1.

A rectangular beam of breadth 100 mm and depth 200 mm is simply supported over a span of
4 m. The beam is loaded with a uniformly distributed load of 5 kN/m over the entire span.
Find the maximum bending stresses.

Solution:

Breadth of the beam, b = 100 mm

Depth of beam, d = 200 mm

1 1
100  200  66.67 10 6 mm 4
3
Moment of inertia, I  bd 3
12

12

Span of beam, l = 4 m

Uniformly distributed load, w = 5 kN/m

Maximum bending moment at centre of beam, wl 5  42

2
 8
M
8

 10 kN.M  107 N.mm

Neutral axis passes through the centroid of section.

The distance of top and bottom fibre from the neutral axis, y = 100 mm

Thus, maximum bending stress,   107

M y 100  15 N / mm2
66.67 106
I
2. A beam of I-section shown in Fig. 23 is simply supported over a span of 10 m. It carries a
uniform load of 4 kN/m over the entire span. Evaluate the maximum bending stresses.

Solution:

1 1
Moment of inertia, I  BD 3
 bd 3 300  660 3  280  600 3 
12
 
12

 21.474 108 mm4

Span of the beam, l = 10 m

Uniformly distributed load, w = 4 kN/m

4
Maximum bending moment at centre of beam, 102  50 kN.m
M
8

 5107 N.mm

Neutral axis passes through the centroid of I-section.

The distance of top and bottom fibre from the neutral axis, y = 330 mm
Thus, maximum bending stress,   5 107
M y  330  7.68 N / mm2
21.474
I
108

The bending stress at top and bottom  7.68108 N / mm2

fibres

3. A beam of an I-section shown in Fig. 24 is simply supported over a span of 4 m. Find the
uniformly distributed load the beam can carry if the bending stress is not to exceed 100
N/mm2.

Solution:

1 1
Moment of inertia, I  BD 3
 bd 3 200  300 3  180  260 3 
12
 
12

 180.36 106 mm4

Maximum bending stress, σmax = 100 N/mrn2

Span of beam, l = 4 m

Extreme fibre distance, ymax = 150 mm

I
Section modulus, Z 180.36  1242400 mm3
ymax 
106
150
Maximum bending
M  max Z  100 1242400
moment,
 124240000 N.mm
  124.24 kN.m

wl 2
But M
 8

w  4 
2

124.24 8


124.24  8
w  64.12 kN / m
16

The maximum uniformly distributed load the beam can carry = 64.12 kN/m.

4. A timber beam of rectangular section carries a load of 2 kN at mid-span. The beam is simply
supported over a span of 3.6 m. If the depth of section is to be twice the breadth, and the
bending stress is not to exceed 9 N/mrn2, determine the cross-sectional dimensions.

Solution:

Span of the beam, l = 3.6 m

Uniformly distributed load, w = 2 kN

Allowable bending stress, σallow = 9 N/mm2

Maximum bending moment at centre of beam, M  WL  2  3.6  1.8 kN.m

4 4

 1.8106 N.mm

M
From the flexural relationship, we Z
have  o allow

1 1.8
bd 2
106
 9
6

bd 2  1.8  6  1.2 106

106
9

Depth of section is to be twice the breadth, i.e., d = 2b

So, we have
b2b   1.2 10 6
2
 1.2
b3   0.3106
106
4

b  64.94 mm

d  2  64.943  129.886 mm

Therefore, width of beam = 65 mm, and depth of beam = 130 mm

5. A rectangular beam of width 200 mm and depth 300 mm is simply supported over a span of 5
m. Find the safe uniformly distributed load that the beam can carry per metre length if the
allowable bending stress in the beam is 100 N/mm2.

Solution:

Span of beam, l = 5 m

Width Breadth of the beam, b = 100 mm

Depth of beam, d = 200 mm

Allowable bending stress, σallow = 100 N/mm2

1 1
Section modulus, Z bd 2   200  3002  3 106 mm3
6 2

Moment of resistance of the M  allow Z  100  3 106

beam,

 300 106 N.mm  300 kN.m

Maximum bending moment at the centre of the beam,

M  wl 2
8
300
w  5 
2

8

300  8
 w  96 kN.m
25
So, the load that the beam can carry is 96 kN/m.
6. A rectangular beam of size 60 mm x 100 mm has a central rectangular hole of size 15 mm x
20 mm. The beam is subjected to bending and the maximum bending stress is limited to 100
N/mm2. Find the moment of resistance of the hollow beam section.

