ENG1020 Engineering Structures

Lecture 8
Beam bending
Department of Civil Engineering
Monash University
Lecturer: Dr. Bill Wong
Beam analysis
Purpose of beam analysis: calculate the maximum
moment and shear force (internal forces) in the beam
and check against its capacity for safety
Beam design
Where is the most stressed part of the hangar?
Will it fail under the loading?
Beam analysis
What is the maximum moment in the following beam?
Distribution of internal
shear force
Distribution of internal
bending moment
Beam failure
Sunbury
Internal forces in a beam
Internal forces at any point along a beam - found by
drawing a free body diagram which cuts through that
point
Purpose of using free body diagram: By trial and error
(or other more scientific ways), we can obtain the set of
maximum forces when calculating the forces at
different locations of X.

X
A B
Internal forces
The forces at X can be found by drawing a free body
diagram through X. Internal forces (2 sets, equal &
opposite) at cut face X:
X
A B
At cut face
Sign convention: Positive (+ve) forces
M =bending moment
V =Shear force
N =Axial force
N
V
M
Example
Beam with UDL: First, calculate reactions
Forces at a distance X from A
Total equivalent load P = 10X kN
at a distance of X/2 from A
w =10 kN/m
L =10m
X
A B
w =10 kN/m
X
A
A
y
=50 kN
V
N
M
P
C
Example
Take moment about C, M
c
= 0
10X (X/2) - 50X + M = 0
M = -5X
2
+ 50X (1)
F
y
= 0
50 - 10X - V = 0
V = 50 - 10X (2)
F
x
= 0
N = 0
Plotting equations (1) and (2) for X = 0 to 10 m
w =10 kN/m
X
A
A
y
=50 kN
V
N
M
P
C
Diagrams
Bending moment diagram (BMD)
Shear force diagram (SFD)
Maximum bending moment = 125 kNm
Maximum shear force = 50 kN
Maximum axial force = 0
X =5 m,
M =125 kNm X =2.5 m
M =93.75 kNm
-ve space
+ve space
50 kN
50 kN
In general,
Max. M = wL
2
/8
Max. V = wL/2
Short-cuts to BMD and SFD
Shear force diagram (SFD):
Follow the directions of the loads (including reactions)
from LEFT to RIGHT and plot to scale
Bending moment diagram (BMD):
Calculate M as sum of areas under the shear force
diagram, and join the points by
straight lines - for segments without UDL
curves - for segments with UDL
(see notes for more details of the shapes of the diagrams)
Example
From equilibrium
A
x
= 0, A
y
= B
y
= P/2
Shear force diagram Bending moment diagram
L/2
A B
P
L/2
C
P/2
-P/2
M =PL/4
Area = PL/4
Area = -PL/4
Relationship between Load, Shear Force
and Bending Moment
Consider a small length x of a beam element:
F
y
= 0
V wx (V + V) = 0
w = V/ x
M
(right hand face)
= 0
-M - V x + wxx/2) + (M + M) = 0
V = M/ x
N
V M
x
V+V
N+N
M+M
w/length
This term is too small and
can be ignored
Maximum moment
From above,
Slope of the shear force diagram = UDL; ie, if UDL = 0,
the shear force is a horizontal line (zero slope)
Slope of the moment diagram is the shear
When V = 0, the moment is a maximum (M/ x = 0)
Since V = M/ x
M =
That is, bending moment M at x2 is the area between x1
and x2 under the shear force diagram

2 x
1 x
Vdx
V
dx x1
x2
Example
Determine the magnitude and location of the maximum
bending of the beam
Ans. Max. moment = 140.625 kNm (where?)
Max. shear force = 75 kN
w =20 kN/m
4 m
A B
30 kN
4m
Example
Determine the magnitude and location of the maximum
bending of the beam
w1 =20 kN/m
6 m
A B
w2 =10 kN/m
4m
Example
Bent beam: Plot the bending moment and shear force
diagrams
10 kN
6 kN
20 kN
2m 4m 4m
5m
B
C
D
E