Shear Stresses in Beams

Shear Stresses in Beams

• Introduction
• The Shear Formula

• Shear Stresses in Rectangular Beams

• Shear Stresses in Wide-Flange (I) Beams
• Limitations in the Use of the Shear Formula
Stresses in Circular Beams
• Shear Stresses in Built-Up Beams
 Shear Stresses in Beams - Intro
• Beams generally support both shear and moment loadings.
• Normal or bending stresses, , associated with bending
moments are found from the bending equation:
M  E
 
I y R

• When beam is subjected to non-uniform bending

– in every case except when bending moment, M, constant along
length of uniform beam
both bending moments, M, and shear forces, V, act on CSA
– remember shear force and bending moment diagrams from level 1
• Shear force, V, is result of transverse shear stress distribution
that acts over beam’s cross-section.
• Relationship needed to allow distribution of shear stresses, ,
associated with shear force to be determined.
 Shear Stresses in Beams - Intro
• Complementary property of shear.
• Results in associated longitudinal shear stresses act along
longitudinal planes of beam.
• Element of material from interior of beam will be subjected to
both transverse and longitudinal shear stress.

V 

 


 Shear Stresses in Beams - Intro
• Existence of longitudinal shear stresses illustrated by
considering beam made up of two boards.
• If top and bottom surfaces of boards are smooth and not
bonded together then application of a load will cause boards to
slide relative to each other.
• Each board will be in compression above its neutral axis and in
tension below its neutral axis.

• Lower longitudinal fibres of

upper board will slide
relative to upper
longitudinal fibres of lower
board.
 Shear Stresses in Beams - Intro
• If boards are bonded together to make a solid beam,
longitudinal shear stresses exist which prevent relative sliding.

• Also longitudinal shear stresses at free surfaces on top and

bottom of beam will not exist.
• Due to complementary nature, transverse shear at free surface
will also be zero.
 The Shear Formula
• Formula for shear stress is developed indirectly using:
– bending equation,
– relationship between bending and shear (V = dM/dx),
– consideration of longitudinal shear stress.
• Consider an element of length dx cut from a beam.
• FBD shows shear forces V and bending moments M and
(M + dM) acting on element.
V M + dM
dx M
x

V
dx
 The Shear Formula
• Then consider top segment of
element that has been
sectioned at a distance of y’
A’
from the neutral axis.
y’ t
• Segment has a CSA of A’ and
a width of t at section.
 The Shear Formula
• Now consider horizontal
stresses acting on segment.
 ’
• Linearly varying normal
stresses  and ’ due to M
M  M + dM
and (M + dM)
• Shear stress  acting on
bottom surface.
• Considering force equilibrium
of segment: dx

 ' dA    dA  (t dx)  0

A' A'
----[1]

shear stress  acts over an area t dx

assuming  is constant through thickness t
 The Shear Formula
• From bending equation:


My
' 
M  dMy
and
I I

• Substituting into equation [1]:

M  dM M
A ' I y dA  A ' I y dA  (t dx)  0
• Expand first term:
M dM M
A ' I y dA  A ' I y dA  A' I y dA  (t dx)  0
dM
A ' I y dA  (t dx)  0
 The Shear Formula
dM
• Therefore:
I A '
y dA  (t dx )

1 dM
• Rearranging to obtain :  
It dx A '
y dA

• Simplified further: dM
V
dx

 y dA = first moment of area A’ about neutral axis = Q

A'

VQ Equation known as
• Hence:  the Shear Formula
It
 The Shear Formula
• Derivation considered shear stresses acting on beam’s
longitudinal plane.
• Because of complementary nature of shear also used to find
transverse shear stress on beam’s CSA.

• As derivation used bending equation shear formula only valid if:

– material behaves in a linear-elastic manner,
– material is homogeneous and isotropic,
– material has same Young’s modulus in tension and compression.
 VQ
The Shear Formula 
It
 = shear stress at distance y’ from neutral axis.
Assumed constant across width, t, of beam.
V = internal resultant shear force, determined from sectioning
beam and considering equilibrium.
I = 2nd moment of area of entire CSA about neutral axis.
t = width of beam, at position where  to be determined.
Q = 1st moment of area of top (or bottom) portion of CSA,
defined from section where t is measured.

