COMPOSITE MOMENT OF INERTIA

Built-up Timber I-beams

Courtesy Electronic Journal of
Polish Agricultural Universities

Moment of Inertia for

Composite Areas
Moments of inertia are additive if they reference the same
axis. That is:
n

Ix = I
i=1

i
x

and

I y = I i
y
i=1

We can use this to our advantage for determination of

composite cross sections.
For our discussion, a composite cross section is one
comprised of mutiple simple geometric shapes. One of the
simplest composite shapes is a round or rectangular tube.

Moment of Inertia for

Composite Areas
Consider the square tube shown below.

h H

b
B

From the appendix, we know the moment of inertia of a

rectangle about each of its centroidal axis is:
bh
Ix =
12
3

hb
Iy =
12

Moment of Inertia for

Composite Areas
The square tube can be modeled as two concentric rectangles
with a common x- and y-axis. This allows the moment of
inertia of each shape to be added algebraically. Since the
interior rectangle is a 'hole', treat this as a negative area and
add a negative area and a negative moment of inertia.

b
B

BH 3 bh3
Ix =

12
12
h H

HB
hb
Iy=

12
12

Parallel Axis Theorem for

Moment of Inertia
Since moments of inertia can only be added if they reference
the same axis, we must find a way to determine the moments
of inertia of composite sections when this is not the case.
An example of this is the concrete T-beam
shown. Although it is a simple matter to
determine the moment of inertia of each
rectangular section that makes up the
beam, they will not reference the same
axis, thus cannot be added.
However, if we found the moment of
inertia of each section about some
reference axis such as the centroidal axis
of the composite, then we could add the
individual moments of inertia.
5

Parallel Axis Theorem for

Moment of Inertia
The parallel axis theorem is used to do just that. Consider the
following area with a known centroid.
y

Let

Then

yc

dA

xc

c
b

x = xc a
y = yc b
xc

x c dA

=
=0

A
location of centroid
y c dA

yc =
=0
A

I x = y dA = y c b dA = y c dA 2b y c dA b
A

I xc
2

I x = I xc b A
6

dA
A

Area

Parallel Axis Theorem for

Moment of Inertia
y

yc

dA

xc

c
b

I x = I xc b 2A
I y = I yc a 2A

Thus, the area moment of inertia with respect to any axis in its
plane is equal to the moment of inertia with respect to the
parallel centroidal axis plus the product of the area and the
square of the distance between the two axis.
7

Examples for Moment of Inertia

Example 4:
Given the moment of inertia of a rectangle about its centroidal
axis, apply the parallel axis theorem to find the moment of
inertia for a rectangle about its base.
bh3
I xc =
12

yc

xc

x
b

h
distance =
area = bh
2
bh 3
h 2
Ix =
bh
12
2
bh 3
bh3
=

12
4
bh 3 3bh3
bh3
=

=
12
12
3

Examples for Moment of Inertia

Example 5:
Find the centroidal moment of inertia for a T-shaped area.
1) First, locate the centroid of each rectangular area relative to
a common base axis, then...
2) ...determine the location of the centroid of the composite.

6
5
yc
2

1
4

xc = 0
(by symmetry)
y i Ai
yc =
Ai
562124
=
2462
608
=
= 3.4 in
20

Examples for Moment of Inertia

3) Find centroidal moment of inertia about the x-axis
3
bihi
2
I xc = I x1 I x2 where I xi =
d i bih i
12
26 3
2
4
I x1 =
5 3.4 26 = 66.72in
12
423
I x2 =
3.4 1224 = 48.75in4
12
I xc = I x1 I x2 = 66.72 48.75 = 115.46 in 4

x1
xc

5 - 3.4

xc

xc
3.4

x
10

x2
x

3.4 - 1

Examples for Moment of Inertia

4) Find the centroidal moment of inertia about the y-axis.
Since the centroidal y-axis for each shape and for the
composite is coincident, the moments of inertia are additive.

yc

xc

11

I yc = I y1 I y2
3
hibi
I yi =
12
3
3
62
24
4
I yc =

= 14.66in
12
12

Examples for Moment of Inertia

As sections become more complex, it is often easier to
perform the calculations by creating tables to find centroid and
moment of inertia.
Part

Dimensions

Area

----

----

xA

yA

Ix + d y(A)

1
2
3
Total

Part

----------

Area

Ix

Iy

dy

dx

d y(A)

d x(A)

----

----

----

----

----

----

1
2
3
Total

12

Iy + d x(A)

Examples for Moment of Inertia

Example 6:
Determine the location of the centroid ('c') of the beam's cross
section and the moment of inertia about the centroidal x-axis.
y
1 Typ.
Part

Dimensions

Area

yA

4x1

4x1

1x8

0.5

Total

----------

16 in

----

20 in

Part

Area

Ici

1(4) /12

8(1) /12

Total

13

16 in

yc =
2

yA 20
=
= 1.25 in
A
16
2

dy

d y(A)

Ixci = Ici + d y(A)

1(4) /12

2 - 1.25

2.25

5.33 + 2.25 = 7.58

2 - 1.25

2.25

5.33 + 2.25 = 7.58

1.25 - 0.5

4.50

0.666 + 4.50 = 5.16

----

----

----

20.32 in

xc
yc
x

Examples for Moment of Inertia

Example 7:
Determine the location of the centroid 'c' the beam's cross
section and the moment of inertia about both centroidal axis.
y

Part

yc1
yc

xc
dx1 dx2

yc2

14

dy1

xc1
dy2

xc2 yc

1 Typ.

Area

Ix

dy 1

5.333

2-1

0.666

1 - 0.5

Total

12

----

----

Part

Area

xA

yA

4x1

0.5

1x8

0.5

40

----------

12

----

----

42

12

Total

Dimensions

2
y1

x iAi
40
=
= 3.33 in
A
12
y A
12
yc = i i =
= 1.00 in
A
12

xc =

xc
x

Iy

dx2

9.33

0.333

3.5 - 0.5

36

36.33

2.67

42.66

5 - 3.5

18

60.66

----

12

----

----

--------

97

(A)

Ix + d

2
y1

(A)

2
x2

(A)

Iy + d

2
x2

(A)