Mohammed Adel Abdullah KIG170720

Title : shearing force in beams.

ABSTRACT

There is no doubt that it is very important for engineers to study beams and how they resist the forces
which act perpendicularly on the beams axis. The Understanding of the statics of the internal and external
forces that might act on the beams is crucial for engineers in order to solve the problems related to it and
manufacture structures by utilizing the same concept. In sharing force in beams experiment , three
hungers were used to carry the weights that were placed in six different positions to get six different
scenarios. Overall, every data of every scenario was recorded and compared to the theoretical data which
will be discussed in the other parts of this report.

INTRODUCTION

The understanding of how beams are designed is essential for engineers as beams are very common used
structural elements and have a lot of applications that engineers need to be aware of .Internal forces ,
which are shears , tension and compression , always facilitate it for engineers to construct building by
using beams. Shear force and how it is related to the other two internal forces will be discussed in more
details in this report. Standards of statics are required to create function of locations along the beam. The
difference between the three internal forces is illustrated in the figure below.

Figure 1 : the difference between the three internal forces.

When a force acts on a plane, it creates a shear force V a bending moment M which could have either
positive or negative direction .The way the direction of a shear force a bending moment is determined
always depends on the direction of the force from the free body diagram which is used to determine the
sign convection of the shearing force as it cannot be calculated by the observation only. As a result , the

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Mohammed Adel Abdullah KIG170720

direction of the shear force and bending moment that appears in the beam is set as figure 2 shows .In case
negative value is determined , the direction will be the opposite to the one that is set earlier .

Figure 2 : the diagram of shear force and bending moment.

In order to determine the relation of a bending moment and a shear force, all the external reactions have to
be calculated by applying the equilibrium equation to a free-body diagram of the beam. After that,
applying the equation of equilibrium on either the left or the right part of the beam but the part chosen has
to be isolated. These equations yield expressions the V and M acting at the cut suction on the part of the
beam isolated.

For beams with distributive burdens, a general relationship could be gotten which would help
extraordinarily in deciding the V and M allocation all through a specific beam. Figure 3 shows a
distributive load that acts on a beam and the force per unit length of the beam that is represented by the
loading W.

Figure 3 : Beams with a distributive load

From what is written above , all the vertical forces must be equivalent to zero as the beam is in static
equilibrium . We would get an equation :

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Mohammed Adel Abdullah KIG170720

𝑉 − 𝑤𝑑𝑥 − (𝑉 + 𝑑𝑉) = 0 (Equation 1)

Or
𝑑𝑉
𝑤 = − 𝑑𝑥 (Equation 2)

From the equation 2, we could observe that the slope of the shear diagram must be equivalent to the
negative number of the applied loading. But during discontinuity, the concentration of load which is
produced because of the change in shear force is not hold by the slope of the shear diagram. If we
integrate both sides of Equation 2 we would get :
𝑉 𝑥
∫𝑉 𝑑𝑉 = − ∫𝑥 𝑤𝑑𝑥 (Equation 3) and this would be
0 0

𝑉 = 𝑉0 + (𝑛𝑒𝑔𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑣𝑒𝑎𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑢𝑛𝑑𝑒𝑟𝑙𝑜𝑎𝑑𝑖𝑛𝑔𝑐𝑢𝑟𝑣𝑒𝑓𝑟𝑜𝑚𝑥0 𝑡𝑜𝑥). (Equation 4).