Solution:

External dimension of hollow rectangular beam: B = 60 mm, D = 100 mm

Size of the central hole: b = 15 mm, d = 20 mm

1
Moment of inertia of the hollow beam section, I  BD 3
 bd 3  1
60 100 3
 15  20 3 
12

12
 4.999 106 mm4

100
Extreme fibre distance, ymax   50 mm
2

I
Section modulus, Z 4.999  9.98 mm3
 6
ymax 10
50 104

Allowable bending stress, σallow = 100 N/mm2

Moment of resistance,
M  allow Z  100  9.98 10 4

 9.98 106 N.mm

 9.98 kN.mm
7. Find the ratio of the dimensions of the strongest rectangular beam that can be cut from a
circular log of wood of diameter D.

Solution:

Let b be the width and d the depth of the strongest rectangular beam section as shown in the Fig.
26.

From the geometry, we have b2  d 2  D2

d 2  D 2  b2

Section modulus of the rectangular section,

1 1
Z  bd 2  
b D 2  b2 
6 6

1
 bD 2
 b3 
6

Strongest section in bending should have largest section modulus.

dZ 1
Hence,  D 2
 3b 2   0
db 6

3b 2  D 2

D
b
3
And D
d  D 2  b2  D 
2
2
3

2D 2  2
 3    D
 3 

8. Two sections of same material; one of solid circular section and the other hollow circular
section of internal diameter half the external diameter, have the same flexural strength.
Which one of them is economical?

Solution:

Let D = Diameter of solid circular section

D1 = Outer diameter of hollow circular section
Inside diameter of hollow circular section, D2 = 0.5 D1


Section modulus of solid section, Z  D3
1
32
 
Section modulus of hollow section, Z 
2
D
1
4
 D4
2
 
1
D
1
4
 0.5D 4 
32D1 32D1


  0.9375D3
1
32

Since both sections have same flexural strength, their section modulus should be equal.
32 32
Hence,  3
 D  1

0.9375D3
 D3  0.9375D13

D  0.98D1

Cross - sectional area of solid section As  2

 4 D D2
 
Cross - sectional area of hollow section A  2 2 D 2
 0.5D 2 
h D
1  D2  1 1
4

D2 1 2
 D
 0.75D 2 
0.75   
D
1  1

1
 0.75
 0.98  1.28
2

Since the sectional area of hollow section is less than that of solid section, for a given length of
the beam, the weight of hollow section will be less. Hence hollow section is economical.

9. A cantilever of 2 m length and square section 200 mm x 200 mm, just fails in bending when a
point load of 12 kN is placed at its free end. A beam of rectangular cross section of same
material, 150 mm wide and 300 mm deep, is simply supported over a span of 3 m. Calculate
the maximum concentrated load that the beam can carry at its centre without failure.

Solution:

The two beams with loading conditions are shown in the Fig.

Maximum bending moment in cantilever beam, Mc  12  2  24 kN.m

 24 106 N.mm
 1
Let σallow is the stress at which the beam fails, M c  allow
Z bd
allow
 2

6
1
 200  2002
allow  24 106
 
6
o  18 N / mm2
allow
Let W kN be the maximum central concentrated that the beam can carry without failure.
WL W 3
Maximum bending moment at the mid span, M    0.75W kN.m
s
4 4
 0.75 106 W N.mm
Moment of resistance of simply supported beam section,
1
M  Z  18  150  3002
R allow
6
 40.5106 N.mm

Equating maximum bending moment (Ms) to moment of resistance (MR), we have

0.75106 W  40.5106

W  54 kN

10. For a given sectional area, compare the moments of resistance of circular and square section.

Solution:

Let the diameter of the circular section be d.


Area of circular section, A  d2
4

Section modulus, ZC  d3
32
Let the square section has side of a.
Since both circular and square section have the same area,

a2  d2
4
 
a d
2
 Section modulus of square a3   3

section, ZS   d
6 48

Ratio of Section modulus of square section and circular section,

ZS 
 48d 3 1.18
ZC  3
d
32

Hence, flexural strength of square section is 1.18 times more than that of circular section of equal
area.

11. Compare the moments of resistance of a square section of given material when the beam
section is placed such that (i) two sides are parallel and (ii) one diagonal vertical.

