Chapter - FOUR

BEAM ANALYSIS
Types of Beams,
Various Types of Loading and Support,
Shearing Force and Bending Moments in
Simply supported and Cantilever Beams,
Graphical Method.

FACULTY OF ENGINEERING & TECHNOLOGY,

Applied Statics (EME1016),

MULTIMEDIA UNIVERSITY
4- Beam Analysis (2)

Chapter (4)
Beam Analysis
Shear force and bending moment in
simply supported and cantilevered beams, graphical method
Introduction
This chapter is focused on the analysis of the internal forces in beams. In the following, only
two types of beam will be considered. Beams are usually long, straight prismatic members,
designed to support loads applied to various points along the member.
Internal forces in members:
Let us consider a two-force member AB as shown in the figure below. Forces F and F act at A
and B.
B

-F

-F

-F
B

-F

C
C
A

C
F

C
A

-F

F
F

C
A

-F
F

After cutting the member at C, to maintain the equilibrium of portions AC and CB, we must
apply force F at C in the portion AC and F at C in the portion CB. Since two parts AC and CB
were in equilibrium before were cut internal forces equivalent to these new forces must have
existed in the members itself. In case of straight force member, the internal forces that the two
portions of the member exert on each other are equivalent to axial forces. In the above figure
both cases, member in tension and in compression have been shown. The member in tension will
elongate and the one in compression will decrease in length under the action of internal forces.
Multi-force members
Take member AD of a crane shown in figure 2. Cut this member at J and draw FBD of each
portion JD and AJ. Considering the free body JD, we find that equilibrium will be maintained if
we apply AT J a force F to balance the vertical component of T, a force V to balance the
horizontal component of T and a couple M to balance the moment of T about J. Again we
conclude that internal forces must have existed at J before the member was cut. It is clear that the
action of the internal forces is not limited in producing tension
____________________________________________________________________
(2)

FACULTY OF ENGINEERING & TECHNOLOGY,

Applied Statics (EME1016),

MULTIMEDIA UNIVERSITY
4- Beam Analysis (3)

or compression as in the case of straight two force members; the internal forces also produce
shear and bending. The force is an axial force; the force V is called a shearing force and the
moment M of the couple is known as the bending moment at J.
Beams
Beam is a structural member designed to support loads that applied at various points along its
length. In most of the cases the load is perpendicular to the axis of the beam and will cause only
shear and bending in the beam, as shown below in Fig.(a). When the loads are not at right angle,
Fig.(b), they will also produce the axial force (normal force).

(a)

(b)

Types of Beams
The various types of beams are shown in the figures below.

____________________________________________________________________
(3)

FACULTY OF ENGINEERING & TECHNOLOGY,

Applied Statics (EME1016),

MULTIMEDIA UNIVERSITY
4- Beam Analysis (4)

Types of Loads
i) Concentrated loads

ii) Distributed load

Distributed load is expressed in terms of intensity, N/m, kN/m. When the load w per unit length
has a constant value over a part of the beam it is said to be uniformly distributed over that part of
the beam.

____________________________________________________________________
(4)

FACULTY OF ENGINEERING & TECHNOLOGY,

Applied Statics (EME1016),

MULTIMEDIA UNIVERSITY
4- Beam Analysis (5)

Example-1

Example-2

____________________________________________________________________
(5)

FACULTY OF ENGINEERING & TECHNOLOGY,

Applied Statics (EME1016),

MULTIMEDIA UNIVERSITY
4- Beam Analysis (6)

Shear, Bending, and Torsion

____________________________________________________________________
(6)

FACULTY OF ENGINEERING & TECHNOLOGY,

Applied Statics (EME1016),

MULTIMEDIA UNIVERSITY
4- Beam Analysis (7)

Shear and Bending Moment in a beam:

