TENSION FIELD BEAMS

COMPLETE DIAGONAL TENSION

The spars of aircraft wings usually comprise an upper and a lower flange
connected by thin stiffened webs. These webs are often of such a thickness that
they buckle under shear stresses at a fraction of their ultimate load.
The form of the buckle is shown in Figure where the web of beam buckles
under the action of internal diagonal compressive stresses produced by shear,
leaving a wrinkled web capable of supporting diagonal tension only in a
direction perpendicular to that of buckle; the beam is called Complete Tension
Field Beam.

The beam shown in Figure has concentrated flange areas having a depth d
between their centroids and vertical stiffeners which are spaced uniformly along
the length of the beam.
It is assumed that the flanges resist the internal bending moment at any section
of the beam while the web, of thickness t, resists the vertical shear force.

The shear stress τ is given by

𝑺
𝝉= 1
𝒕𝒅
Consider now an element ABCD of the web in a panel of beam, as shown in
Figure.
The element is subjected to tensile stresses 𝝈𝒕 , produced by the diagonal
tension on the planes AB and CD; the angle of the diagonal tension is α.
On a vertical plane FD in element the shear stress is 𝝉 and the direct stress 𝝈𝒛 .
Now considering the equilibrium of the element FCD (Figure 2) and resolving
forces vertically, we have
𝝈𝒕 𝑪𝑫𝒕 𝐬𝐢𝐧 𝜶 = 𝝉𝑭𝑫𝒕 2
 Figure 2

Which gives
𝝉 𝟐𝝉 3
𝝈𝒕 = =
𝒔𝒊𝒏 𝜶 𝒄𝒐𝒔 𝜶 𝒔𝒊𝒏 𝟐 𝜶

or, substituting for 𝝉 equation 1 and noting that in this case S = W at all
sections of beam

𝟐𝑾 4
𝝈𝒕 =
𝒕𝒅 𝒔𝒊𝒏 𝟐 𝜶

resolving forces horizontally for the element FCD

𝝈𝒛 𝑭𝑫𝒕 = 𝝈𝒕 𝑪𝑫𝒕 𝒄𝒐𝒔 𝜶

𝝈𝒛 = 𝝈𝒕 𝐜𝐨𝐬 𝟐 𝜶
or, substituting for 𝝈𝒕 from equation 3

𝝉
𝝈𝒛 = 5
𝐭𝐚𝐧 𝜶

or, for this particular beam, from Equation 1

𝑾
𝝈𝒛 = 6
𝒕𝒅 𝐭𝐚𝐧 𝜶

Since 𝝉 and 𝝈𝒕 are constant through the depth of the beam it follows that 𝝈𝒛 is
constant through the depth of the beam.

Taking moments about the bottom flange

𝝈𝒛 𝒕 𝒅 𝟐 7
𝑾𝒛 = 𝑭𝑻 𝒅 −
𝟐

Hence, substituting for 𝝈𝒛 from Eq. 6 and rearranging

𝑾𝒛 𝑾 8
𝑭𝑻 = +
𝒅 𝟐 𝐭𝐚𝐧 𝜶

Now resolving forces horizontally

𝑭𝑩 − 𝑭𝑻 + 𝝈𝒛 𝒕𝒅 = 𝟎

which gives, on substituting for σz and FT from Equation 6 and 8

𝑾𝒛 𝑾 9
𝑭𝑩 = −
𝒅 𝟐 𝐭𝐚𝐧 𝜶
From a consideration of the vertical equilibrium of the element HDC we have,

𝝈𝒚 𝑯𝑪𝒕 = 𝝈𝒕 𝑪𝑫𝒕 𝒔𝒊𝒏 𝜶

𝝈𝒚 = 𝝈𝒕 𝒔𝒊𝒏𝟐 𝜶

Substituting for 𝝈𝒕 from Equation

𝝈𝒚 = 𝝉 𝐭𝐚𝐧 𝜶 10
or, from Equation 10 in which S = W

𝑾
𝝈𝒚 = 𝐭𝐚𝐧 𝜶 11
𝒕𝒅

The tensile stresses 𝝈𝒚 on horizontal planes in the web of the beam cause
compression in the vertical stiffeners. Each stiffener may be assumed to support
half of each adjacent panel in the beam so that the compressive load P in a
stiffener is given by
𝑷 = 𝝈𝒚 𝒕𝒃

which becomes, from Equation 11

𝑾𝒃 12
𝑷= 𝐭𝐚𝐧 𝜶
𝒅

• If the load P is sufficiently high the stiffeners will buckle.

