Arches

Internal Forces: ∑ Forces from one side only, from the other side should be equal & opposite.
N: Normal Force; ∑ Forces perpendicular to Section or Axial Force.
Q: Shearing force; ∑ Forces parallel to Section or perpendicular to axis.
M: Moment about x axis “point”.

Arch is a curved beam. The inclination of the

axis at any section is defined by the tangent
Tangent
slope at this section. So Normal Force is the
summation of forces in the tangent direction,
Shearing Force is the summation of forces
Section 
perpendicular to the tangent and the Moment
is the summation of forces moments (Force * Arch Axis
Arm), from one side only.
Example: 10 t 2 t/m'
Calculate the Internal 6t
n c
forces at Sections s-s, n-n 4t
& m-m, for the shown s en
y-axis m 10 m
Parabolic Arch. ye m
Parabolic
Xa x-axis Arch Xb
Parabolic Arch Equation: b
y = ax 2 + bx + c Ya a
10 m 10 m 15 m 5m
Yb

at x = 0, y = 0  c = 0, at x = 40 m , y = 0  b = −40a
at x = 20 m , y = 10 m ( y ' = 0)  a = −0.025 & b = 1
 y = x − 0.025x 2 & dy / dx  y ' = tan  = 1 − 0.05x
Reactions: xe = 10 m, ye = 10 – 0.025 (10)2 = 7.5 m
∑M @ a = 0 → 4 (7.5) + 6 (10) + 10 (20) + (2 x 20) (30) − Yb (40) = 0 → Yb = 37.25 t
∑M @ cR = 0 → (2 x 20) (10) − 37.25 (20) + Xb (10) = 0 → Xb = 34.5 t
∑X=0 → Xa = 30.5 t & ∑Y=0 → Ya = 18.75 t
Check: ∑M @ cL = 18.75 (20) − 30.5 (10) − 4 (2.5) − 6 (10) = 0 → OK
 10 t 2 t/m'
6t
2.5 m n
4t c
s en 10 m
y-axis m
7.5 m ye m
30.5 t ym 34.5 t
x-axis Parabolic
Arch b
18.75 t a 10 m 10 m 15 m 5 m 37.25 t

xe = xs = xn = 10 m, ye = 7.5 m & tan θe = 1 − 0.05 (10) = 0.5 → θe = θs = θn = 26.57o

Sec. s-s:
6t
∑ XsL = 30.5 t → Xc
∑ YsL = 18.75 t ↑ Xs 4t  c
Ns = 18.75 sin θs + 30.5 cos θs = − 35.67 t (Comp.)  s Yc
Ns
Ys  Q s
Qs = 18.75 cos θs − 30.5 sin θs = + 3.13 t
Ms = 18.75 (10) – 30.5 (7.5) = − 41.25 mt
 10 t 2 t/m'
Sec. n-n: 6t
n
2.5 m c
XnL = 30.5 + 4 = 34.5 t → 4t
en
s m 10 m
YnL = 18.75 – 6 = + 12.75 t ↑ 7.5 m
y-axis
ye m
ym
Nn = 12.75 sin θn + 34.5 cos θn = − 36.56 t 30.5 t x-axis Parabolic
b
34.5 t
Arch
Qn = 12.75 cos θn − 34.5 sin θn = − 4.02 t 18.75 t a 10 m 10 m 15 m 5 m 37.25 t
Mn = Ms = 18.75 (10) – 30.5 (7.5) = − 41.25 mt
Sec. m-m: xm = 35 m, ym = (35) − 0.025 (35)2 = 4.375 m Xc
Xn  c
& tan θm = 1 − 0.05 (35) = − 0.75 → θm = 36.87o  n Yc
XmR = 34.5 t ← & YmR = 37.25 – (2x5) = 27.25 t ↑ Nn  Qn
Yn
Nm = 34.5 cos θm + 27.25 sin θm = – 43.95 t (Comp.)
Qm = 34.5 sin θm – 27.25 cos θm = 0 10 t w = 2 t/m'
Mm = 37.25 (5) – 34.5 (4.375) – (2x5)(5/2)] = + 10.31 mt Xc
Sec. c-Left: θc = zero c
 m
Nc-Left = ∑ Xc-Left = 30.5 + 4 = – 34.5 t = Nc-R Yc Xm