Consider a beam AB subjected to concentrated and distributed loads as shown in the above
figure. We propose to determine the shear force and bending moment at any point in the beam.
First we determine the reactions at A and B, choosing the entire beam as the FBD and using
M A = 0 and M B= 0
To determine the internal forces at C we cut the beam at C and draw FBD for AC and CB.
Shearing force V can be determined by equating the sum of vertical components to zero and
bending moment M can be determined by equating sum of moments to zero. Alternatively one
could use the FBD of CB and determine M and V.
If the bending moment and the shearing force are to computed at every point of the beam this
method is not recommended. In determining the shear force in the beam it will always be
assumed that the internal forces V and V are directed as shown in the figure below. A positive
value is obtained for their common magnitude V will indicate the actual direction assumed was
correct and otherwise. Thus only magnitude of V together with a +ve or ve sign needs to be
recorded to define completely the shearing force at a given point of a beam. The scalar V is
commonly referred to as the shear at the given point of the beam.
Similarly it will always be assumed that the internal couples M and M are directed as shown in
figure. A +ve value obtained for their common magnitude M will indicate the actual direction
assumed was correct.
The shear V and the bending moment M at a given point are said to be +ve when the internal
forces and couple acting on each portion of the beam are directed as shown in the figure

____________________________________________________________________
(7)

FACULTY OF ENGINEERING & TECHNOLOGY,

Applied Statics (EME1016),

MULTIMEDIA UNIVERSITY
4- Beam Analysis (8)

Shear and Bending Moment diagram:

If we record the shear and the bending moment values against distance measured from one end
of the beam, the graph obtained is called as the shear and bending moment diagram. Simply
supported beam AB of span L subjected to a concentrated load P that is applied at midpoint.
Example-3,

____________________________________________________________________
(8)

FACULTY OF ENGINEERING & TECHNOLOGY,

Applied Statics (EME1016),

MULTIMEDIA UNIVERSITY
4- Beam Analysis (9)

Example-4

____________________________________________________________________
(9)

FACULTY OF ENGINEERING & TECHNOLOGY,

Applied Statics (EME1016),

MULTIMEDIA UNIVERSITY
4- Beam Analysis (10)

Relations among Load, Shear and Bending Moment:

When a beam carries more than 2 or three concentrated loads or when it carries distributed loads,
the method outlined earlier is quite cumbersome. The construction of shear diagrams and
bending moment diagrams in these cases will be greatly facilitated if certain relations among
load, shear and bending moment are taken into consideration.
Let us consider a simply supported beam AB carrying a distributed load w per unit length and let
C and C are two points of the beam at a distance x from each other. The shear and bending
moments at C will be considered +ve and be denoted by V and M respectively. The shear and
____________________________________________________________________
(10)

FACULTY OF ENGINEERING & TECHNOLOGY,

Applied Statics (EME1016),

MULTIMEDIA UNIVERSITY
4- Beam Analysis (11)

bending moments at C will be denoted by V+V and M+M

.
CC portion is detached from the beam and its FBD is shown above. The forces exerted on the
free body include a load of magnitude wx and internal forces and couples at C and C.

Relation between Load and the Shear,

Sum of the vertical components of the forces acting on the free body CC = 0
V-(V+V) wx = 0
V = -wx
dividing both sides of the equation by x and let x 0 then dV/dx = -w
slope dV/dx of the shear curve is negative. The numerical value of the slope at any point is equal
to the load per unit at that point. Integrating the above equation between points C and D, we
xD

obtain VD - VC =

wdx = - (area under the load curve between C and D)

xC

This formula is not valid at a point where a concentrated load is applied.

Relation between Shear and Bending Moment,
Refer to the free-body diagram above, sum of moments above C = 0
M+M M - Vx w x x/2 = 0
M = Vx 1/2w(x)2
divide both sides by x and let x 0
dM/dx = V
Slope dM/dx of bending moment curve is equal to the value of the shear. This is true at any point
when the shear has a well-defined value i.e. at any point where no concentrated load is applied.
xD

MD MC =

Vdx = area under the curve between C and D

xC

____________________________________________________________________
(11)

FACULTY OF ENGINEERING & TECHNOLOGY,

Applied Statics (EME1016),

MULTIMEDIA UNIVERSITY
4- Beam Analysis (12)

Loading, Shear, and Moment Relationships

Example-5

____________________________________________________________________
(12)

FACULTY OF ENGINEERING & TECHNOLOGY,

Applied Statics (EME1016),

MULTIMEDIA UNIVERSITY
4- Beam Analysis (13)

Example-6,

____________________________________________________________________
(13)

FACULTY OF ENGINEERING & TECHNOLOGY,

Applied Statics (EME1016),

MULTIMEDIA UNIVERSITY
4- Beam Analysis (14)

____________________________________________________________________
(14)