Solution:

Square section with two sides horizontal is shown in the Fig. 29(a).
a3
Section modulus of square section with two sides Z1 
horizontal, 6

Let σ is the permissible flexural stress.

o a3
Moment of resistance, M1  Z1 
6

Square section with on diagonal vertical is shown in the Fig. 29(b).

Moment of inertia about the neutral axis, i.e., the diagonal of the square section = Twice the

moment of inertia of triangle of base 2a and height a / 2 .

 3
 a
2a  
I 2 2   2 a4
12  12

Extreme fibre distance, ymax  2a a

2 2
Section modulus of square section with one diagonal vertical,

a4
I2 2a3
Z   12 
2
ymax a 12
2

Moment of resistance,

M 2  Z 2 2  a3
12
Ration of the moments of resistance of section in two different positions,

o a3
M1 6 2
  1.414

M2 2 a 3
12
12. Three beams of same material with circular, square and rectangular cross sections have the
same length and are subjected to same maximum bending moment. The depth of the
rectangular section is twice the width. Compare their weights.

Solution:

Fig. 30 shows three different sections, circular, square, and rectangular of beam.
Let Diameter of circular section = d,
Side of square section = a, and
Width and depth of rectangular section are b and 2b respectively.
As beams of three different cross sections of equal allowable stress are subjected same maximum
bending moment, they must have same strength. Hence, all sections should have equal section
modulii.

d 3
Section modulus of circular ZC 
section, 32
a3
Section modulus of circular ZS 
section, 6
b2b 
2
2
Section modulus of circular ZR   b3
section, 6 3

We have 2
d3 3  b3
32 a 3
6
 d  1.193a and b 
0.6299a
d 2
Weigh of circular beam Area of circular sectio 4   d 2
t n
of square beam  2Area of square section  a  4 a
Weigh
t  

  1.193
3

1.118 4

Weight of rectangula r beam

Area of rectangula r section 2b2  b 2

Weigh
t
of square beam  Area of square section   2 
a2 a
 

 20.6299  0.7936
2

13. A beam of symmetric I-section has flange size 100 mm x 15 mm, overall depth 250 mm.
Thickness of web is 8 mm. Compare the flexural strength of this section with that of a beam
of rectangular section of same material and area. The width of rectangular section is two-
third of its depth.
Solution:

The I-section and the rectangular section of equal area are shown in the Fig. 31.
Area of I-section,
AI  2 100 15  220  8  4760 mm2

Moment of inertia of I-section, I I  100  92   4.8574 mm4

2503  3
220
12 12

Section modulus of I-section, ZI  y I  4.8574 10

7

max 125

 388592 mm3

Let the depth of the rectangular section = d mm

2
Width of the rectangular section, b  d
3
2 2
Area of the rectangular section, A  d  d  d 2

R
3 3

Since the area of two sections are equal, 2

d 2  4760
3

and
d  84.50 mm
2
b  84.50  56.33 mm
3
sec n
Section modulus of rectangular tio , Z 
R
 33  84.50 
2
bd 2 6
5 . 
6 6

 67035mm3
 Flexural strength of I - section
ZI 388592
   5.80
Flexural strength of rectangula r section ZR 67035

14. A cast iron beam of an I-section with top flange 80 mm x 40 mm, bottom flange 160 mm x 40
mm and web 120 mm x 20 mm. If the tensile stress is not to exceed 30 N/mm2 and
compressive stress 90 N/mm2, what is the maximum uniformly distributed load the beam can
carry over a simply supported span of 6 m, if the bottom flange is in tension?

Solution:

The cross section of the beam is as shown in the Fig. 32.

Let y is the distance of the centroid (neutral axis) from the bottom fibre (tension fibre).

yy 
a i
160  40  20  20 120 100  80  40 180
i
 80  40  20 120  80  40 120
A
944000
  78.67 mm
12000

Moment of inertia,
1 1
I 160  40 3  160  40  78.67  20 120 3  20 120  100  78.67
2

 20 
2 12
12

 60138670 mm4
1

8
0

4
0
3


8
0

4
0


1
8
0

7
8
.
6
7
2
1
2
Tension occurs at the bottom and compression at the top.

