EMM 101 Engineering Mechanics

Statics
Moments of Inertia

Dr. Ooi Lu Ean

School of Mechanical Engineering

Email: ooiluean@usm.my
Tel: 04-599-6315
Room: 3.33
Chapter Objectives

• Method for determining the moment of inertia for

an area
Chapter Outline

1. Definitions of Moments of Inertia for Areas

2. Parallel-Axis Theorem for an Area
3. Radius of Gyration of an Area
4. Moments of Inertia for Composite Areas
5. Product of Inertia for an Area
6. Moments of Inertia for an Area about Inclined Axes
7. Mohr’s Circle for Moments of Inertia
8. Mass Moment of Inertia
10.1 Definition of Moments of Inertia for Areas

• Centroid for an area is determined by the first moment of

an area about an axis
• Second moment of an area is referred as the moment of
inertia
• Moment of inertia of an area originates whenever one
relates the normal stress σ or force per unit area
10.1 Definition of Moments of Inertia for Areas

Moment of Inertia
• Consider area A lying in the x-y plane
• Be definition, moments of inertia of the differential plane
area dA about the x and y axes
dI x  y 2dA dI y  x 2dA
• For entire area, moments of
inertia are given by

I x   y 2dA
A
I y   x 2dA
A
10.1 Definition of Moments of Inertia for Areas

Moment of Inertia
• Formulate the second moment of dA about the pole O or z
axis
• This is known as the polar axis
dJ O  r 2 dA
where r is perpendicular from the
pole (z axis) to the element dA
• Polar moment of inertia for entire area,
J O   r 2 dA  I x  I y
A
10.2 Parallel Axis Theorem for an Area

• For moment of inertia of an area known about an axis

passing through its centroid, determine the moment of
inertia of area about a corresponding parallel axis using
the parallel axis theorem
• Consider moment of inertia of the shaded area
• A differential element dA is
located at an arbitrary distance y’
from the centroidal x’ axis
10.2 Parallel Axis Theorem for an Area

• The fixed distance between the parallel x and x’ axes

is defined as dy
• For moment of inertia of dA about x axis
dI x   y ' d y  dA
2

• For entire area

I x    y ' d y  dA
2
A

  y '2 dA  2d y  y ' dA  d y2  dA
A A A

• First integral represent the moment

of inertia of the area about the centroidal axis
10.2 Parallel Axis Theorem for an Area

• Second integral = 0 since x’ passes through the area’s

centroid C  y' dA  y  dA  0; y  0
• Third integral represents the total area A
I x  I x  Ad y2
• Similarly
I y  I y  Ad x2

• For polar moment of inertia about an axis

perpendicular to the x-y plane and passing through
pole O (z axis)
J O  J C  Ad 2
10.3 Radius of Gyration of an Area

• Radius of gyration of a planar area has units of length

and is a quantity used in the design of columns in
structural mechanics
• For radii of gyration
Ix Iy JO
kx  ky  kz 
A A A
• Similar to finding moment of inertia of a differential
area about an axis

I x  k x2 A dI x  y 2dA
Example 10.1

Determine the moment of inertia for the rectangular area

with respect to (a) the centroidal x’ axis, (b) the axis xb
passing through the base of the rectangular, and (c) the
pole or z’ axis perpendicular to the x’-y’ plane and
passing through the centroid C.

I x   y 2 dA I x  I x  Ad y2
A

I y   x 2 dA I y  I y  Ad 2
x
A

J O  J C  Ad 2
Solution

Part (a)
Differential element chosen,
distance y’ from x’ axis.
Since dA = b dy’,
h/2 h/2 1 3
I x   y' dA   y' (bdy' )  b  y' dy'  bh
2 2 2
A h / 2 h / 2 12
Part (b)
By applying parallel axis theorem,
2
1 3 h 1 3
I xb  I x  Ad  bh  bh   bh
2

12 2 3
Solution

Part (c)
For polar moment of inertia about point C,

1 3
I y '  hb
12
1
J C  I x  I y '  bh(h 2  b 2 )
12
10.4 Moments of Inertia for Composite Areas

• Composite area consist of a series of connected

simpler parts or shapes
• Moment of inertia of the composite area = algebraic
sum of the moments of inertia of all its parts

Procedure for Analysis

Composite Parts
• Divide area into its composite parts and indicate the
centroid of each part to the reference axis
Parallel Axis Theorem
• Moment of inertia of each part is determined about its
centroidal axis
10.4 Moments of Inertia for Composite Areas

Procedure for Analysis

Parallel Axis Theorem
• When centroidal axis does not coincide with the
reference axis, the parallel axis theorem is used
Summation
• Moment of inertia of the entire area about the
reference axis is determined by summing the results
of its composite parts
Example 10.4

Compute the moment of inertia of the composite area

about the x axis.
Solution

Composite Parts
Composite area obtained by subtracting the circle form
the rectangle.
Centroid of each area is located in the figure below.
Solution

Parallel Axis Theorem

Circle
I x  I x '  Ad y2

  25   25 75  11.4 106 mm4

1
4
4 2 2
 
Rectangle
I x  I x '  Ad y2


1
12
 
1001503  100150752  112.5 106 mm4
Solution

Summation
For moment of inertia for the composite area,
   
I x  11.4 106  112.5 106
 
 101 106 mm4