C h.

9 / Bending of Beams

an axial load produces a when the applied loads

uniform direct stress cause a beam to bend the
across the cross section stress will vary through the
of the member depth of the beam.
 Concave
Compression
region

Tension
Ne region
utr
al
pla
ne
Convex

A rectangular cross section beam is subjected to a pure,

sagging bending moment, applied in a vertical plane.
The beam will bend. The upper surface is concave, and
the lower is convex.
The upper longitudinal fibres are compressed while the
lower fibres are stretched.
It follows that between these two extremes there are
fibres that remain unchanged in length.
9.1 SYMMETRICAL BENDING
Symmetrical bending arises in beams which have either
singly or doubly symmetrical cross sections.

Axis of Symmetry Axis of Symmetry

Axis of
Axis of Axis of Symmetry
Symmetry Symmetry

Doubly symmetrical cross section Singly symmetrical cross section

Studying bending of symmetrical beams is easier than
the bending of beams of arbitrary cross section.
So we shall investigate the former first, so that the more
general case may be more easily understood
ASSUMPTIONS
1. Geometric (or strain) assumption
The plane cross sections of the beam remain plane and normal
to the longitudinal fibers of the beam after bending.
2. Constitutive (or behavior) assumption
The material of the beam is linearly elastic, i.e. it obeys
Hooke’s law, and is homogeneous.
DIRECT (Normal) STRESS DISTRIBUTION
Neutral Axis Position

Neutral plane Neutral

M M axis

M M y1
Neutral
Neutral plane z axis y2
 C

y y
dA
M J P
M M y1
S T y y Neutral
Neutral plane I O G x z o axis y2
N K Q

dx

From the first Assumption

R
εx =[(R − y)δθ − δx]/δx
dq
εx [(R − y)δθ − Rδθ]/ Rδθ
εx  − y/R
y
y
dA
M J P
S T y1
y Neutral
M I O G M y
z o axis y2
N K Q
 C
From the second Assumption (Pure bending)

εx = − y/R  sx = − yE/R

 s dA  0
A x   ( E / R)  ydA  0 
A

 A
ydA  0

R Thus we see that the neutral axis passes

dq through the centroid of area of the
cross section

y
y
dA
M J P sx1
S T y1
y Neutral
M I O G M y
z o axis y2
N K Q sx2
 C
M    y(s x dA) But sx = − yE/R 
A

M    y[( yE / R)dA]  ( E / R)  y 2dA

A A

The integral is the second moment of area of

the cross section of the beam about the
neutral axis and is given the symbol I.

EI M E sx
R M    
R I R y
dq
M 1 M
sx   y & 
I R EI
y
y
dA sx1
M J P
S T y1
y Neutral
M I O G M y
z o axis y2
N K Q sx2
 ELASTIC SECTION
C MODULUS
M
in point J : s x,1  y1 (Compression)
I
M
in point K : s x,2  y2 (Tension)
I
M M
s x ,1  & s x ,2 
Z e,1 Z e,2
Z e,1  I / y1 & Z e,2  I / y2
R
Elastic Moduli of thesection
dq if y1  y2 : Ze,1  Ze,2  Ze
M
and: s x ,1  s x ,2 
y
Ze
y
J
dA sx1
M P
S T y1
y Neutral
M I O G M y
z o axis y2
Q sx2
N K
Bending
EXAMPLE 9.1 A simply supported beam, 6m long, is required to
carry a uniformly distributed load of 10 kN/m.
If the allowable direct stress in tension and compression is
155N/mm2, select a suitable cross section for the beam.
Mmax= wL2/8 = (10 )( 62)/8 = 45 kN.m

Ze,min= Mmax/σx,all =(45 )( 106)/155 = 290 323mm3

From tables of structural steel sections it can be seen that a

Universal Beam, 254mm×102mm×28 kg/m, has a section modulus
Ze,min= 307 600mm3
check if the allowable stress is not exceeded due to self-weight
10 +(28 × 9.81)/103 = 10.3kN/m
Mmax= 46.4 kN.m & σx,max= 150.8N/mm2
 Vertical Load
Positive bending
Y
moments when
they induce
compression in
the first quarter
Z
X
Y

Horizontal
Load

Z
My
X
EX 9.2 The cross section of a beam has the dimensions shown in
Fig. 9.6(a). If the beam is subjected to a sagging bending moment
of 100 kN.m, applied in a vertical plane, determine the distribution
of direct stress through the depth of the section.
Iz =[(200 × 3003)/12 ]−[(175 × 2603)/12] = 193.7 × 106 mm4
σx = − Mz y /Iz
= −[100 × 106/193.7 × 106 ] y
= −0.52 y ; [N/mm2, y in mm]

at the top of the section:

Mz=100 kN.m
σx = −0.52 × (+150)
= −78 N/mm2 (C)

at the bottom of the section:

σx = −0.52 × (-150)
= +78 N/mm2 (T)
EX 9.3 Now determine the distribution of direct stress in the beam
of Ex. 9.2 if the bending moment is applied in a horizontal plane
and in a clockwise sense about Gy when viewed in the direction
yG.
Iy =[2 ×(20 × 2003)/12 ]+[(260 × 253)/12] = 27 × 106 mm4
σx = − My z /Iy
= −[100 × 106/27 × 106 ] z
= −3.7 z ; [N/mm2, z in mm]

at the left of the section:

My=100 kN.m σx = −3.7 × (+100)
= −370 N/mm2 (C)

at the right of the section:

σx = −3.7 × (− 100)
= +370 N/mm2 (T)
 Positive bending
moments when they My
My M
M induce compression in

the first quarter
q  Mz
q
2 2
y y
z
Mz z

Mz M
Mz

M My
z z
My
q
q
 
q x q x
2 2
 EX 9.4 The beam section of Ex. 9.2 is subjected to a bending
moment of 100 kN.m, applied in a plane parallel to the
longitudinal axis of the beam but inclined at 30◦ to the left of
vertical. The sense of the bending moment is clockwise when
viewed from the left-hand edge of the beam section. Determine
the distribution of direct stress.
σx=  (Mz y /Iz)  (My z /Iy) = (86.6×106/193.7×106)y
y
+(50.0×106/27.0×106)z= 0.45y + 1.85z
At the top left-hand corner
σx = 0.45×(+150)+1.85×(+100)= +252.5 N/mm2 (T)
30o
M=100 kN.m At the top right-hand corner
My=50 kN.m
z G σx = 0.45×(+150)+1.85×(100)= −117.5N/mm2 (C)
Mz=86.6 kN.m At the bottom left-hand corner
σx = 0.45×(150)+1.85×(+100)= +117.5 N/mm2 (T)
At the bottom right-hand corner
σx = 0.45×(150)+1.85×(100)=  252.5 N/mm2 (C)
 30
Y

Z
X
 y Neutral axis of the beam
section does not
coincide with either the
N/mm 2

z or y axes, it passes
through the centroid of
252.5

+ the section
Its equation can be found
by setting σx=0
z G

N/mm 2

0.45y + 1.85z = 0
s
a l a xi

252.5
Neutr

y = (1.85/0.45)z =4.11z
z= (0.45/1.85)y =0.243y
 252.5
z
N/mm 2
+

4.11
1
G
y

Neut
ra l a x
is


2 5 2. 5
N/mm 2