• Tests indicate that they buckle as columns of equivalent length

𝒅 13
𝒍𝒆 = , 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒃 < 𝟏. 𝟓𝒅
√𝟒 − 𝟐𝒃
𝒅
13
𝒍𝒆 = 𝒅, 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒃 > 𝟏. 𝟓𝒅

𝝈𝒚 𝒕𝒃𝟐
𝑴𝑴𝒂𝒙 =
𝟏𝟐
or, substituting for 𝝈𝒚 from Equation 11

𝑾𝒃𝟐 𝐭𝐚𝐧 𝜶
𝑴𝑴𝒂𝒙 = 14
𝟏𝟐 𝒅

For beams having all components made of the same material the condition of
minimum strain energy leads to various equivalent expressions for α, one of
which is
𝝈 𝒕 + 𝝈𝑭 15
𝐭𝐚𝐧𝟐 𝜶 =
𝝈 𝒕 + 𝝈𝑺

in which 𝝈𝑭 and 𝝈𝑺 are the uniform direct compressive stresses induced by the
diagonal tension in the flanges and stiffeners, respectively. Thus, from the
second term on the right-hand side of either of Equation 8 & 9

𝑾
𝝈𝑭 = 16
𝟐𝑨𝑭 𝐭𝐚𝐧 𝜶

in which 𝑨𝑭 is the cross-sectional area of each flange. Also, from Equation 15

𝑾𝒃
𝝈𝑺 = 𝐭𝐚𝐧 𝜶 17
𝑨𝑺 𝒅

An alternative expression for 𝛂 again derived from a consideration of the total

strain energy of the beam, is
𝒕𝒅
𝟏+
𝟐𝑨𝑭 18
𝐭𝐚𝐧𝟒 𝜶 =
𝒕𝒃
𝟏+
𝑨𝑺

Bening of flanges due to web stress

INCOMPLETE DIAGONAL TENSION
In modern aircraft structures, beams having extremely thin webs are rare. They
retain, after buckling, some of their ability to support loads so that even near
failure they are in a state of stress somewhere between that of pure diagonal
tension and the pre-buckling stress. Such a beam is described as an incomplete
diagonal tension field beam and may be analysed by semi-empirical theory as
follows.
𝑺
It is assumed that nominal web shear 𝝉 = may be divided into a ‘true
𝒕𝒅
shear’ component 𝝉𝑺 and a diagonal tension component 𝝉𝑫𝑻 by writing

𝝉𝑫𝑻 = 𝒌 𝝉 , 𝝉𝑺 = (𝟏 − 𝒌) 𝝉 1

Where k, diagonal tension factor, is a measure of degree to which diagonal

tension is developed. A completely unbuckled web has k =0 whereas k =1 for a
web in complete diagonal tension. The value of k corresponding to a web having
a critical shear stress𝝉𝑪𝑹 is given by the empirical expression

𝝉 2
𝒌 = 𝐭𝐚𝐧 𝒉 (𝟎. 𝟓 𝐥𝐨𝐠 )
𝝉𝑪𝑹
𝝉
The ratio is known as the loading ratio or buckling stress ratio. The buckling
𝝉𝑪𝑹
stress 𝛕𝐂𝐑 may be calculated from the formula

𝒕 2 𝟏 𝒃 3 3
𝝉𝑪𝑹,𝒆𝒍𝒂𝒔𝒕𝒊𝒄 = 𝒌𝑺𝑺 𝑬 ( ) [𝐑𝐝 + (𝐑𝐛 − 𝐑𝐝 ) ( ) ]
𝒃 𝟐 𝒅
The stress equations are modified in the light of these assumptions and may be
rewritten in terms of the applied shear stress 𝛕 as

