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Study Guide in Eng’g 111 – Strength of Materials Module No.4 Stresses Due to Applied Forces

STUDY GUIDE FOR MODULE NO. 4

STRESSES DUE TO APPLIED FORCES /CHAPTER 4

MODULE OVERVIEW

Stresses due to applied forces and their direct and indirect contributions to the structural integrity of
the bodies will be the topic in this module. Shear and moment in beams including moving loads will
be discussed in this module. The values of shear force and bending moment at a given point of a
structural element such as a beam which is represented by a diagram can be used to easily determine
the type, size and material of a member in a structure so that a given set of loads can be supported
without structural failure. These are important to help analyze the structural design of the structures.

MODULE LEARNING OBJECTIVES

At the end of this module, you should be able to:

 apply the knowledge of strength of materials on engineering applications and design

problems;
 determine the maximum location of maximum shear and moment of moving loads;

 solve problems and draw the shear and moment diagrams of beams subject to the different
loadings; and

 determine the location of maximum shear and moment of moving loads

LEARNING CONTENTS (Shear and Moment in Beams)

SHEAR AND BENDING MOMENT IN BEAMS

A beam is a structural element that is capable of withstanding load primarily by resisting

bending. This is a slender bar that carries transverse loading; that is, the applied force are perpendicular
to the bar. The bending force induced into the material of the beam as a result of the external loads,
own weight, span and external reactions to these loads is called a bending moment.

These are traditionally descriptions of building or civil engineering structural elements, but
smaller structures such as truck or automobile frames, machine frames, and other mechanical or
structural systems contain beam structures that are designed and analyzed in a similar fashion.

They generally carry vertical gravitational forces but can also be used to carry horizontal loads
(i.e., loads due to an earthquake or wind). The loads carried by a beam are transferred to columns,
walls, or girders, which then transfer the force to adjacent structural compression members. In light
frame construction the joists rest on the beam.

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Study Guide in Eng’g 111 – Strength of Materials Module No.4 Stresses Due to Applied Forces

Types of Beams

1. Statically determinate beams are those beams in which the reactions of the supports may be
determined by the use of the equations of static equilibrium.
ΣFx = 0
ΣFy = 0 static equation for equilibrium
ΣM = 0

Examples of determinate beams:

a) Cantilever beam
b) Simply supported beam
c) Overhanging beam

a) Cantilever is a beam anchored at only one end. It has a laterally and rotationally fixed
support at one end with no support at the other end. The beam carries the load to the support
where it is forced against by moment and shear stress. Cantilever construction allows for
overhanging structures without external bracing. Cantilevers can also be constructed with
trusses or slabs.
Cantilevers are widely found in construction, notably in cantilever bridges and
balconies. In cantilever bridges the cantilevers are usually built as pairs, with each
cantilever used to support one end of a central section.

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b) Simply supported beam is supported at both ends with loads applied between the
supports. It is supported by a pin support at one end and a roller support at the other end.

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c. Overhanging beam is a beam simply supported at two points and having one end or both
ends extended beyond the supports. It is one or both of its ends freely extended over the
supports. The loadings are applied at the ends. The maximum stress is located at the centre

2. Statically Indeterminate Beams - are those in which the reactions cannot determined by
equations of equilibrium alone.
If the number of reactions exerted upon a beam exceeds the number of equations in
static equilibrium, the beam is said to be statically indeterminate. In order to solve the reactions
of the beam, the static equations must be supplemented by equations based upon the elastic
deformations of the beam.
The degree of indeterminacy is taken as the difference between the number of reactions
to the number of equations in static equilibrium that can be applied. In the case of the propped
beam shown, there are three reactions R1, R2, and M and only two equations (ΣM = 0 and ΣFv
= 0) can be applied, thus the beam is indeterminate to the first degree (3 - 2 = 1).

Examples of Indeterminate beams:

a) Propped beam
b) Fixed or restrained beam
c) Continuous beam

a) Propped cantilever beam is a beam which is fixed at one end and simply supported at the
other end. Other images of propped cantilever beam:

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Study Guide in Eng’g 111 – Strength of Materials Module No.4 Stresses Due to Applied Forces

b) Fixed or Restrained Beam is a beam which is fixed at both ends.

c) Continuous Beam is a long beam containing several spans with three or more supports

Types of Loading
Loads applied to the beam may consist of a concentrated load (load applied at a point), uniform load,
uniformly varying load, or an applied couple or moment.
1. Concentrated load (or Point Load) - is a force applied at a single point on a beam or
structure.
A concentrated load can be applied at more than one location on a beam, and multiple
loading points may exist on a single beam. It can cause a beam to deflect, or bend, when
the force is applied.
The two most important characteristics of a concentrated load in beam design are the
magnitude of the force and the location where it is applied.

