UNIVERSITY OF MAURITIUS

FACULTY OF ENGINEERING
Mechanical Engineering
Practical Lab Report

Details:

Experiment No: 1997/2

Description: Shearing force in beams

Workshop: Structural Mechanics Lab

Date: 14 February 2012

Program: BEng (Hons) Mechanical Level 1

Module: Mechanics of Materials and Machines

(MECH 1001Y)

Group: Mc6

Names: HUGLI Greg (1111299)

JUGURNAUTH Diksha (1110767)

JOWATA Waqaar (1113478)

Date submitted: 28 February 2012

Shearing forces in beams
Exp 1997/2

Shearing Force in Beams

This experiment deals with the shearing forces that exist in a split beam in two parts A and B, joined by a
ball bearing rollers pinned at the normal section. An overhung spring balance is used to provide the
vertical shearing force. Two ends bearings on stands support the beam and several shaped load hangers
are threaded on to the beam.

Experimentation

Objectives - To understand the action of the shear in the beam

- To measure the shearing force at a normal section of a loaded beam and to

check its agreement with theory.

Equipments: Shear force apparatus with supports, 3 hangers, weights, spirit level, measuring tape

Set up - The apparatus is set up as shown below

Y X

Experimental procedure – part 1

 Set up the apparatus as shown in the diagram, for 300mm between the left support and the normal
section (split) labeled as (A) and 600mm between the right support and the normal section labeled
as (B).
 One load hanger is positioned in the middle of the smaller section (A) and another on the larger
part (B).
 The distances between the support and hangers are recorded.
 A third hanger is placed on the groove just to the right of the normal section, i.e on the start of
section (B).
 Adjustments are made on the spring balance and under slung spring so that the bar is aligned and
the spring balance reading is noted.
 10N loads is applied on part (B) and the beam is re align and the new reading on the spring balance
noted.

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Shearing forces in beams
Exp 1997/2

 Only the hanger just to the right of the normal section (split) is loaded with 10N and readings of the
spring balance noted.
 The hanger with the 10N load is moved just to the left of the normal section, i.e, the end of part (A)
and then the load to the last hanger is transferred to the hanger on part (A).
 The experiment is repeated with 20N loads and results tabulated.

Experimental procedure – part 2

 All loads are removed, hangers returned to their initial positions and the beam is realigned.
 All 3 hangers are now loaded and the beam is aligned. The spring balance reading, the applied
loads and the lengths between the hangers and support are noted for the new configuration of the
loads.
 The above steps are repeated using different loads and lengths from the support and hangers at
different positions until a set of 8 values are obtained.

Data analysis
Loads of 10N on section (B)

LB

Taking moment from RB Taking moment from RA

(RA × 0.9) = (10 × 0.3) (RB × 0.9) = (10 × 0.6)
RA = 3.33N RB = 6.67N
Loads of 20N on section (B)

Taking moment from RB Taking moment from RA

(RA × 0.9) = (20 × 0.3) (RB × 0.9) = (20 × 0.6)
RA = 6.67N RB = 13.3N

From the above calculated values it can be noted that when the force on section B was doubled, the
shear force FX also doubled.

LA Fx
y

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Shearing forces in beams
Exp 1997/2

Using RA; ΣM = 0

(F1 × y) + (F2 × LA) = (FX × LA)

FX, Shear Force = (F1 × y) + (F2 × LA) / (LA)

Using this equation as a general formula, the corresponding values of each experiment is replaced in the
equation and the shearing force calculated.

Conclusion

Since the average of the ratios is close to 1, it can be deduced that the experimental results agree with
the theoretical values to some extent.

The experiment was a time consuming and requiring maximum care and attention so as to be performed
well. Consequently, there were significant sources of error in the experiment.
 A primary source of error would that the hangers might be displaced while aligning the beam.
 Being a long experiment, the concentration of the operators would eventually diminish thus
increasing the sources of errors.

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Shearing forces in beams
Exp 1997/2

APPENDIX:

Part 1 results
Load applied / Spring balance reading / N
N Initial Hanger at B Right to split Left to Split Hanger at A
10 3.5 7.5 11.0 5.5 2.0
20 3.5 10.5 18.0 14.0 1.0
NOTE : The Initial lengths of the hangers relative to the supports are Y=150mm and X=300mm.

Part 2 results
Length between hangers and
Load on hangers / N
support / mm Spring balance reading / N
1 2 3 X Y
5.0 5.0 10.0 170 150 7.0
5.0 10.0 10.0 170 150 10.5
5.0 10.0 10.0 300 200 12.5
5.0 15.0 10.0 150 100 13.0
2.0 10.0 20.0 200 150 14.5
2.0 15.0 20.0 150 200 10.5
2.0 20.0 10.0 250 200 15.0
2.0 12.0 20.0 400 100 18.0

Length between Theoretical

Length of sections /
Load on hangers / N hangers and value for
mm
support / mm shear force /
F1 F2 F3 Y Section A N
5.0 5.0 10.0 150 300 7.50
5.0 10.0 10.0 150 300 12.50
5.0 10.0 10.0 200 300 13.33
5.0 15.0 10.0 100 300 16.67
2.0 10.0 20.0 150 300 11.00
2.0 15.0 20.0 200 300 16.33
2.0 20.0 10.0 200 300 21.33
2.0 12.0 20.0 100 300 12.67

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Shearing forces in beams
Exp 1997/2

Length between Theoretical

Spring Ratio
Load on hangers / N hangers and value for
balance Experiment
support / mm shear force
reading / N /theory
1 2 3 X Y /N
5.0 5.0 10.0 170 150 7.0 7.50 0.933
5.0 10.0 10.0 170 150 10.5 12.50 0.840
5.0 10.0 10.0 300 200 12.5 13.33 0.938
5.0 15.0 10.0 150 100 13.0 16.67 0.780
2.0 10.0 20.0 200 150 14.5 11.00 1.318
2.0 15.0 20.0 150 200 10.5 16.33 0.643
2.0 20.0 10.0 250 200 15.0 21.33 0.703
2.0 12.0 20.0 400 100 18.0 12.67 1.421
Average
0.947
ratio

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