STRUCTURAL MECHANICS

CENTROIDS, SECOND MOMENTS OF AREA

University of Bristol Department of Civil Engineering 1996 Dr. N.A.Alexander

Dr. N.A.Alexander

11/11/2004

Quick Guide to Centroids, Moments of Area

1.0 Standard shape, Centroids, Second Moments of Area

b b/2 d/2 Area = bd centroid (b/2, d/2) d

d b/3 d/3 b Area = bd/2 centroid (b/3, d/3)

r r

Area = r 2 centroid (r, r)

bd 3 db3 Ix = Iy = 12 12
RECTANGLE

bd 3 db3 Ix = Iy = 36 36
RIGHT TRIANGLE

I x = I y = 1 r 4 4
CIRCLE

1.1 Centroids of Composite Shapes Given a shape made up of a combination of rectangles, right triangles, circles elements, the position of the centroid of the composite shape is given by the following.

Ai is the sum of "the areas of all the individual elements": i.e. the i total area of the composite shape. x i Ai is the sum of "the first moment of
where
i

x =

x i Ai i Ai
i

y i Ai i y= Ai
i

(1.1-1)

the areas of all the individual elements". The first moment of area of an element is "the distance from the element centroid to the global origin" times "the area of the individual element".

Dr. N.A.Alexander

11/11/2004

1.2 EXAMPLE: Using Tabular Method

y
element 1

10
15
10

element 2

y
O Composite Centriod

6
x

The x and y column contains all the distances from the centriod of elements to the origin. A.y is the first moment of area in the x direction, i.e. Area times x. A.y is the first moment of area in the y direction, i.e. Area times y Element 1 2 Area 100 90 190 x 5 17.5 10.92 y 5 3 4.05 A.x 500 1575 2075 A.y 500 270 770

Hence centroid is x = 1.3 EXAMPLE

2075 770 = 10.92 , y = = 4.05 from origin 190 190

y
10mm

3
6mm

All Elements 1 mm wide

x

2
1
O

5mm

Element 1 2 3

Area 5 4 10 19

x 2.5 0.5 5 3.39

y 0.5 3 5.5 3.66

A.x 12.5 2 50 64.5

A.y 2.5 12 55 69.5

Hence centroid is

64.5 69.5 = 339 mm , y = = 366 mm from origin . . x = 19 19

3 11/11/2004

Dr. N.A.Alexander

1.4 EXAMPLE (Symmetric Shape, Centroid lies on Line of Symmetry)

y
10m

3
4m

4m

Element 1 2 3

Area 6 16 6 28

x 2 5 8 5

y -1.33 -2 -1.33 -1.71

A.x 12 80 48 140

A.y -8 -32 -8 -48

Hence centroid is

48 140 =5 , y = = 171 from origin . x = 28 28

1.5 EXAMPLE (Simple Bridge Deck)

y
10m

4
1m 1m
4m

4m

2m square Void

A void can be considered as a negative Area, thus Element 1 2 3 4 (void) Area 6 16 6 -4 24 x 2 5 8 5 5 y -1.33 -2 -1.33 -2 -1.67 A.x 12 80 48 -20 120 A.y -8 -32 -8 8 -40

Dr. N.A.Alexander

11/11/2004

1.6 EXAMPLE (More Complex Symmetric Bridge Deck)

5m
1

5m

y
8
6

2.5m

3.5m x

1.5m square void 0.5m from centre line 0.5 from base

Two 0.25 diameter ducts. Centres 1m and 2.5m from base

Element 1 2 3 4 5 (void) 6 (void) 7 (duct) 8 (duct)

