ENGG1300 FUNDAMENTAL MECHANICS

Bending Stress
Pure Bending
Pure bending refers to the flexure of a beam under a constant
bending moment (shear force is zero, because Fs(x)=dM(x)/dx).

Fs
P
⊕
0
⊖
-P

0
⊕
Pa
M
Deformation Characteristics

• Before:

M
M
• After:

• Straight longitudinal lines turns into curves.

• Longitudinal lines get shortened under compression and elongated
under tension.
• Cross-section lines remain straight and perpendicular to longitudinal
curves (plane assumption/theorem). 3
Assumptions for Pure Bending
• Plane assumption: under pure bending, cross-
sections of beams remain planar and
perpendicular (normal) to beam axis and only
rotate a small angle.

• Assumption of uniaxial stress state: individual

longitudinal layers are under uniaxial
tension/compression along beam axis, without
stresses acting in between.

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Bending Action

At cross-sections:
Internal Force/Moment = Resultant of Stress
Neutral Surface & Neutral Axes
z
Neutral Axis
• Before: Neutral Surface

z
Planar
• After: Neutral Axis
Neutral Surface C

• Neutral Surface : the longitudinal layer under neither tension nor

compression (its length remains unchanged during bending).
• Neutral Axes: intersecting lines of the neutral surface & cross
sections. 6
Kinematics

dθ
ρ
1 2 Neutral
2
2 Surface
1
o1 o2
o1 o2
y
a b a b
1 2 1 2
Undeformed Deformed
1 2 Configuration Configuration
Section 1-2
La 'b '  Lab
 xx =  y   • Normal stress y and strain y
Lab
are uniaxial along x-coordinate.
where La 'b ' = (   y ) d，
Lab = Lo1o2 = Lo1 ' o2 ' =  d • Length o1-o2 Lo o is constant on the
1 2

neutral surface (even after bending).7

(ρ is the radius of curvature)
Kinematics

dθ
ρ
1 2 Neutral
2
2 Surface
1
o1 o2
o1 o2
y
a b a b
1 2 1 2
Undeformed Deformed
1 2 Configuration Configuration
Section 1-2

(   y)d   d y • The y-coordinate is measured

 xx =  y    from the proposed neutral axis.
 d 

y : distance to the neutral axis 8

Hooke’s Law

z x
y
Cross Section y
 xx    y   E  y   E


• Normal stress acting on a longitudinal layer is linearly proportional

to its distance from the neutral surface, positive for layers under
tension / negative for layers under compression.
• Remark: the above equation can only be used for qualitative analysis
of stresses in bending beams since it is difficult to measure the
curvature of radius (ρ) of individual longitudinal layers. 9
Static Equivalency (Internal Force = Resultants of stress)

1 2 Compressive Stresses

Force on a tiny
y area is 𝛔・dA
z

Tensile Stresses
1 2 y
Section 1-2 Cross Section

• Static Equivalency (1): The resultant force, FN, acting on the cross
section is 0,
First moment of the
𝐸 𝐸
0 = 𝐹𝑁 = 𝜎𝑑𝐴 = 𝑦𝑑𝐴 = 𝑦𝑑𝐴 𝑦𝑑𝐴 = 0 cross section with
𝑎 𝑎 𝜌 𝜌 𝑎 𝑎 respect to z axis

0= 𝑦𝑑𝐴 = 𝐴𝑦 y  0. 𝑦 is the coordinate of centroid of the cross

𝑎 section (distance to centroid) 10
Static Equivalency

Important Conclusions:
• The neutral axis passes through the centroid of the cross-
sectional area when the material follows Hooke’s law and there is
no axial force acting on the cross section.
• Our discussion is limited to beams for which the y axis is an axis of
symmetry (symmetric bending). Consequently, the y axis also
passes through the centroid.
• Therefore, the origin of coordinates is the centroid.

Centroid

C
z Neutral Axes

11
y
Static Equivalency (Internal Force = Resultants of stress)

1 2
Force on a tiny
y area is 𝛔・dA

1 2 y
Section 1-2 Cross Section
Static Equivalency (2): Moment resultant of the normal stresses over the entire
cross section is equal to the bending moment
E E 1 Mz
M Z   y   dA   y 2 dA  Iz   Moment-curvature
A A    EI z equation

E Mzy EIz : Flexural rigidity

  y   
 Iz I z   y 2 dA :Second moment/moment of
A
inertia of cross-section
Flexure formula
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y : distance to the neutral axis
Pure Bending Normal Stress Formula
𝑀𝑧 𝑦
• Normal stress on cross-sections: 𝜎= (y : distance to the neutral axis)
𝐼𝑍
• Maximum normal stress on cross-sections:
𝑀𝑚𝑎𝑥 𝑦𝑚𝑎𝑥 𝑀𝑚𝑎𝑥
𝜎𝑚𝑎𝑥 = =
𝐼𝑍 𝑊𝑍

Bending section modulus, 𝑀𝑚𝑎𝑥 = 𝐼𝑍 ⁄𝑦𝑚𝑎𝑥 , represents the cross-

section properties related to bending in one single quantity

Iz
Iz
d3
Wz 
bh 2 32
Wz   0.167 Ah
6  0.125 Ad
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Limitations
𝑀𝑧 𝑦
Normal stress on cross-sections: 𝜎=
𝐼𝑍
• This flexure formula is derived for pure bending of prismatic beams
composed of homogeneous, linearly elastic materials.

• If a beam is subjected to nonuniform bending, the shear forces will

produce warping (or out-of-plane distortion) of the cross sections.
Thus, a cross section that was plane before bending is no longer
plane after bending.

• However, detailed investigations show that the normal stresses

calculated from the flexure formula are not significantly altered by
the presence of shear stresses and the associated warping.

