Moments of Inertia

Moment of Inertia and Radius of

Gyration
Moment of Inertia
Moment of inertia, also called the second moment of area, is the product of area and the
square of its moment arm about a reference axis.
Moment of inertia about the x-axis:
Example 1.
Example 2.

Determine the moments of inertia for the cross-sectional area of the member shown in Fig.
10–9 a about the x and y centroidal axes.

Solution:

Composite Parts. The cross section can be subdivided into the three rectangular areas A, B
, and D shown in Fig. 10–9 b . For the calculation, the centroid of each of these rectangles is
located in the figure.
Parallel-Axis Theorem. From the table on the inside back cover, or Example 1 , the
moment of inertia of a rectangle about its centroidal axis is I = (1/12)bh3. Hence, using the
parallel-axis theorem for rectangles A and D , the calculations are as follows:
Example 3
Determine the moment of inertia and radius of gyration of the T-section shown in Fig. P-819
with respect to its centroidal Xo axis.

Solution:
Locate the centroid of the composite area

Determine the moment of inertia with

Respect to the centroidal x-axis, Ī

Determine the radius of gyration, rx

rx=√
𝐼𝑥
𝐴

rx=√
290.67
32

rx=3.01 in.
Alternate Solution for Ī
Example 4.

Determine the moment of inertia of Example 3 with respect to the base.

Solution:

Alternate solution

3” 3”

x x

Moment of inertia with respect to the base,

Ix Moment of inertia with respect to the base,
Ix
Ix=b1h13/3+ [Ī 2+A2(y2)2]
Ix=8(2)3/3+[2(8)3/12+16(6)2) Ix=2[3(2)3/3]+2(10)3/3
Ix=682.67 in.4 Ix=682.67 in.4
Example 5.

Determine the moment of inertia of the area shown in Fig. P-819 with respect to its centroidal
axes.

Solution:

Locate the centroid of the composite area A1=12(1)=12 in.2

y1=0.5 in.

A2=1(12)=12 in.2

y2=7 in.

A3=6(1)=6 in.2

y3=13.5 in.

Aȳ=A1y1+A2y2+A3y3

30ȳ=12(0.5)+12(7)+6(13.5)

ȳ=5.7 in.
Determine the moment of inertia with Respect to the centroidal x-axis,

Determine the moment of inertia with Respect to the centroidal y-axis,