00.06.

04
SHEAR CENTRE OF CIRCULAR ARC SECTION

1. NOTATION

r radius of arc m in

x distance of shear centre from centre-line of wall, measured along neutral m in

axis

2α angle subtended by arc degree degree

Both SI and British units are quoted but any coherent system of units may be used.

2. NOTES

Figure 1 presents x / r plotted against α . It is assumed that the wall thickness is uniform over the section
and that it is not greater than r /10. No allowance has been made for variation of shear stress across the
thickness.

3. DERIVATION

This section lists selected sources that have assisted in the preparation of this Item.

1. WILLIAMS, D. Some features of the behaviour in bending of thin-walled tubes and

channels. R&M 1669, 1935.

4. EXAMPLE

It is required to find the position of the shear centre of a circular arc when r = 50 mm and α = 120 ° .

From Figure 1 at α = 120 °

x/r = 0.515
Therefore, x = 0.515 × 50 = 25.75 mm.

Issued November 1943

With Amendment A, December 1980
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 00.06.04
α degrees

0 30 60 90 120 150 180

1.0 1.0
x

α r
0.9 0.9
Centre-line

α
Shear centre
0.8 0.8

0.7 0.7

0.6 0.6

0.5 0.5
x/r
x/r

0.4 0.4

0.3 0.3

0.2 0.2

0.1 0.1

0.0 0.0
0 30 60 90 120 150 180

α degrees

FIGURE 1