Area 20 6.25 6.25 25 -2.25 -2.25 -0.05 -0.05 52.9

y 3.0 1.67 1.67 1.25 1.25 1.25 1 2.5 2.01

A.y 60 10.44 10.44 31.25 -2.81 -2.81 -0.05 -0.125 106.33

1.7 Parallel Axis Theorem for Second Moments of Area (Ix & Iy) Consider the following shape A with a centroidal axis and an I x centroidal axis . What is the I x parallel axis ?
A Centriodal Axes

rx

ry

Parallel Axes

Ix Iy

parallel axis

= I x Centriodal axis + Ary 2

(1.7-1)

parallel axis

= Iy

Centriodal axis

+ Arx 2

Dr. N.A.Alexander

11/11/2004

This is the Parallel Axis Theorem. It is very important when calculating the Second moment of area of a composite shape about the composite shape centriodal axis which in general will not be the individual element centroidal axis. 1.8 EXAMPLE : (Using Parallel Axis Theorem) Consider the figure in example 1.2 again. What is the Second moment of area about the x and y composite shape centroidal axes?
yc 10 15 10 10.92 4.05 All lengths in mm 6 xc

Shape Centroid Axes

Element 1 2

A
100 90

Ix
833.3 270

ry
(4.05-5) (4.05-3)

Ixtotal
923.6 369.2 1292.8 mm4

Iy
833.3 1687.5

rx
(10.925) (10.9217.5)

Iytotal
4337.9 5584.2 9922,1 mm4

1.9 EXAMPLE : Find Second Moments of Area of the following shape .

40mm 40mm 4mm

Origin for finding centroid

3.5mm

72mm

4mm 40mm

Elements 1 2 3

A 160 252 320 732

y 2 40 78 48.3

A.y 320 10080 24960 35360

Dr. N.A.Alexander

11/11/2004

Element 1 2 3

A 160 252 320

Ix 213.3 108864 426.7

ry (48.3-2) (48.340) (48.378)

Ixtotal 0.343E6 0.126E6 0.283E6 0.752E6 mm4

Iy 0.021E6 3087 0.171E6

rx 0 0 0

Iytotal 0.021E6 3087 0.171E6 0.195E6 mm4

1.10 Use of Voids in Second Moment of Area Calculations Compare the two solutions to finding the centroid and second moments of area of the following shape.
1 mm 1 mm 6 mm 1 10 mm 2 1 mm 2 Rectangle (10x7) 1 mm

1 10 mm

Void (6x9)

6 mm

(a) Two Rectangles Solution (a)

Element 1 2 Element 1 2 A 10 6 16 A 10 6 x 0.5 4 1.81 Ix 83.33 0.5

(b) One Rectangle,One Void

A.x 5 24 29

y 5 0.5 3.31 ry -1.69 2.81

A.y 50 3 53 Ixtotal 111.89 47.88 159.77 mm4

Now consider the second solution using a void or negative area and negative second moment of area, the results are identical.

Dr. N.A.Alexander

11/11/2004

Solution (b)
Element 1 2 Element 1 2 A -54 70 16 A -54 70 x 4 3.5 1.81 Ix -364.5 583.33 A.x -216 245 29 y 5.5 5 3.31 ry -2.19 -1.69 A.y -297 350 53 Ixtotal -623.49 783.26 159.77 mm4

1.11 EXAMPLE Find Ixtotal of the Bridge Deck in Example 1.6

5m
1

5m

y
8
6

2.5m

3.5m x

1.5m square void 0.5m from centre line 0.5 from base

Two 0.25 diameter ducts. Centres 1m and 2.5m from base

Element 1 2 3 4 5 (Void) 6 (Void) 7 (Duct) 8 (Duct)

A 20 6.25 6.25 25 -2.25 -2.25 -0.05 -0.05

Ix 1.667 2.17 2.17 13.02 -0.422 -0.422 -0.0002 -0.0002

ry (2.013.25) (2.011.667) (2.011.667) (2.011.25) (2.011.25) (2.011.25) (2.01-1) (2.012.5)

Ixtotal 32.419 2.907 2.907 27.46 -1.72 -1.72 -0.051 -0.012 62.19 m4

Iy 666.67 8.89 8.89 208.3 -0.422 -0.422 -0.0002 -0.0002

rx 0 (06.667) (0+ 6.667) 0 (0-1.25) (0+ 1.25) 0 0

Iytotal 666.67 286.69 286.69 208.3 -3.94 -3.94 -0.0002 -0.0002 1446.5 m4

Dr. N.A.Alexander

11/11/2004