Q calculated using Q  y' A '

A’ = area of top (or bottom) portion of CSA, defined from section

where t is measured
y' = distance to centroid of A’ measured from neutral axis.
 Shear Stresses in Rectangular Beams
• Consider a beam with rectangular
cross-section.
• width = b and height = h. h
V
• Distribution of shear stress
throughout cross-section found by
determining shear stress at b
arbitrary distance y from neutral
axis.

y
 Shear Stresses in Rectangular Beams
• First step is to calculate Q A’
– 1st moment of area of A’
about neutral axis. h
y y 2
Q  y A'
h 
A'  b   y  h
2 
2
1h 
y    y  y
22 
b
1  h   h 
Q     y   y b   y 
2  2   2 

1  h2 2
Q   y  b
2 4 
 Shear Stresses in Rectangular Beams
• Second step, calculate I. A’
• For rectangular beam of width
b and height h, I, about h
neutral axis is: y y 2

bh3
I
12 h
2
• Applying shear formula:

b
1 h 2

V   y 2 b
VQ 2 4 
 
It bh3 6V  h2 
 3  2 
 4 y 
b
12 bh  
 Shear Stresses in Rectangular Beams
6V  h2 
 3  2 
bh  4 y 
 
h
• Shows shear stress distribution
over cross section is parabolic.
2

• Intensity varies from 0 at top

and bottom where y = h/2. h
2
• To maximum at neutral axis
where y = 0.
 Shear Stresses in Rectangular Beams
• To calculate maximum value:

6V  h2 
max    h
bh3  4  0
  2
3V
max 
2 bh

h
• Remember area of total cross 2
section, A = bh

3V
max 
2A

• Max shear stress is 1.5 times

average value calculated from
simple formula  = V/A
• Beam shown made of wood.
• Subjected to resultant internal
20
vertical shear force, V = 30 kN.
50
• Dimensions in mm. P

V
(a)Determine shear stress in
beam at point P.

(b) Calculate maximum shear 15

40
stress in the beam.
(a) First calculate section
40
properties I and Q.

Remember I is for whole section.

25
3
bh
I
12
N.A.
0.04  0.05
3
I 25
12

I  416.7  10 9 m4
Q is first moment of area of
40
shaded area.

Shaded area is area above P. 20 A’

25
A '  0.04  0.02  800  10 6 m2 P y = 15
y
y is distance from neutral axis N.A.
to centroid of area. 25
y  0.005  0.01  0.015 m

Q  y A'  0.015  800  10 6

Q  12  10 6 m3
• Width of the section (t) at P is
40
40 mm.
• Applying shear formula:
VQ 20 A’
P  25
It P y = 15
y
30  103  12  10 6
P  N.A.
416.7  10  9  0.04
25
6
P  21.6  10 Pa

P  21.6 MPa
(b) Shear stress is maximum at
40
neutral axis.
Consider area of beam above
neutral axis: A’
25
A '  0.04  0.025  1 10 3 m 2 y = 12.5

y  0.0125 m N.A.

3
25
Q  y A'  0.0125  1  10

Q  12.5  10 6 m3
I and t are as before.
40

Applying shear formula:

A’
3
VQ 30  10  12.5  10 6 25
max   y = 12.5
It 416.7  10  9  0.04
6
N.A.
max  22.5  10 Pa
25
max  22.5 MPa

Max shear stress can also be calculated from:

3V 3 30  10 3
max     22.5  10 6 Pa
2 A 2 0.04  0.05
• Wide-flange beam (or I-beam)
consists of two (wide) ‘flanges’
and a ‘web’.

• When subjected to shear force

flanges
V, shear stresses developed
throughout cross-section. web

• Distribution of stresses much more complicated than in

rectangular beam.
• Possible to determine stresses using same techniques as for
rectangular beams
 Shear Stresses in Wide Flange (I) Beams
• As with rectangular beam, shear stress varies parabolically over
depth.
flange

parabola
web

flange

• For flanges thickness, t, in shear formula is width of flange.

• For web, thickness, t, is thickness of web.
• Shear stresses in flanges small compared to those in web.
• Variation of shear stress over depth of web is small.
 Shear Stresses in Wide Flange (I) Beams
• Most of vertical shear flange avg
force is carried by web.