In the equation 4, the V0 is the shear force at x0 and V is the shear force at x. Since the beam is in
equilibrium, the sum of moment would also be zero. If we set the left side to be the pivot point then:-

𝑑𝑥
𝑀 + 𝑤𝑑𝑥 2
+ (𝑉 + 𝑑𝑉)𝑑𝑥 − (𝑀 + 𝑑𝑀) = 0 (Equation 5)

The term M will cancel out and the terms w(dx)2 /2 and dV dx may be dropped since they are differentials
of higher order than those which remains. Hence the only terms left is
𝑑𝑀
𝑉= 𝑑𝑥
(Equation 6)

Equation 6 tells us that the shear is equal to the slope of the moment curve. This is only valid on either
side of the concentrated couple but not on the couple itself as the discontinuity caused by the abrupt
change in the moment. Moment could be relate to the shear V with the equation
𝑀 𝑥
∫𝑀 𝑑𝑀 = ∫𝑥 𝑉𝑑𝑥 (Equation 7) and this would become
0 0

𝑀 = 𝑀0 + (𝑎𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑢𝑛𝑑𝑒𝑟𝑠ℎ𝑒𝑎𝑟𝑑𝑖𝑎𝑔𝑟𝑎𝑚𝑓𝑟𝑜𝑚𝑥0 𝑡𝑜𝑥) (Equation 8)

In this expression M0 is the bending moment at x0 and M is the bending moment at x. For beams where
there is no externally applied moment Mo, at x0 = 0, the total moment at any section equals the area under
the shear diagram up that section. Summing the area under the shear diagram is usually the simplest way
to construct the moment diagram.

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Mohammed Adel Abdullah KIG170720

When V passes through zero and is a continuous function of x with dV/dx is not 0, the bending moment
M will be a maximum or a minimum since dM/dx = 0 at such a point. We observe that the degree of V in
x is one higher than that of w. Also M is of one higher degree in x than is V. Using Equation 2 and 6, we
could generate an equation that relates the moment with the load as below:-

𝑑2 𝑀
𝑑𝑥 2
= −𝑤 (Equation 9

Overhang spring balance

Left part beam
Right part
beam

Right hand
Left hand support
support
Hanger 1 Hanger 3 Hanger 2

Underslung spring balance

F
Figure 4 : Equipments

Objective :
To observe how similar is the data obtained from the experiment to theoretical data and realize how a
shear acts on a beam.

Results :

Weight on hanger /N Spring force /N Shear Force / N

Under
x y z Overhung slung Experiment Theory Ratio = (Experiment Value / Theory Value)
0 0 0 14.5 2.4 0 0 0
0 10 0 15.2 30 0.7 3.33 0.210
0 0 10 16 36 1.5 6.67 0.224
0 20 0 19.2 41 4.7 6.67 0.704
5 5 5 19 36 4.5 4.17 1.079

Table : theoretical and experimental data

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Mohammed Adel Abdullah KIG170720

Figure 5: Free-body Diagram of the experiment

150 mm 150 mm 300 mm 300 mm

𝑅𝐴 𝐿𝑜𝑎𝑑 𝑥 𝐿𝑜𝑎𝑑 𝑧 𝐿𝑜𝑎𝑑 𝑦 𝑅𝐵

Part B Weight on hanger: 10 N = Load y
∑ 𝐹𝑦 = 0 ∑ 𝑀𝐴 = 0

∑ 𝐹𝑦 = 𝑅𝐴 + 𝑅𝐵 − 𝐿𝑜𝑎𝑑 𝑦 = 0

2
∑ 𝑀𝐴 = (0.6) 𝐿𝑜𝑎𝑑 𝑦 − (0.9)𝑅𝐵 = 0 Since Load y = 10 N then 𝑅𝐵 = 6 𝑁
3

2 1
∑ 𝐹𝑦 = 𝑅𝐴 + 6 − 10 = 0 Hence 𝑅𝐴 = 3 𝑁
3 3

We isolate the right side of Figure 6: Free-body Diagram Part B

the beam.

