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LECTURE 2 Bending Stresses
LECTURE 2 Bending Stresses
In Diagram 2, we have shown the left end section of the beam. As discussed
previously, when examining bending moments, horizontal forces act on the
cross sectional face of the beam section. We have shown only the horizontal
forces along the top and bottom in Diagram 2a, but the forces act across the
whole cross section as shown in the side view in Diagram 2b. The horizontal
forces decrease from maximum at the outer edges to zero at the neutral axis
(an axis running through the centroid of beam cross section).
That is, the maximum "Bending Stress" at some location along the beam is
equal to the bending moment, M, at that location "times" the distance, y, from
the neutral axis to the outer edge of the beam "divided" by the moment of
inertia, I, of the beam cross sectional area. If this seems somewhat confusing,
it will become clearer as we work through several examples.
While the formula above was derived for the maximum stress, it actually holds
for the stress at any point in the beam cross section and is known as the
Flexure Formula.
Flexure Formula:
Example 1
My/I
Step 1: Out first step in solving this problem is, of course, to apply static
equilibrium conditions to determine the external support reactions. In this
particular example, because of the symmetry of the problem, we will not go
through the statics in detail, but point out that the two support forces will
support the load at the center equally with forces of 5000 lb. each as shown in
Diagram 2.
Step 2: The second step is to draw the shear force and bending moment
diagrams for the beam
Example 2
A loaded, simply supported W 10 x 45 beam is shown in Diagram 1. For this
beam we will first determine the maximum bending moment (and where it
occurs in the beam). Then we will determine the maximum bending stress at
that location, and also the bending stress at that location along the beam and 8
inches from the bottom of the beam cross section.
STEP 1: Apply Static Equilibrium Principles and determine the external support
reactions:
1.) Draw Free Body Diagram of structure (See Diagram 2)
STEP 2: Draw both the Shear Force and Bending Moment Diagrams for the
Beam.
STEP 3: We will now Apply the Flexure Formula to determine the maximum
bending stress for the beam. We may use Flexure Formula:
M y / I, or a
special form of the Flexure Formula:
M / s, where s is what is known as
the section modulus. If we rewrite the standard flexure formula several times
as follows for the maximum stress:
M (ymax / I) = M / (I / ymax) = M / s , we then see that the section modulus
is defined as s = I / ymax. That is, this special form of the flexure formula can
only be used to find the maximum bending stress, and uses the section
modulus, where the section modulus is equal to the moment of inertia of the
beam cross section divided by the maximum distance from the neutral axis of
the beam to an outer edge of the beam.
As an example we apply this form to determine the maximum bending stress in
our beam. First we determine the maximum bending moment from our bending
moment diagram - which we observe from Diagram 4 is: Mmax = 20,000 ft.-lb.,
and occurs at x = 4 ft. (We will drop the negative sign which simply tells us that
the beam is bent concave facing downward at this point. This means the top of
the beam is in tension and the bottom of the beam is in compression.) We also
then find the x-x axis section modulus of the beam as listed in the beam table
below, s = 49.1 in3
thick
thick
x-x
axis
y-y
axis
y-y axis
y-y
axis
bf
tf
tw
in2
in
in
in
in
in4
in3
in
in4
in3
in
49.1
4.33
53.20
13.30
2.00
W 10x45
Now
M / s = (20,000 ft-lb.)(12 in./ft.)/ 49.1 in = 4, 890 lb./in . (Notice that we had
to convert the bending moment in ft.-lb. to in.-lb. for the units to be consistent) We have
3
thus determined the maximum bending stress (axial stress) in the beam. Since the beam is
symmetric about the neutral axis, the stress at the top of the beam and at the bottom of
the beam are equal in value (4,890 psi.) with the top in tension and the bottom in
compression.
Example 3
A simply supported WT 8 x 25 T-beam is loaded is shown in Diagram 1. For this
beam we will determine the maximum bending stress in the beam. We will also
determine the bending stress 4 ft from the left end of the beam and 2 inches
above the bottom of the beam.
STEP 1: Apply Static Equilibrium Principles and determine the external support
reactions:
1.) FBD of structure (See Diagram 2)
STEP 2: Draw both the Shear Force and Bending Moment Diagrams for the
Beam.
STEP 3: We will now Apply the Flexure Formula to determine the maximum
bending stress for the beam. We may use Flexure Formula:
M y / I, or a
special form of the Flexure Formula:
M / s, where s is the section
modulus. This special form of the flexure formula can only be used to find the
maximum bending stress, and uses the section modulus, where the section
modulus is equal to the moment of inertia of the beam cross section divided by
the maximum distance from the neutral axis of the beam to an outer edge of
the beam.
As an example we apply this form to determine the maximum bending stress in
our beam. First we determine the maximum bending moment from our bending
moment diagram - which we observe from Diagram 4 is: Mmax = 12,000 ft.-lb,
and occurs at x = 10 ft. (We will drop the negative sign which simply tells us
that the beam is bent concave facing downward at this point. This means the
top of the beam is in tension and the bottom of the beam is in compression.)
We also then find the x-x axis section modulus of the beam as listed in the
beam table, s = 6.77 in3
x-x axis x-x axis x-x axis
x-x
axis
Designation
Area
of T
Width
thick
thick
bf
tf
tw
d/tw
in2
in
in
in
in
in4
in3
in
in
WT8x25
7.36
8.13
7.073
0.628
0.380
21.40
42.20
6.770
2.400
1.890
Now
M / s = (12,000 ft-lb)(12 in./ft.)/ 6.77 in3 = 21,270 lb/in2. (Notice
that we had to convert the bending moment in ft.-lb. to in.-lb. for the units to
be consistent) We have thus determined the maximum bending stress (axial
stress) in the beam. Please note that this maximum stress is compressive and
occurs at the bottom of the stem, since that is the outer edge of the beam
which is farthest from the neutral axis. (The stress at the top of the tee is less
than that at the bottom of the stem, since the top of the tee is closer to the
neutral axis than the bottom of the stem.)
Finally, we will determine the bending stress at 4 ft from the left end of
the beam and 2 inches above the bottom of the beam. For this we
need to use the flexure formula in the form
M y / I., where M =
-8,000 ft-lb = -96,000 in-lb (which we determine from the bending
moment graph shown in Diagram 4), I = moment of inertia of beam =
42.2 in4, and y = distance from the neutral axis to point at which we wish to
find the bending stress. The neutral axis is 1.89 inches below the top of
the beam (from the beam data table), then the neutral axis is 8.13"1.89" = 6.24" from the bottom of the beam. Since we wish to find
bending stress 2 inches above the bottom of the beam, then y = 6.24"
- 2" = 4.24" from the neutral axis to where we wish to determine the
bending stress. Thus
96,000 in-lb * 4.24 in. / 42.2 in4. = 9,450
lb/in2. Since the bending moment is negative, meaning the beam is
bent concave facing downward, and since the location is below the
beam centroid, then this stress is compressive.