Dr. D. B.

Wallace

Basic Stress Equations

Centroid of
Cross Section

Internal Reactions:

Centroid of
Cross Section

Shear Forces
( )

6 Maximum
(3 Force Components
& 3 Moment Components)

"Cut Surface"

Vx

Bending Moments
()
x

"Cut Surface"

Mx

Vy

My

Normal Force
()

Torsional Moment
or Torque ( )

Force Components

Moment Components

Normal Force:
Centroid y

"Cut Surface"

P
A

z
P
Axial Force

l Uniform over the entire cross section.

l Axial force must go through centroid.

Axial Stress

Shear Forces:
Cross Section
y

"y" Shear Force

Point of interest
LINE perpendicular to V through point of interest

Vy
y

b = Length of LINE on the cross section

z

Aa = Area on one side of the LINE

Centroid of entire cross section

"x" Shear Force

Vx

Centroid of area on one side of the LINE

Aa

I = Area moment of inertia of entire cross section

about an axis pependicular to V.

y = distance between the two centroids

V Aa y
Ib

Note: The maximum shear stress for common cross sections are:
Cross Section:

Cross Section:

max = 3 2 V A

Rectangular:

I-Beam or
H-Beam:

flange

web max = V A web

Solid Circular:

Thin-walled
tube:

max = 4 3 V A

max = 2 V A

Basic Stress Equations

Dr. D. B. Wallace

Torque or Torsional Moment:

Solid Circular or Tubular Cross Section:
y

"Cut Surface"

T
Torque

max =
max =

Tr
J

16 T
D3
16 T Do

J=
J=

for solid circular shafts

Do 4 D i 4

r = Distance from shaft axis to point of interest

R = Shaft Radius
D = Shaft Diameter

D4 R 4
=
32
2

Do4 Di4

for solid circular shafts

32

for hollow shafts

for hollow shafts

Rectangular Cross Section:

Cross Section:
b

Centroid

"Cut Surface"

z
T
Torque

Note:
a>b

Torsional Stress

Method 1:

max = 1 = T 3 a + 1.8 b

g ea

b2

ONLY applies to the center of the longest side

Method 2:

1,2 =

T
1,2 a b

Use the appropriate from the table

on the right to get the shear stress at
either position 1 or 2.

a/b
1.0
1.5
2.0
3.0
4.0
6.0
8.0
10.0

Other Cross Sections:

Treated in advanced courses.

1
.208
.231
.246
.267
.282
.299
.307
.313
.333

2
.208
.269
.309
.355
.378
.402
.414
.421
----

Basic Stress Equations

Dr. D. B. Wallace

Bending Moment
"x" Bending Moment

Mx

Mx y
Ix

and

My x
Iy

"y" Bending Moment

y

where: Mx and My are moments about indicated axes

y and x are perpendicular from indicated axes
Ix and Iy are moments of inertia about indicated axes

x
z

My

Moments of Inertia:
b

b h3
I=
12

c
h

h is perpendicular to axis

b h2
I
=
c
6

Z=

I =

D4
R4
=
64
4

Z =

I
D3
R3
=
=
c
32
4

Parallel Axis Theorem:

I = Moment of inertia about new axis
I = Moment of inertia about the centroidal axis
A = Area of the region
d = perpendicular distance between the two axes.

new axis
Area, A

I = I + A d2

centroid

Maximum Bending Stress Equations:

max =

Mc
M
=
I
Z

max =

32 M
D

bSolid Circular g

max =

6 M
b h2

a Rectangular f

The section modulus, Z, can be found in many tables of properties of common cross sections (i.e., I-beams,
channels, angle iron, etc.).

Bending Stress Equation Based on Known Radius of Curvature of Bend, .

The beam is assumed to be initially straight. The applied moment, M, causes the beam to assume a radius of
curvature, .
Before:

= E
After:

E = Modulus of elasticity of the beam material

M

y = Perpendicular distance from the centroidal axis to the

point of interest (same y as with bending of a
straight beam with Mx).

= radius of curvature to centroid of cross section

Basic Stress Equations

Dr. D. B. Wallace

Bending Moment in Curved Beam:

Geometry:

nonlinear
stress
distribution

centroid

centroidal
axis

co

ci

rn

neutral axis

ri

A
dA
area
e = r rn

rn =
ro

A = cross sectional area

rn = radius to neutral axis

r = radius to centroidal axis

e = eccentricity

M
Stresses:
Any Position:

Inside (maximum magnitude):

M y
e A rn + y

i =

Outside:

M ci
e A ri

o =

M co
e A ro

Area Properties for Various Cross Sections:

Cross Section
Rectangle
r

ri +

dA

FG r IJ
Hr K

ht

area

h
2

t ln

o
i

ri

h
ro
Trapezoid
r

ti
ri

ri +
to

ro
Hollow Circle
r
a

h ti + 2 to
3 t i + t o

g
to ti +

For triangle:
set ti or to to 0

LM
N

FG IJ
H K

ro t i ri t o
r
ln o
h
ri

r 2 b2 r 2 a 2

OP
Q

ti + t o
2

a 2 b2

Basic Stress Equations

Dr. D. B. Wallace

Bending Moment in Curved Beam (Inside/Outside Stresses):

Stresses for the inside and outside fibers of a curved beam in pure bending can be
approximated from the straight beam equation as modified by an appropriate
curvature factor as determined from the graph below [i refers to the inside, and o
refers to the outside]. The curvature factor magnitude depends on the amount of
curvature (determined by the ratio r/c) and the cross section shape. r is the radius
of curvature of the beam centroidal axis, and c is the distance from the centroidal
axis to the inside fiber.

Centroidal
Axis

c
r

Mc
I

Inside Fiber:

i = Ki

Outside Fiber:

o = Ko

Mc
I

b/8

4.0

A
b

b/4

Values of Ki for inside fiber as at A

3.5

U or T

3.0

b/2

Curvature
Factor

Round or Elliptical

2.5
Trapezoidal

b/3

b/6

2.0

I or hollow rectangular

Ki

r
1.5
1.0

Ko

I or hollow rectangular
U or T

0.5

Values of Ko for outside fiber as at B

Round, Elliptical or Trapezoidal

0
1

Amount of curvature, r/c

10

11