• Maximum shear stress parabola

web
often approximated by
dividing shear force V by
area of web:

V flange
 avg 
A web
 Limitations in Use of Shear Formula
• One assumption used in derivation
b
of shear formula is shear stress is
uniformly distributed over width, t.
• Accuracy tested by comparing
results with more rigorous
mathematical analysis based on N A
theory of elasticity.
h
• If beam’s cross-section is
rectangular, shear stress ’max
distribution calculated from theory max
is shown:
• Maximum value, ’max, occurs at
edges of cross-section.
• Magnitude depends on ratio b/h
(width/depth).
 Limitations in Use of Shear Formula
b = 0.5h
• For sections having a b/h ratio of
0.5, ’max only about 3% greater
than calculated from shear
formula.
N A
• For flat sections with b/h = 2, h
’max is ~ 40% greater than max.
’max
max
• Error even greater as b/h ratio
increases.
b = 2h

• For flanges of wide-flange beams

a realistic value of shear stress is N A h
not even approximated.

’max max
 Limitations in Use of Shear Formula
• Will not give accurate results for shear
stress at flange/web junction of I-beam.
• Inner regions of flanges are free
boundaries and shear stresses must be
zero.
• Using shear formula a non-zero value is
found.
• Limitations for flanges of I-beams not
important in engineering practice.
• Often, engineers only calculate
maximum shear stress.
• This occurs at neutral axis, where b/h
ratio is very small.
• Calculated result very close to actual
maximum shear stress.
• Steel wide-flange beam 300 mm
has dimensions shown. 20 mm

• Subjected to shear 15 mm
force V = 80 kN.
200 mm
• Plot shear stress
distribution acting over
beam’s cross-sectional 20 mm
area.
• Shear stress B’ B’ B
distribution will be
parabolic and have B
form shown.
• Due to symmetry, C
only shear stresses at
points B’, B and C
needed.
C
• Second moment of
area, I, will be same
for each position.
• For flanged cross section I is 300 mm
found in one of two ways:

1. Calculate I for large rectangle

240 mm

0.3  0.24
3
I
12
• For flanged cross section I is 300 mm
found in one of two ways:
20 mm
142.5 mm 142.5 mm
1. Calculate I for large rectangle
and subtract I for 2 small
rectangles. 200 mm
15 mm
0.3  0.24 0.1425  0.2
3 3
I 2
12 12 20 mm
I = 155.6 x 10-6 m4
 300 mm
2. Calculate I for all 3 rectangles 20 mm
and use parallel axis theorem.
I for flanges must be moved k
15 mm
so that neutral axes coincide.
200 mm
 bh3 k
bh3 2
I 2   Ak 
12  12  20 mm

0.015  0.2  0.3  0.02 3 2

3
I  2   0.3  0.02  0.11 
12  12 

I = 155.6 x 10-6 m4
 300 mm
• Stress at point B’:
tB’ = 0.3 m 20 mm
A’ = area of flange y = 110 mm A’
100 mm
QB'  y A'  0.11  0.3  0.02
N A
QB'  0.66  10 3 m3

VQ 80  103  0.66  10 3
B'  
It 155.6  10  6  0.3

B'  1.13 MPa

 300 mm
• Stress at point B:
tB = 0.015 m 20 mm
QB = QB’ y = 110 mm A’
100 mm

VQ 80  103  0.66  10 3
B   N A
It 155.6  10  6  0.015

B  22.6 MPa
 300 mm
• Stress at point C: A’1
tC = 0.015 m 20 mm
A’2
A’ = area of section above y1
15 mm 100 mm
neutral axis. y2
• Q for this area is simply
N A
sum of Qs for 2 rectangles
that make up shape.
QC = Q1 + Q2

QC  y1 A1  y2 A2

QC = (0.11 x 0.3 x 0.02) + (0.05 x 0.015 x 0.1)

QC = 0.735 x 10-3 m3

VQ 80  10 3  0.735  10 3
C   6
 25.2 MPa
It 155.6  10  0.015
 B’ 1.13 22.6
• B’ = 1.13 MPa
B
• B = 22.6 MPa 25.2

• C = 25.2 MPa C
 Shear Stresses in Circular Beams
• This type of beam important in
the transmission of power.
• E.g. bending and shearing loads
are induced in shafts by forces at
gears, bearings and pulleys.

