Module 5: STRESSES IN BEAMS

STRESSES IN BEAMS

Forces and couples acting on a beam cause bending (flexural stresses) and shearing stresses on any
cross section of the beam and deflection to the longitudinal axis of the beam. If couples are applied to the
ends of the beam and no forces act on it, the bending is said to be pure bending. If forces produced the
bending, the bending is called ordinary bending.

In using the following formulas for flexural and shearing stresses, it is assumed that a plane section
of the beam normal to its longitudinal axis prior to loading remains plane after the forces and couples have
been applied, and that the beam is initially straight and of uniform cross section and that the moduli of
elasticity in tension and compression are equal.

A. Flexure Formula

Stresses caused by the bending moment are known as flexural or bending stresses. Consider a beam
to be loaded as shown.

Consider a fiber at a distance y from the neutral axis, because of the beam's curvature, as the effect
of bending moment, the fiber is stretched by an amount of cd. Since the curvature of the beam is very small,
bcd and Oba are considered as similar triangles. The strain on this fiber is

𝑐𝑑 𝑦
𝜀= =
𝑎𝑏 𝜌
𝜎
By Hooke’s law, 𝜀 = , then
𝐸

𝜎 𝑦 𝑦
= ; 𝜎= 𝐸
𝐸 𝜌 𝜌

which means that the stress is proportional to the distance y from the neutral axis.

For this section, the notation fb will be used instead of σ.

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Module 5: STRESSES IN BEAMS

Considering a differential area dA at a distance y from N.A., the force acting over the area is

𝑦 𝐸
𝑑𝐹 = 𝑓𝑏 𝑑𝐴 = 𝐸 𝑑𝐴 = 𝑦 𝑑𝐴
𝜌 𝜌

The resultant of all the elemental moment about n.a. must be equal to the bending moment on the
section

𝐸
𝑀 = ∫ 𝑑𝑀 = ∫ 𝑦 𝑑𝐹 = ∫ 𝑦 ( 𝑦 𝑑𝐴)
𝜌

𝐸
𝑀= ∫ 𝑦 2 𝑑𝐴
𝜌

But ∫ 𝑦 2 𝑑𝐴 = 𝐼 , then

𝐸 𝐸𝐼
𝑀= 𝑜𝑟 𝜌 =
𝜌 𝑀
𝐸
Substituting 𝜌 = 𝑦
𝑓𝑏

𝐸𝑦 𝐸𝐼
=
𝑓𝑏 𝑀

Then,

𝑀𝑦
𝑓𝑏 =
𝐼

And for maximum bending moment

𝑴𝒄
𝒇𝒃 =
𝑰

Where:

fbmax = the maximum normal stress in the member, which occurs at a point on the cross-sectional area
farthest away from the neutral axis

M = the resultant internal moment, determined from the method of sections and the equations of
equilibrium, and calculated about the neutral axis of the cross section

c = perpendicular distance from the neutral axis to a point farthest away from the neutral axis. This is
where fbmax acts.

I = moment of inertia of the cross-sectional area about the neutral axis

Maximum Bending Stress: Symmetric Cross Section

If the neutral axis is an axis of symmetry of the cross section, the maximum tensile and compressive
bending stresses in the beam are equal in magnitude and occur at the section of the largest bending moment.

Maximum Tensile and Compressive Bending Stresses: Unsymmetrical Cross Section

If the neutral axis is not an axis of symmetry of the cross section, the maximum tensile and
compressive bending stresses may occur at different sections.

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Module 5: STRESSES IN BEAMS

Economic Sections

The portions of a beam located near the neutral surface are under-stressed compared with those at
the top or bottom. Therefore, beams with certain cross-sectional shapes (including a rectangle and a circle)
utilize the material inefficiently because much of the cross section contributes little to resisting the bending
moment.

Different ways to distribute the 12 in2 cross-sectional area in (a) without changing the depth

Problems:

1. The simply supported beam shown has a rectangular cross section 120 mm wide and 200 mm high.
a. Compute the maximum bending stress in the beam.
b. Sketch the bending stress distribution over the cross section on which the maximum bending
stress occurs.
c. Compute the bending stress at a point on section B that is 25 mm below the top of the beam.

15 kN

A 6 kN/m
C
0.80 m B

2m 1m

2. The simply supported beam has the T-shaped cross section shown. Determine the values and
location of the maximum tensile and compressive bending stress.
150mm
20 kN
20mm

A 8 kN/m B
C 20mm
200mm

3m 1.2 m

3. The simply supported beam of length L = 12 m carries a uniformly distributed load of intensity w 0 =
17.5 kN/m over its entire span. Find the lightest W-shape for which the bending stress does not
exceed 120 MPa. What is the actual bending stress in the beam selected?

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Module 5: STRESSES IN BEAMS

Shearing Stress

Shearing stress is developed due to shear force and is expressed as

𝑉𝑄
𝑓𝑣 =
𝐼𝑏

Where:

fv = shear stress in the member at the point located a distance y from the neutral axis, MPa

V = shear force, N

I = moment of inertia of the entire cross-sectional area calculated about the neutral axis,
mm4

b = effective width, width of the member’s cross section, measured at the point where fv is
to be determined mm

Q = Statical moment of area in consideration above or below the neutral axis about the
neutral axis.

Q = A’ y

A’ = area of the top (or bottom) portion of the member’s cross section, above (or
below) the section plane where fv is measured, mm2

y = distance from the neutral axis to the centroid of A, mm

Problems:

1. The beam loaded as shown, is made up of 6 – 200mm by 50mm wood planks glued together to form a
200mm by 300mm beam.
a. Determine the bending stress and shearing stress at 2m from R1.
b. Determine the maximum bending and shearing stress developed in the beam.
c. The shearing stress developed at every glued joint from top to bottom of the beam.

2. The vertical shear force acting on the cross section shown is 1800 lb. Determine the shear stress at
(a) the neutral axis; and (b) 4 in. above the neutral axis.

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Module 5: STRESSES IN BEAMS

3. The vertical shear force acting on the cross section shown is 60 kN. Determine the maximum shear
stress on the section.

COMBINATION OF STRESSES

Problems:

1. Determine the maximum flexure stress and shearing stress developed on the beam shown.

2. The simply supported timber beam has a square cross section. Find the smallest allowable value of
the dimension b if the working stresses are 8 MPa in bending and 1.0 MPa in shear

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