iz
dA Eq. (5.15)

20
5.4 Shear Stresses in Beams
 Equation (5.15) may be written in standard form as
c
Vy
 yx 
It
z
 ydA
y1
Eq. (5.16)

 where the integral represents the moment of the area of the

cross section above the point where the shear stress is being
determined, with the moment arms measured from the neutral
axis.

 It is important to note that Eq. (5.16) is applicable only to beams

of uniform, symmetrical cross sections.

21
5.4 Shear Stresses in Beams
 Example 5.1: Find the maximum normal stress in the beam and
the shear stress distribution over the cross section.

22
5.4 Shear Stresses in Beams
 Solution: The maximum normal stress due to bending will occur
at the point of maximum bending moment, or at the fixed end
of the beam. Since the shear force is constant throughout the
beam span, the shear stress distribution will be the same at any
cross section. The moment of inertia for the cross is obtained as
follows:
 13    43 
I z  2  3    3  2.5   1    43.3 in 4
2

 12    12 

I yz  P  M y  0

23
5.4 Shear Stresses in Beams
 The maximum normal stress is:

Mz y 40  20(3)
 xx     55.4 kips/in 2
Iz 43.3

 For a point 1 in. below the top of the beam, the integral of Eq.
(5.16) is equal to the moment of the area of the upper rectangle
about the neutral axis:
c


y1
ydA  2.5(3)  7.5 in 3

24
5.4 Shear Stresses in Beams
 The average shear stress just above this point, where t = 3 in. is:
c
Vy 40, 000
I z t y1
 yx  ydA  7.5  2310 lb/in 2

43.3  3

 The average shear stress just below this point, where t = 1 in. is:
c
Vy 40, 000
I z t y1
 yx  ydA  7.5  6930 lb/in 2

43.3  1

25
5.4 Shear Stresses in Beams
 For a point 2 in. below the top of the beam, the integral of Eq.
c
(5.16) is:
 ydA  2.5  3  1.5 1  9.0
y1

 This shear stress at this point is:

Vy c 40, 000
I z t y1
 yx  ydA  9.0  8320 lb/in 2

43.3  1

 At a point on the neutral axis of the beam, the shear stress is:
c
Vy 40, 000
I z t y1
 yx  ydA  (2.5  3  1  2)  8780 lb/in 2

43.3  1

26
5.4 Shear Stresses in Beams
 The distribution of shear stress over the cross section is shown
below. The stress distribution over the lower half of the beam is
similar to the distribution over the upper half because of the
symmetry of the cross section about the neutral axis.

27
5.4 Shear Stresses in Beams
 Alternative Solutions for Shear Stresses
 In some problems it is more convenient to find shear stresses by
obtaining the forces resulting from the change in bending
stresses between two cross sections than it is to use Eq. (5.16).
Portions of the beam between two cross sections a unit distance
apart are shown below.

28
5.4 Shear Stresses in Beams
 The bending moment increases by Vy, in this unit distance, and
the bending stresses on the left face of the beam are larger than
those on the right face by an amount Vyηy/Iz, where η=1. At the
top of the beam, this difference is:
Vy y 40(3)
 2.77 kips/in 2
Iz 43.3
 The differences in bending stresses at other points of the cross
section are obtained by substituting various values of y. Cutting
sections and utilizing the equations of static equilibrium in each
case yield the shearing stresses at these various points:

29
5.4 Shear Stresses in Beams

σ yx = 6930/3 = 2310 lb/in2 at 1 in below top of beam

σ yx = 8320/1 = 8320 lb/in2 at 2 in below top of beam

σ yx = 8780/1 = 8780 lb/in2 at neutral axis

30
5.4 Shear Stresses in Beams
 Example 5.2: In the beam cross section shown, the webs are
considered to be ineffective in resisting normal stresses but
capable of transmitting shear. Each stringer area of 0.5 in2 is
assumed to be lumped at a point. Find the shear stress
distribution in the webs.

31
5.4 Shear Stresses in Beams
 SOLUTION: If we neglect the moments of inertia of the webs
and of the stringers about their own centroids, the cross-
sectional moment of inertia about the neutral axis is
Iz = 2(0.5)(62)+ 2(0.5)(22) = 40 in4
 If two cross sections 1 in. apart are considered, the difference in
bending stresses Vyy/Iz on the two cross sections will be 8(6/40)
= 1.2 kips/in2 on the outside stringers and 8(2/40)= 0.4 kips/in2
on the inside stringers.
 The differences in axial loads on the stringers at the two cross
sections are found as the product of these stresses and the
stringer areas (Fig. c).
32
5.4 Shear Stresses in Beams
 The shear stress in the web at a point between the upper two
stringers is found from the equilibrium of spanwise forces on the
upper stringer.
σyx(0.04)(1) = 600 or σyx = 15,000 lb/in2
 If the webs resist no bending stress, the shear stress will be
constant along each web (Fig. d). If the webs resist bending
stresses, the shear stress in each web will vary along the length
of the web and will be greater at the end nearer the neutral axis.

33
5.4 Shear Stresses in Beams
 The shear stress in the web between the two middle stringers is
found by considering spanwise forces on the two upper
stringers:
σyx(0.04)(1)= 600 + 200 or σyx = 20,000 lb/in2

34
5.4 Shear Stresses in Beams
 In problems involving shear stresses in thin webs, the shear
force per inch length of web often is obtained rather than the
shear stress.
 The shear per inch, or shear flow, is equal to the product of the
shear stress and the web thickness.
 The shear flow for each web (Fig. c) is equal to the sum of the
longitudinal loads above the web.

35
5.4 Shear Stresses in Beams
 The shear stresses may also be obtained by using Eq. (5.16). For
a point between the two upper stringers:

c
Vy 8000
 yx 
Izt 
y1
ydA 
40  0.040
(0.5  6)  15, 000 lb/in 2

 For a point between the two middle stringers:

c
Vy 8000
I z t y1
 yx  ydA  (0.5  6  0.5  2)  20, 000 lb/in 2

40  0.040

36
5.4 Shear Stresses in Beams
 Example 5.3: Find expressions for the normal stress for all beams
whose unsymmetrical cross sections are given in Fig. 5.8a and b.

Figure 5.8-a Figure 5.8-b

37
5.4 Shear Stresses in Beams
 Solution From Eq.(5.12) with P set to zero, the normal stress for
the beam in Fig. 5.8a is:

I y M z  I yz M y I z M y  I yz M z
 xx   y z
I y I z  I yz 2
I y I z  I yz 2

173.3(100,000)  240(10,000) 693.3(10,000)  240(100,000)

 y  z
(693.3)(173.3)  240 2
(693.3)(173.3)  240 2

 135 y  494 z
 Similarly, for the beam in Fig. 5.8b, the normal stress expression
is:
 xx  6457y  9.06z
38
Further Readings

David J. Peery & J.J. Azar: AIRCRAFT STRUCTURES,

2nd Edition

Chapter 5: Stress Analysis

39