𝑉 + 𝑅𝐵 = 𝐿𝑜𝑎𝑑 𝑦
1
Hence 𝑉 = 3 𝑁 V
3

𝐿𝑜𝑎𝑑 𝑦 𝑅𝐵

Part C Weight on hanger: 10 N = Load z

∑ 𝐹𝑦 = 0 ∑ 𝑀𝐴 = 0

∑ 𝐹𝑦 = 𝑅𝐴 + 𝑅𝐵 − 𝐿𝑜𝑎𝑑 𝑧 = 0

1
∑ 𝑀𝐴 = (0.3) 𝐿𝑜𝑎𝑑 𝑧 − (0.9) 𝑅𝐵 = 0 Since Load z = 10 N then 𝑅𝐵 = 3 𝑁
3

1 2
∑ 𝐹𝑦 = 𝑅𝐴 + 3 − 10 = 0 Hence 𝑅𝐴 = 6 𝑁
3 3

We isolate the right side of Figure 7: Free-body Diagram Part C

the beam.

𝑉 + 𝑅𝐵 = 𝐿𝑜𝑎𝑑 𝑦
2
Hence 𝑉 = 6 3 𝑁 V
Load z RB

Part D Weight on hanger: 20 N = Load y

∑ 𝐹𝑦 = 0 ∑ 𝑀𝐴 = 0

∑ 𝐹𝑦 = 𝑅𝐴 + 𝑅𝐵 − 𝐿𝑜𝑎𝑑 𝑦 = 0

1
∑ 𝑀𝐴 = (0.6) 𝐿𝑜𝑎𝑑 𝑦 − (0.9)𝑅𝐵 = 0 Since Load y = 20 N then 𝑅𝐵 = 13 𝑁
3

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Mohammed Adel Abdullah KIG170720

1 2
∑ 𝐹𝑦 = 𝑅𝐴 + 13 − 20 = 0 Hence 𝑅𝐴 = 6 𝑁
3 3

We isolate the right side of Figure 8: Free-body Diagram Part D

the beam.

𝑉 + 𝑅𝐵 = 𝐿𝑜𝑎𝑑 𝑦
2
Hence 𝑉 = 6 3
𝑁 V
Load y RB

Part E Weight on hanger: 5 N = Load x = Load y = Load z

∑ 𝐹𝑦 = 0 ∑ 𝑀𝐴 = 0

∑ 𝐹𝑦 = 𝑅𝐴 + 𝑅𝐵 − 𝐿𝑜𝑎𝑑 𝑥 − 𝐿𝑜𝑎𝑑 𝑦 − 𝐿𝑜𝑎𝑑 𝑧 = 0

∑ 𝑀𝐴 = (0.15)𝐿𝑜𝑎𝑑 𝑥 + (0.6) 𝐿𝑜𝑎𝑑 𝑦 + (0.3)𝐿𝑜𝑎𝑑 𝑧 − (0.9)𝑅𝐵 = 0

5
Since Load x =5N, Load y = 5 N and Load z = 5 N then 𝑅𝐵 = 5 6
𝑁

5 1
∑ 𝐹𝑦 = 𝑅𝐴 + 5 − 15 = 0 Hence 𝑅𝐴 = 9 𝑁
6 6

We isolate the right side of Figure 9: Free-body Diagram Part E

the beam.

𝑉 + 𝑅𝐵 = 𝐿𝑜𝑎𝑑 𝑦 + 𝐿𝑜𝑎𝑑 𝑧
1
Hence 𝑉 = 4 6 𝑁 V
Load z Load y RB

Discussion:

As table 1 shows, the experimental data obtained from shearing force in beams experiment does not seem
to agree with the theoretical data and that is because of numerous causes which are :

1- We could not adjust the overhung spring balance correctly . As a result , the two parts beams were not
actually at the same level due which means that the data taken was not accurate .

2- The apparatus we utilized were not very efficient and it contributes in some mistakes.

3-The number of assumptions was quite high which means more chances to get errors in the experiment.

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Mohammed Adel Abdullah KIG170720

Conclusion

From the experiment conducted above , we can conclude that beams are very important and every
engineer has to understand how they are designed and how the function .The experimental data did not
agree with the theoretical data due to several reasons which are human errors , not accurate equipments as
well as the big number of assumptions that affected the calculation.

References:

 Shear force and bending moment diagram,

<http://www.learnengineering.org/2013/08/shear-force-bending-moment-diagram.html>

 www.wikibedia.com