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Solid Mechanics: Slender Members

1) Slender members are structural elements whose length is at least 5 times their cross-sectional dimensions. Beams, columns, rods, and strings are examples of slender members. 2) Equilibrium of forces and moments is used to determine the internal forces and moments in slender members. The member is divided into sections and the equilibrium equations are applied. 3) Sign conventions define the direction of positive and negative forces and moments on the cross-sectional faces. Forces and moments acting in the positive direction of the face are positive.

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488 views7 pages

Solid Mechanics: Slender Members

1) Slender members are structural elements whose length is at least 5 times their cross-sectional dimensions. Beams, columns, rods, and strings are examples of slender members. 2) Equilibrium of forces and moments is used to determine the internal forces and moments in slender members. The member is divided into sections and the equilibrium equations are applied. 3) Sign conventions define the direction of positive and negative forces and moments on the cross-sectional faces. Forces and moments acting in the positive direction of the face are positive.

Uploaded by

Rohan sharma
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
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ME231: Solid Mechanics-I

Forces and Moments Transmitted by


Slender Members

1
A large number of engineering structures has slender members as load carrying-members.
A slender member can be defined as a member whose length is relatively higher (at least five
time or more) than the other two (cross-sectional) dimensions.
Beams, columns, shafts, rods, stringers, struts, and links can be classified as slender members.
A hoop or coil is also considered as slender structure as they are form by a long thin rod.
In general, a slender member can have axial, torsion or bending loads.
If slender member is in equilibrium, all the sub-systems isolated by assuming a hypothetical
cuts/sections at the point of interest will also be in equilibrium. Considering equilibrium of
these sub-systems, forces and moments at each cross-section will be determined.

2
Sign conventions
The cross-sectional face will be called
● positive when the outward normal points in the positive
direction (magenta colored face)
● negative when the outward normal points in the negative
direction (green colored face)
The force or moment component are positive when
●
acting on a positive face in a positive direction
●
acting on a negative face in a negative direction
For a two-dimensional case positive components of force and
moments are shown

3
Example 1
Let us consider a beam supporting a weight near the center and resting on two other beams,
as shown in Figure. It is desired to find the distribution of forces and moments along the
beam.
Idealization

4
Find the reaction forces by applying the equilibrium equations.
···························(1.a)
···························(1.b)

Using (1.a) and (1.b), RA and RB can be determined as,


···························(1.c)

Now all the external forces are known. Let us find the distribution of internal forces and
moments along the length of the beam. To do that we consider a section at any point along
the beam and apply equilibrium equation to the sub-systems.

Considering the equilibrium of left part,

·········(1.d)

Note that above equations are application at any point


between point A and the point of application of W, 5
i.e., 0 ≤ x ≤ a.
To get the distribution for rest of the beam, section is taken between the point of application of
W and point B and consider the the equilibrium of the subsection.

···················(1.e)
Equations (1.e) are application for i.e., a ≤ x ≤ b.

Distribution of forces and moments (Equations 1.d and


1.e) can be graphically shown using Shear Force
Diagram (SFD) and Bending Moment Diagram (BMD).
(SFD)

(BMD)
6
Distributed loads
In Example 1, we idealized the forces working between the slender member and supports or
loading mechanism as point forces (concentrated at a single point).
Another idealization which is generally used is the concept of continuously distributed loading.
Figure shows a distributed loading on the beam. Such forces might result from fluid or gas
pressures, or from magnetic or gravitational attractions. If the total force on a length Δx be
denoted by ΔF; then the intensity of loading q is defined as the limit as

Most commonly used distributed loading in engineering applications are uniformly distributed
loading (i.e., q is constant) and linearly varying distribution (i.e. q(x)=A+Bx) 7

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