• Consider beam with solid circular

cross-section subjected to shear V
load V.
• According to shear formula a
shear force, V, causes a shear
stress, , in same direction as V.
 Shear Stresses in Circular Beams
• At point P this stress can be
resolved into two components P
normal (n) and tangential (t) to
surface.
t n
• Outside surface of shaft is free
surface and so n must be zero. 
• Indicates shear stress at point P
must be tangential to surface and
not in direction of shear force.
• At neutral axis shear stress will be
in direction of shear force
• Shear formula can be used.
• Also position of maximum shear
stress.
 Shear Stresses in Circular Beams
VQ
max  A’
It
For a semi-circle:
y N.A.
d2 2d
A'  and y
8 3

Q  y A' 
d2 2d d3

max
8 3 12

d4
For circular cross-section: I 
64

V d3 / 12 V/3 V/3 4V
Therefore:  max    max 
d d / 64 d / 16 A / 4
4 2 3A
 Shear Stresses in Built-Up Beams
• Fabricated from two or more pieces of material joined together
to form single, solid beam.
• Constructed in a great variety of shapes to meet special needs
or to provide larger cross-sections that are ordinarily available.

• Wooden box beam

constructed of two planks,
as flanges, connected by
flange
plywood webs. web
• Pieces joined together with
nails, screws or glue.
 Shear Stresses in Built-Up Beams
• Glued, laminated beam known
as glulam beam.
• Boards glued together to form
much larger beam than could
be cut from solid piece of
timber.

• Welded steel plate girder,

fabricated from three steel
plates welded together.

• Wide flange beam

strengthened by riveting
channel section to each flange.
 Shear Stresses in Built-Up Beams
• Design must ensure that entire cross-section acts as a single,
solid unit.

• Calculations involve two phases:

1. beam analysed as if it was solid cross-section, taking into

account both bending and shear stresses;

2. connecting elements (nails, bolts, glue, welds) analysed to

ensure they are strong enough and suitably positioned.
 Shear Stresses in Built-Up Beams
• Loads carried by connecting elements are longitudinal shear
forces transmitted between parts of beam.
• Loading usually measured as force per unit length of beam.
• Referred to as shear flow, q.
• Along any longitudinal section of a beam q obtained using
similar method to that for shear formula.

VQ
• Results in equation: q
I
 Shear Stresses in Built-Up Beams
VQ
q
I
q = shear flow, measured as force per unit length along beam.
V = internal resultant shear force, determined from sectioning
beam and equilibrium.
I = 2nd moment of area of entire cross-sectional about neutral
axis.
Q = 1st moment of area of top (or bottom) portion of cross-
sectional area, defined from section where shear flow to be
calculated.
 Shear Stresses in Built-Up Beams
• Application of shear flow formula follows same procedure as for
shear stress formula.
• Very important to identify correct value for Q when
determining shear flow at particular joint in cross-section.
• Required value of Q calculated from shaded sections.
• Note shear flow will be resisted by
– single row of fasteners in (a) and (b)
– two rows of fasteners in (c) and (d)
– three rows of fasteners in (e)

(a) (b) (c) (d) (e)

• Wood box beam - 2 boards as flanges and 2 webs of plywood.
• Each board = 40 mm x 180 mm. Plywood = 15 mm thick.
• Total height of beam = 280 mm.
• Plywood fastened to flanges by screws having allowable load in
shear of 1100 N per screw.
• If shear force acting on cross-section is 10.5 kN, determine
maximum permissible longitudinal spacing, s, of screws.
15 180 15
s s s

40

280

40
Shear force transmitted between one of flanges and two webs
found from shear flow formula: VQ
q
I
Q for top flange (shaded): 15 180 15
y  0.12 m
A’ = 0.18 x 0.04 = 7.2 x 10-3 m2 40 A’
Q = 0.12 x 7.2 x 10-3
-6 3
140 y
Q = 864 x 10 m

bh3 0.21 0.28  0.18  0.2

3 3
I  
12 12 12
I  264.2  10 6 m4
 VQ 10.5  10 3  864  10 6
q 
I 264.2  10 6
q = 34.3 kN/m

Shear flow per metre of length that must be carried by screws.

If screws are spaced a distance ‘s’ apart load capacity of screws is:
2F
s

F = load carried by one screw

2 because there are two lines of screws
Equating load capacity of screws to shear flow:
2F
q
s
2F 2  1100
Rearranging: s  3
 0.0641 m
q 34.3  10
s = 64.1 mm

Therefore lines of screws must be no more than 64.1 mm apart.

Summary
 combined loading
Two forces P=18 kN and F=1 5kN are applied to the shaft with a radius of
R=20 mm as shown. Determine the maximum normal and shear stresses
developed in the shaft.
Two forces P=18 kN and F=1 5kN are applied to the shaft with a radius of
R=20 mm as shown. Determine the maximum normal and shear stresses
developed in the shaft.