Bottom extreme fibre distance (large flange, tension

yt  78.67 mm
flange),
Top extreme fibre distance (compression yc  200  78.67  121.33mm
flange),

Moment of resistance from tensile strength consideration,

I 60138670
 allow  30   22933266.81N.mm
yt 78.67


 22.933 kN.m

Moment of resistance from compressive strength consideration,

I 60138670
 allow  90   44609579.65 N.mm
yc 121.33


 44.609 kN.m

Hence, actual moment resistance is smaller of the above two, i.e., 22.993 kN

Maximum bending wl w   4.5w


2 
62
moment, 8 8

Equating the maximum bending moment with the moment of resistance, we have

4.5w  22.933

w  5.096 kN / m

Alternatively,

Suppose the maximum stress in compression at the top is 90 N/mm2.

Corresponding maximum stress in tension at the bottom,

yt
o    78.67
t c
  90
yc 121.33

 58.355  30 N /
mm2 (Not possible)
But the permissible tensile stress is only 30 N/mm2. Hence, let the maximum tensile stress be
allowed to reach 30 N/mm2.
Corresponding maximum compressive stress at the top,
yc
o    121.33
c t   30
yt 78.67

 42.268 N / mm2  90 N /
mm2 (OK )

Hence, the beam will fail in tension at the bottom flange.

Moment of resistance from tensile strength consideration,

I  30  60138670  22933266.81N.mm
 allow
 yt 78.67

 22.933 kN.m

Maximum bending wl w   4.5w


2 
62
moment, 8 8

Equating the maximum bending moment with the moment of resistance, we have

4.5w  22.933

w  5.096 kN / m

15. Two wooden planks 60 mm x 160 mm each are connected together to form a cross section of
a beam as shown in the Fig. If a sagging bending moment of 3500 N.m is applied about the
horizontal axis, find the stresses at the extreme fibre of the cross-section. Also calculate the
total tensile force on the cross-section.
Solution:

Let us locate the centroid and hence the neutral axis, and find moment of inertia of the section.
Consider the bottom of T-section as the reference axis for location of centroid. The T-section
consists of two components, web and flange.

The relevant calculations are shown in the table.

Distance of the centroidal axis GG from the bottom

edge,

y
ay  2610000
 135.94 mm

a 19200

Moment of inertia at the bottom

edge,
Ib  ISelf  ay 2

 23.36 106  408 106  431.36 106 mm4

But, I b  GI   a y 2

I G  bI   a y 2
 431.36106 19200135.94 2

 76190074.88 mm4

Let the maximum tensile and compressive stresses at extreme fibres be σtmax and σcmax
respectively.
Components Area a Centroidal ay ay2 ISelf
(mm2) distance from (mm3) (mm4) (mm4)
the bottom
edge, y
(mm)
Web 9600 80 786000 61.44 x 106 60 1603 20.48 10 6
 
12
Flange 9600 190 1824000 346.56 x 106 160  603 2.88 10 6
 
12
Total 19200 2610000 408 x 106 23.36 x 106

M
We have, o  3500 1000
t  76190074.88 135.94
max y
t
I
 6.245 N / mm2

o c max M
 3500 1000
 76190074.88  84.06
y
c
I
 3.861N / mm2

Total tensile force = Average tensile stress x area of tensile zone

6.245
  135.94  60  25468.359 N
2

16. A water main of 1000 mm internal diameter and 10 mm thickness is running full. If the
bending stress is not to exceed 56 N/mm2, find the greatest span on which the pipe may be
freely supported. Steel and water weigh 76800 N/m3 and 10000 N/m3 respectively.

Solution:

Internal diameter of the pipe, d = 1000 mm = 1 m

External diameter of pipe, D = 1000 + 2 x 10 = 1020 mm = 1.02 m
Consider 1 m length of the water main.

Area of the pipe section, A  D 2  d 2    1.02 2  12 
4 4

 0.03173m2
  
Area of the water section, A  d2 12
4 4

 0.7854 mm2

Weight of one metre length of pipe = 0.03173 x 1 x 76800 = 2493.978 N

Weight of water in one metre length of the pipe = 0.7854 x 1 x 10000 = 7854 N

Total load on the pipe per metre run = 2493.978 + 7854 = 10347.978 N

Let the maximum span of the pipe l m.

2
wl 2
10347.978l 2
Maximum bending moment, M    N.m
8 8 1293.497l

 1293.497 1000l 2 N.mm

Moment of inertia of the pipe section about the neutral axis,


I


64 D 4  d 4  1020 4
 1000 4 
 64

 4046.379106 mm4

We know,
M 
I  y

1293.497 1000l 2 4046.379 106


 56
510
l2
56  4046.379
 343.494
106
510 1293.497
1000

l  18.533m