ssppaatteerr

STRUCTURAL MECHANICS
Lecture 6 : Simple Bending Theory and Beam Deflection
When a beam is subjected to a bending moment M :

Bending theory relates the moment to the beams curvature, deflection and stress.
Assumptions:
1)
2)
3)
4)

Small deflections
Linear-elastic behaviour
Plane sections remain plane - line ab straight before and after bending
Pure bending - no shear or axial forces - in practice stress and deflections due to
shear and axial forces can be calculated separately and added on using
superposition.

Consider a section of a beam subjected to pure bending:

C D = ( R - y)

AB = CD = A B = x

14/09/2006

x
R
SM lecture 6

C D - CD
=
Strain in C D =
CD

( R - y ) x
R

- x

y
= R

y
= R

ssppaatteerr

Hence strain distribution :

+ve y gives -ve

-ve y gives +ve (tension)

(compression)
If linear-elastic : = E (Stress Strain)

= -

Ey
R

Hence stress distribution:

Neutral axis position

We will only consider beams that have cross-sections that are symmetric about both the
horizontal and vertical axes, i.e. rectangular and circular cross-section beams and I beams
with flanges of equal size :

For all beams of these types, the neutral axis is at mid height of the section.
For beams that are not symmetric, the neutral axis position has to be calculated by
considering
the total axial force acting across the section, which is zero when there is pure bending.

14/09/2006

SM lecture 6

ssppaatteerr

Moment equilibrium

Area A

Moment M
x (N.A.)
+
Cross-section of beam

Magnitude of stress down section

Axial force on area A = A

moment of force on area A about N.A. = yA

total moment M = -

A yA

indicates integration over the whole area)

(-ve due to sign convention. +ve moment when there is a stress decrease in y direction)
Now = -

M =

A y

Ey
R
E
R

Ay2dA

dA is called the SECOND MOMENT OF AREA about N.A. (x-axis), I

I is a property of a cross-section that indicates how effective it will be in resisting bending.

M
E
=
I
R

Since

= -

Ey
R

Then

= -

My
I

or overall bending equation :

14/09/2006

M
E

=
= I
R
y

SM lecture 6

ssppaatteerr

Second Moment of Area of Common Shapes

Rectangular cross-section

Circular cross-section

b
r
d

N.A.

I=

bd
12

I=

N.A.

r4
4

Derivation of second moment of area equations

Rectangular cross-section :
y
b/2 b/2

I = y 2 dA = 2d by 2 dy

d/2

since dA = bdy

indicates integration over the whole area

d

y3 2
bd 3
I = b =
3 d 12

d/2

Circular cross-section :

y
rcos

y = rcos

rsin

I = y 2 dA

where y = rsin and dA = 2rcosdy = 2r2cos2d

sin 2
I = 2 r sin cos d = 2r
d

2
2
2
4

r4
4

r4
=
4

(1 cos 4 )d
2

since sin 2 2 =

sin 2
2

(1 cos 4 )

sin 4 2

since sin cos =

I=

r4
4

14/09/2006

SM lecture 6

ssppaatteerr

Parallel Axis Theorem

I x =

( y + a)

dA = y 2 dA + 2a ydA + a 2 dA

But

ydA = 0 if G is centroid
A

I x =

dA + a 2 A

i.e.

I x = I x + Aa 2

Application to an I section :
For web about x-axis:

Iw =

bd 3
12

For top flange about x-axis using parallel axis theorem:

bd 3
d d
I f = 1 1 + b1d1 + 1
2 2
12

Bottom flange similar to top flange

for whole section :

I = Iw + 2 I f =

bd 3 b1d1 3 b1d1
+
+
(d + d1 ) 2
12
6
2

Note : I could also be calculated from:

b ( d + 2d1 )
(b b) d 3
i.e. I = 1
1
12
12
3

This gives same result as above.

To use this method both centroids must be
in the same position.

14/09/2006

SM lecture 6

ssppaatteerr

Deflections of Beams

Basic bending equation :

M E

= =
I
R
y

1 M
=
R EI

It can be shown that

1
=
R

(d

v dx 2

3
22

dv
1 +
dx

where :

Sign convention : + ve v upwards [some books use opposite]

2

Small deflections assumed

dv
dv
small and 0
dx
dx

1 d 2v
=
R dx 2

Hence

14/09/2006

beam curvature

d 2v M
=
dx 2 EI

beam slope

dv
M
=
dx
dx
EI

beam deflection

M
v =
dx dx
EI

SM lecture 6

ssppaatteerr

Beam deflection example

R=

R=

l
2

Determine the maximum deflection and slope of the beam shown. For the beam EI is
constant along its length.

14/09/2006

SM lecture 6