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2. Uniformly distributed load - is a load which is spread over a beam in such a way that the
amount of force is the same throughout the area to which it is applied. It is spread out over
a large area.

3. Uniformly varying load – (or non-uniform) it is not evenly spread out.

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4. Applied Couple or eccentric load - is the combination of both concentrated and

distributed loads.

Sign Convention for Shear and Moment

The sign convention used for shear force diagrams and bending moments is only important in
that it should be used consistently throughout a project.

Type of Loading Shear Diagram (V) Moment/Bending Diagram (M)

1° 1° 2° 2°

1°
2° 2° 3° 3°

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Typical Diagrams
A shear force diagram is simply constructed by moving a section along the beam from (say)
the left origin and summing the forces to the left of the section. The equilibrium condition states that
the forces on either side of a section balance and therefore the resisting shear force of the section is
obtained by this simple operation

The bending moment diagram is obtained in the same way except that the moment is the sum
of the product of each force and its distance (x) from the section. Distributed loads are calculated by
summing the product of the total force (to the left of the section) and the distance(x) of the centroid of
the distributed load.

The sketches below show simply supported beams with a concentrated force.

Shear and moment diagram

Shear and bending moment diagrams are analytical tools used in conjunction with structural
analysis to help perform structural design by determining the value of shear force and bending moment
at a given point of an element. Using these diagrams the type and size of a member of a given material
can be easily determined. Another application of shear and moment diagrams is that the deflection can
be easily determined using either the moment area method or the conjugate beam method.

PROPERTIES OF SHEAR AND MOMENT DIAGRAMS

The following are some important properties of shear and moment diagrams:
1. The area of the shear diagram to the left or to the right of the section is equal to the moment at
that section.
2. The slope of the moment diagram at a given point is the shear at that point.
3. The slope of the shear diagram at a given point equals the load at that point.
4. The maximum moment occurs at the point of zero shears.
This is in reference to property number 2, that when the shear (also the slope of the
moment diagram) is zero, the tangent drawn to the moment diagram is horizontal.
5. When the shear diagram is increasing, the moment diagram is concave upward.
6. When the shear diagram is decreasing, the moment diagram is concave downward.

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Drawing the shear and moment diagrams

After the value of the shear force and bending moment diagram are defined for all regions of
the member the diagrams can finally be drawn. Important positions where maximum or minimum
values of shear force or bending moment occur should be dimensioned from one end of the member
noted with a dimension. Normally the shear diagram is drawn directly below the loading diagram with
the moment diagram drawn directly beneath the shear diagram to show which points on the shear and
moment diagrams line up with the different loadings that the member is subjected to. The step
functions and any calculations are usually written out below the shear and moment diagrams.

In a bending moment diagram the point where the bending moment curve "cuts" the zero line
is called point of contraflexure.

Consider a simple beam shown of length L that carries a uniform load of w (N/m) throughout
its length and is held in equilibrium by reactions R 1 and R2. Assume that the beam is cut at point C a
distance of x from he left support and the portion of the beam to the right of C be removed. The portion
removed must then be replaced by vertical shearing force V together with a couple M to hold the left
portion of the bar in equilibrium under the action of R1 and wx.

Figure Source: www.mathalino.com

The couple M is called the resisting moment or moment and the force V is called the resisting
shear or shear. The sign of V and M are taken to be positive if they have the senses indicated above.

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Example:
The example below includes a point load, a distributed load, and an applied moment. The
supports include both hinged supports and a fixed end support.

The first drawing is the situation of the element or what most people call a free body diagram.
The second drawing is the loading diagram with the reaction values given without the calculations
shown. The third drawing is the shear force diagram and the fourth drawing is the bending moment
diagram.

For the bending moment diagram the normal sign convention was used. Below the moment
diagram is the stepwise functions for the shear force and bending moment with the functions expanded
to show the effects of each loading on the shear and bending functions.

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Study Guide in Eng’g 111 – Strength of Materials Module No.4 Stresses Due to Applied Forces

Problem: Write the shear and moment equations, values and draw the shear and moment
diagrams of the following:

#1) Beam loaded as shown (Problem 403)

#2) Beam loaded as shown

#3) Beam loaded as shown

#4) Beam loaded as shown

#5) Beam loaded as shown

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Study Guide in Eng’g 111 – Strength of Materials Module No.4 Stresses Due to Applied Forces

#6) Beam loaded as shown

#7) Cantilever beam carrying the uniformly varying load shown

#8) Beam loaded as shown

#9) Beam loaded as shown

#10) Beam loaded as shown

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//www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mdeslql7U4c
LEARNING ACTIVITY 1

Problem: Write the shear and moment equations, values and draw the shear and moment
diagrams of the following:

1. Cantilever beam loaded as shown:

2. Beam carrying uniformly varying load as shown:

3. Beam carrying the triangular loading shown:

4. Cantilever beam loaded as shown:

5. Beam loaded as shown:

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