𝒌𝛕 𝐜𝐨𝐭 𝛂 4
𝝈𝑺 =
𝟐𝑨𝑭
[ ] + 𝟎. 𝟓(𝟏 − 𝒌)
𝒕𝒅

𝒌𝛕 𝐭𝐚𝐧 𝜶
𝝈𝑺 =
𝑨𝑺 5
[ ] + 𝟎. 𝟓(𝟏 − 𝒌)
𝒕𝒃
Further, web stress 𝝈𝒕 given by Eq. (9.15) becomes two direct stresses: 𝝈𝟏 along
direction of α given by

𝟐𝒌𝛕 6
𝝈𝟏 = + 𝛕(𝟏 − 𝐤) 𝐬𝐢𝐧 𝟐 𝜶
𝐬𝐢𝐧 𝟐 𝜶
and 𝛔𝟐 perpendicular to this direction given by
7
𝝈𝟐 = − 𝛕(𝟏 − 𝐤) 𝐬𝐢𝐧 𝟐 𝜶

calculation of stiffener buckling loads become

𝒅𝒔
𝒍𝒆 = , 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒃 < 𝟏. 𝟓𝒅
𝟐𝒃
√𝟏 + 𝒌𝟐 [𝟑 − ]
𝒅𝒔

𝒍𝒆 = 𝒅𝒔 , 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒃 > 𝟏. 𝟓𝒅

we have, resolving forces vertically

8
𝑾 − (𝑭𝑻 + 𝑭𝑩 ) 𝐬𝐢𝐧 𝛃 − 𝝈𝒕 (𝒅𝒄𝒐𝒔 𝜶) 𝐬𝐢𝐧 𝜶 = 𝟎

CALCULATION OF STIFFENER BUCKLING LOAD

EFFECT OF TAPER ON DIAGONAL TENSION FIELD BEAM

CALCULATIONS
For horizontal equilibrium

(𝑭𝑻 − 𝑭𝑩 ) 𝒄𝒐𝒔 𝛃 − 𝝈𝒕 𝒕𝒅 𝒄𝒐𝒔𝟐 𝜶 = 𝟎 9

Taking moments about B

𝟏 10
𝑾𝒛 − 𝑭𝑻 𝒅 𝒄𝒐𝒔 𝛃 + 𝝈𝒕 𝒕𝒅𝟐 𝒄𝒐𝒔𝟐 𝜶 = 𝟎
𝟐
Solving for 𝝈𝒕 , 𝑭𝑻 and 𝑭𝑩
11
𝟐𝑾 𝟐𝒛
𝝈𝒕 = [𝟏 − 𝐭𝐚𝐧 𝜷]
𝐭𝐝𝐬𝐢𝐧 𝟐 𝜶 𝒅

𝑾 𝒅 𝐜𝐨𝐭 𝜶 𝟐𝒛 12
𝑭𝑻 = [𝒛 + [𝟏 − 𝐭𝐚𝐧 𝜷]]
𝒅 𝒄𝒐𝒔 𝛃 𝟐 𝒅

𝑾 𝒅 𝐜𝐨𝐭 𝜶 𝟐𝒛
𝑭𝑩 = [𝒛 − [𝟏 − 𝐭𝐚𝐧 𝜷]]
𝒅 𝒄𝒐𝒔 𝛃 𝟐 𝒅 13

𝑾𝒃 𝟐𝒛 14
𝑷= 𝐭𝐚𝐧 𝜶 [𝟏 − 𝐭𝐚𝐧 𝜷]
𝒅 𝒅
Also, the shear force S at any section of the beam is

𝑺 = 𝑾 − (𝑭𝑻 + 𝑭𝑩 ) 𝐬𝐢𝐧 𝛃

or, substituting for 𝑭𝑻 and 𝑭𝑩

𝟐𝒛 15
𝑺 = 𝑾 [𝟏 − 𝐭𝐚𝐧 𝜷]
𝒅
COLLAPSE MECHANISM OF A PANEL OF A TENSION FIELD
BEAM