• Thus, we can use the theory of pure bending for calculating

normal stresses in beams subjected to nonuniform bending.
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Example 1
Question: Find the maximum tensile and compressive stress in the T-
beam shown below.
q = 10 kN/m 80 mm z1
O
20 mm
A 𝑦 z
B C
C 120 mm
2.2 m 1m

y1 20 mm
Solution:
T-shape Cross Section
1. Centroid (neutral surface, neutral axis):
𝑦 = 52 mm
For details, please refer to Example 3 of Lecture
2 (Centroid and Moments of Inertia)
2. Moment of inertia:
𝐼𝑧 = 7.64 × 10−6 𝑚4 15
Example 1
3. Reaction forces and diagram of
bending moments A
FA FB B C
x
0   M Ay  FB  23.27KN
8.73 kN 10 kN
xD = 0.87 m
 FA  10  3.2  FB  8.73KN A + +
D - B C
-13.27 kN
5 kNm

xD = 0.87 m -
A
+
D B C
3.8 kNm
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Example 1
4. Maximum normal stress (At cross-section B)
5 kNm

𝑦 = 52 mm

140 mm
xD = 0.87 m -
A C
+
D B C
3.8 kNm

(5 103 )  (52 10-3 )

Maximum
 max

  34  10 6
Pa  34 MPa
tensile 7.64 10 -6

Maximum (5 103 )  [(140  52) 103 ]

 max

 6
  57.6  10 6
Pa  57.6 MPa
compressive
7.64 10

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Example 1
5. Maximum normal stress (At cross-section D)
5 kNm

𝑦 = 52 mm

140 mm
xD = 0.87 m -
A C
+
D B C
3.8 kNm

Maximum (3.8 103 )  [(140  52) 10 3 ]

 
 6
 43.8  10 6
Pa  43.8 MPa
7.64  10
max
tensile
(3.8 103 )  [ 52 10 3 ]
Maximum  max

 6 = -25.86 MPa
compressive 7.64 10
6. Maximum normal stress of the beam
• Maximum tensile stress: lower edge of cross-section D (43.8 MPa).
• Maximum compressive stress: lower edge of cross-section B (-57.6 MPa).
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The Position with the Maximum Bending Moments

The maximum positive and negative bending moments in a beam may

occur at the following positions:

• A cross section where a concentrated load is applied and the shear

force changes sign.

• A cross section where the shear force equals zero.

• A point of support where a vertical reaction is present.

• A cross section where a couple is applied.

Remark: The maximum tensile stress and the maximum compressive

stress sometimes don’t occur on the same cross-section.
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 Normal Stress Strength Condition
• Normal stress plays the most important role in satisfying the strength
condition of beams under bending.
𝑀𝑚𝑎𝑥
Normal Stress Strength Condition: 𝜎𝑚𝑎𝑥 = ≤ 𝜎 (allowable stress)
𝑊𝑍

• Three types problem that are typically addressed by strength analysis:

a) Strength check : To determine whether the beam
𝑀𝑚𝑎𝑥
will failure (materials fracture/yielding) 𝜎𝑚𝑎𝑥 =
𝑊𝑍
≤ 𝜎

b) Cross-section design : To select/design the cross-

𝑀𝑚𝑎𝑥
section of beams to minimize materials 𝑊𝑍 ≥
𝜎
consumption, for carrying a given load.
c) Allowable load : To determine the maximum
𝑀𝑚𝑎𝑥 ≤ 𝜎 𝑊𝑍
external load that a given beam can carry.
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Rational Design of Beams
• When designing a beam to resist bending stresses, we usually begin
by calculating the required bending section modulus, Wz

𝑀𝑚𝑎𝑥
𝑊𝑍 ≥
𝜎
• To minimize weight and save materials, we usually select a beam
that has the least cross-sectional area while still providing the
required section modulus

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Rational Design of Cross-sections

bh 2  d3
Wz   0.167 Ah Wz  Wz  0.35 Ah
6 32
 0.125Ad Note: A = cross-sectional area

• The most efficient beam is one in which the material is located as far
as practical from the neutral axis.
• The farther a material is from the neutral axis, the larger the section
modulus becomes, and the larger the bending moment that can be
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resisted.
I-Shape Cross-sections in Beams

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Example 2
• The dimension and material of the two cantilever beams shown are
identical. Find the allowable load ratio of these two beam based on
the normal stress strength condition: P1/P2 = ?

P1
P2
P
h z b z
l
h
b

(a) (b)
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Example 2
• Solution：
M max 1 Pl Pl
 max 1   3 1
 12
Wz 1 bh h bh
12 2 6
M max 2 P2l
 max 2   2
Wz 2 hb
6
P1 h
 max 1   max 2  
P2 b

25
 Example 3
• Given P = 20 kN, [] = 140 MPa. Compare the material
consumption for the following three types of cross-sections:
(1) rectangle with h/b = 2; (2) circle; (3) I-shaped.
• Solution: P = 20 kN

Diagram of bending moment.

M max
 max      l 1m
Wz
M max 20  103 3
Wz   m  143 cm 3
-20 kN.m
  140  106
x
(1) For rectangular cross-section
bh 2
Wz   A1  72 cm 2 M
6 26
Example 3
(2) For circular cross-section
d3
Wz   d  11.3 cm  A2  100 cm 2
32
(3) For I-shaped cross-section I-beam consumes the least
material while circular beam
Check the table for I-beam: costs the most.
𝑊z = 144.1 cm3 ⟹ 𝐴3 = 34.01 cm2

Table is available in Appendix E of book

“Mechanics of Materials, Eighth Edition, SI
by James M. Gere and Barry J. Goodno ”

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Area of section: 𝐴 Bending section modulus: 𝑊z
THE END

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