Handout 6 - Unsymmetric Bending Example

Michael Raulli

Problem Statement

This is an example for beam bending about multiple axes with an unsymmetric cross-section.
This is the most complicated class of elastic beam problem that we will do in this class. See
figure 1 for the example problem. A cross section of the beam is given in the right side of
figure 2. Assume that the hole in the bracket, attached to the pulley wire, is centered over
the z-centroid of the cross-section. Clearly, it is not in line with the y-centroid, therefore, a
torque of Pz e, where e is the offset from the centroid, causes shear stresses in the beam. We
will consider only the bending stresses herein.
Problem goal: Determine maximum and minimum stresses in beam and plot in 3-d
All calculations and plots can be found in the Matlab file unsym beam.m

10 kip
60 in
60

60 in

Figure 1: Unsymmetric bending example

0.5 in

y
2

9 in

0.5 in
X (y,z)

9 in

Figure 2: Beam cross-section

We have bending about two axes, therefore, if the beam cross-section was symmetric
about either exis, we could use the equation:
x =

Mz y
My z

Iy
Iz

(1)

However, this is not the case, since Iyz 6= 0, therefore, the normal stress is computed as
follows:
y 0 (Mz0 Iy0 + My0 Iy0 z0 ) + z 0 (My0 Iz0 + Mz0 Iy0 z0 )
(2)
x =
Iy0 Iz0 Iy20 z0

Geometry

Keep in mind that the axes are labeled with primes because they are not the principal
centroidal axes and that (y 0 , z 0 ) = (0, 0) at the centroid. The centroid has coordinates (y, z),
which are measured offset from the lower left corner of the cross-section. In order to evaluate
equation (2), the moments and product of inertia must be evaluated. First, compute the
centroid location, dividing the cross section into the two parts (separated by the dotted line)
labeled in figure 2:
P
Ai z i
4.5(0.25) + 4.25(4.75)
z= P
= 2.44 in
(3)
=
4.5(4.25)
Ai
P
Ai y
4.5(4.5) + 4.25(0.25)
y= P i =
= 2.44 in
(4)
Ai
4.5(4.25)
The moment of inertia about the z 0 -axis (Iz0 ) is computed as follows:
Iz0
(1)

Iz0

(2)

Iz0

Iz0

(1)

(2)

= Iz0 + Iz0
y+0.5
Z
Z
1 3 
2
2
=
y dA1 = 9 y dy = 9 y 
= 21.59 in4
3 y
9y
Z
Z
1
1 1 3 
2
2
=
y dA2 =
y dy =
y
= 48.35 in4
2
2 3 y+0.5
=

69.94 in4

(5)
(6)
(7)
(8)

If you do not like using integrals for the moment of inertia, then remember the parallel axis
theorem for computing the moment of inertia about an axis that is not the centroid:
(1)

(2)

Iz0
Iz0

1
1
(9)
b1 h31 + A1 d21 =
(9)(0.53 ) + (9 0.5)(y 0.25)2 = 21.59 in4 X
12
12
1
1
b2 h32 + A2 d22 =
(0.5)(8.53 ) + (8.5 0.5)(4.75 y)2 = 48.35 in4 X (10)
12
12

The moment of inertia about the y 0 -axis (Iy0 ) is equal to Iz0 , I will leave this for you to verify
on your own.
(11)
Iy0 = 69.94 in4
Next is the calculation of the product of inertia (Iy0 z0 ):
Iy0 z0
(1)

Iy0 z0
(2)

Iy0 z0
Iy0 z0

(1)

(2)

= Iy0 z0 + Iy0 z0
y+0.5
z
Z
1 2 
1 2 
0 0
=
y z dA1 = y 
z
= 20.3037 in4
2 y
2 9+z
9y
z
Z
1 2 
1 2 
0 0
=
y z dA2 = y 
= 21.4981 in4
z
2 y+0.5 2 z0.5
=

41.80 in4

(12)
(13)
(14)
(15)

You should note that it is possible for Iy0 z0 to be negative. If this cross-section were mirrored
over the y 0 axis, then Iy0 z0 would be negative.

Statics and Stresses

Lets look at the statics of the beam. Since we chose the standard yz axis as our y 0 z 0 axis,
the statics do not change from what we are used to, though they would for a different set of
axes. The thing we need to be careful of is that there are forces in the y 0 and z 0 directions.
Also, in the x0 z 0 plane, the conventions for shear and moment seem opposite. They are not
actually, here are the rules that are always true:
1. A positive moment is determined by the right hand rule about a given axis.
2. A positive shear is one which requires a positive moment resisting it.
In the standard xy coordinate frame, this results in positive shear pointing in the negative-y
direction. In the standard xz frame, a positive shear actually points in the positive-z direction.
However, in the following shear and moment diagrams (figure 3), the fact the the positive z 0
axes points opposite of the positive y 0 axis, the shear and moment diagrams are drawn in a
similar fashion.
From statics, the maximum moments can be determined:
max

My 0

max

Mz 0

= 150.0 kip in

(16)

= 259.8 kip in

(17)

The maximum moments and the moments of inertia can be plugged into equation (2) in
order to get a simplified stress formula:
x =

y 0 (24, 441.99) + z 0 (21, 351.87)

3144.634
3

(18)

10sin60 = 8.66 kip

10cos60 = 5.0 kip

z
4.33

4.33

2.5

2.5

1111111111
0000000000
0000000000
1111111111
0000000000
1111111111
0000000000
Vy 1111111111
0000000000
1111111111
0000000000
1111111111
0000000000
1111111111
00000000004.33 kip
1111111111
0000000000
0000000000
1111111111
Mz 1111111111
0000000000
1111111111
0000000000
1111111111
0000000000
1111111111
0000000000
1111111111
0000000000
1111111111
0000000000
1111111111
0000000000
1111111111
0000000000
259.8 kipin
00000000001111111111
1111111111
0000000000
1111111111

1111111111
0000000000
0000000000
1111111111
0000000000
Vz 1111111111
0000000000
1111111111
0000000000
1111111111
0000000000
1111111111

4.33 kip

2.5 kip

2.5 kip

11111111111
00000000000
0000000000
1111111111
00000000000
11111111111
0000000000
1111111111
00000000000
11111111111
0000000000
000000000001111111111
11111111111
0000000000
1111111111

My

150.0 kipin

Figure 3: Shear and moment diagrams

It is necessary to determine the neutral axis in order to find the points of maximum stress.
tan

My0 Iz0 + Mz0 Iy0 z0

y 0
21, 351.87
=
= 0.87357
=
z 0
Mz0 Iy0 + My0 Iy0 z0
24, 441.99

(19)

tan1 (0.87357) = 41.13o

(20)

The neutral axis is drawn on the cross-section in figure 4. It can be seen that points A and
B will be the points of maximum stress amplitude. By logic, point A should correspond to
maximum tensile stress and point B should be maximum compressive stress. The coordinates
of A and B in the y 0 z 0 coordinate systems are:
A

(6.56, 1.94)

(21)

(2.44, 2.44)

(22)

The maximum stresses are evaluated at these points:

A

37.88 ksi

= 35.47 ksi

(23)
(24)

The location of tension and compression matches with the logical guess. A useful visualization
of the stresses is given in figure 5. Locations of the stresses (in blue) that are tensile are above
the green cross-section, and vice versa for compression. Notice how the stresses corkscrew
slightly, due to the variation across the small thickness.

Figure 4: Cross-section and neutral-axis

Figure 5: Stresses versus location on cross-section