Qc-Left = ∑ Yc-Left = 18.75 – 6 = + 12.75 t ↑ = Qc-R + 10
 Nm
Mc-Left = zero = Mc-R Qm Ym
Arches Example: 10 t 4 t/m'
Calculate Internal forces at
c
Sections s-s, n-n & m-m, for m
2m
the shown Circular Arch. 6t
10 t
4 t/m'
4t n
c
s R
m
2m
6t m
n 20 t
4t b (R-2)
s R
Yb
4t
Circular
Xa Arch center
a

Ya
1m 4m 3m 1m 12 t
1m 4m 3m 1m

R2 = (4) 2 + (R − 2)2 → R2 = 16 + (R2 − 4 R + 4) → R = 5 m

Reactions:
∑X=0 → Xa = 4 t & ∑M @ a = 0 → 4 (3) + 6 (1) + 10 (5) + (4 x 4) (7) − Yb (9) = 0 → Yb = 20 t
∑Y=0 → Ya = 12 t & Check: ∑M @ b = 0 → OK
 10 t 4 t/m'
Sec. s-s:
sin θs = 4/5 → θs = 53.13o c
m m
& ys = R cos θs = (R – 2) = 3 m 6t
2m
∑XsL = 4 t ← 4t s ym
n
∑ YsL = 12 t ↑ s F=24 t F=24 t
Ns = + 4 cos θs − 12 sin θs = − 7.2 t 20 t 3m
Qs = + 4 sin θs + 12 cos θs = + 10.4 t R=5m m R=5m
s R cos  m
Ms = + 12 (1) + 4 (3) = + 24 mt 4t
center
Sec. n-n: R sin  m xm
∑M @ cL = 0 → F (2) − 12 (5) − 4 (5) 12 t
1m 4m 3m 1m
+ 6 (4) + 4 (2) = 0 → F = 24 t
θn =θs = 53.13o & yn = ys = 3m c Xc c Xc
XnL = 24 + 4 − 4 = 24 t → Yc Yc
6t
YnL = 12 − 6 = 6 t ↑ 4t Xn
Nn = − 6 sin θ − 24 cos θ = − 19.2 t Xs F=24 t
n
s
Qn = + 6 cos θ − 24 sin θ = − 15.6 t s Q s Nn n Q n
Ns Yn
Mn = Ms = + 24 mt Ys
 10 t 4 t/m'
Sec. m-m:
R sin θm = 3 m → θm = 36.87o c
m m
ym = R cos θm − (R – 2) = 1 m 6t
2m
4t s ym
XmR = 24 t ← n
s F=24 t F=24 t
YmR = 20 – (4 x 1) = 16 t ↑
Nm = − 24 cos θm − 16 sin θm = − 28.8 t R=5m R=5m
20 t 3m
m
R cos  m
Qm = + 24 sin θm − 16 cos θm = + 1.6 t s
4t
Mm = 20 (1) – 24 (1) − (4 x 1) (0.5) = − 6 mt center
R sin  m xm
4 t/m' 12 t
1m 4m 3m 1m
Xc m
c Xm Circular Arch:
m Tangent
Yc  H
Qm
 m Ym
Nm
R = L + (R − H )
2 2 2
ys
s
Sec. a-a: θa = 90o  R = ( L 2 + H 2 ) / 2H R cos s
R
(R-H)
Na = Ya = − 12 t x s = L − R sin  s center R
Qa = Xa = + 4 t xs R sin s
Ma = zero
y s = R cos  s −(R − H ) L L