Shear in Straight Members

In general a beam will support both shear and moment.The shear V is the result of a transverse
shear stress distribution that acts over the beam cross section.

Figure 1

To illustrate the effect of shear consider a beam to be made from three boards as shown in Fig.2.
If the top and bottom surface of the beam are smooth and the boardsa re not bounded each other
, the the application of the load P will cause the boards to slide relative to another when the
beam deflects. However f the bounds are bonded together, then the longitudinal shear stresses
acting between the boards will prevent their relative sliding, and consequently the beam will
act as a single unit.

Figure 2
As a result of shear stress, shear strains wll be developed and this will tend to distort the cross
section in a rather complex manner. When a shear V is applied, it tends to deform this lines into
a pattern shown in Figure 3.
 Figure 3

The Shear Formula

Consider a prismatic beam AB shown in the Fig 4.a. At a distance x from end A we detach
from the beam an element CDD’C’ of length Δx extending across the width of the beam from
the upper surface of the beam to a horizontal plane located at a distance y’ from the neutral
axis.A free body diagram of this element shown in Figure 4.b.

Fig. 4.a

Fig. 4.b
The element shown in Fig. 4.b. will satisfy ∑ 𝐹𝑋 = 0 , since the stress distribution on each side
of the element forms only a couple moment and therefore a zero force resultant. The resultant
moment of each side of the element differ by 𝑑𝑀 , it can be seen from Fig. 4.c that ∑ 𝐹𝑋 = 0
will not be satisfied unless a longitudinal shear stress 𝜏 acts over the bottom face of the
element.The equation of the equilbrium of the forces:

Fig. 4.c
Also

The integral represents the moment of the area A’ about the neutral axis We will enote this by
sembol Q. Since the location of the centroid A’ is determined from 𝑦 ′
 VQ

It
where Q   ydA  y ' A'
A'

τ : shear stress in the member located y’ from the neutral axis

V : internal shear force
I : moment of inertia of the whole cross-section
t : width of the cross-section measured at the point where shear stress is to be determined
Q : moment of area of the region above (or below) the point where shear stress is to be determined (𝑄 = ̅̅
𝑦̅̅′ . 𝐴′)

Note: The shear stresses along longitudinal axis of the member are complementary and numerically equal
to the transverse shear stress on the cross-section.

Shear Flow in Built up Beam

In engineering practice members are built up from several composite parts in order to achieve
a greater resistance to loads. Examples are shown in Figure 5. In order to design fasteners or to
determine their spacing, it is necessary to know the shear force that must resisted by fasteners.
This loading when measured as a force per unit length of beam is referred to as shear flow q.

Figure 5
Shear flow is a measure of the force per unit length along the axis of a beam. This value is found
from the shear formula and is used to determine the shear force developed in fasteners and glue
that holds the various segments of a composite beam together.