ME2112 (Part 1) L2 - 1

Shear Stresses in Beams A simply supported beam with a vertical plane of symmetry
that supports concentrated, distributed loads and bending
moments.

(i) Determine N.A. and calculate I z

(ii) Support reactions
(iii) Write singularity functions
(iv) Shear force and bending moment
(v) Determine normal stress and shear stress

60 mm
20 mm 20 mm y
20 mm
y
100 mm
N.A. z C
60 mm y
a a yt
20 mm
80 mm
20 mm

ME2112 (Part 1) L2 - 2

The Shear Formula

b
Fxy A*
x
 xx 2
Left Right
Fxy plane plane
Fyx  xx1
M xz y y Fxy or V
Plane 2
N.A.  Fxy  Fxy
Plane 1  xx 2  xx1
z x
M xz  M xz
Fyx y
N.A.
M xz
M xz  M xz
x
Profile view
x x
ME2112 (Part 1) L2 - 3

b
Fxy
x A*  xx 2  xx1
Fxy
M xz  xx 2
Fyx y
Fyx  xx1
y y M xz  M xz M xz
Plane 2 M xz  M xz
dA N.A.
Plane 1 Profile view

z x

Force acting on differential element dA equals to  xx1 dA (plane 1)

Force acting on area A* is  *  xx1dA and towards right.

A

Similarly, force acting on area (plane 2) and shear force F   dA

towards left side are
yx A* xx 2

Force equilibrium in the axial direction A*

 xx1dA  Fyx    xx 2dA  0
A*

ME2112 (Part 1) L2 - 4

M xz y
Using  xx   , we obtain   xx1dA  Fyx    xx 2dA  0
Iz A* A*

( M xz  M xz ) y M y
A*

Iz
dA  Fyx   *  xz dA  0
A Iz
( M xz  M xz ) y M y b
 Fyx    * dA   * xz dA Fxy
A Iz A Iz x A*
M xz Fxy
 xx 2
 Fyx  
Iz 
A*
ydA M xz
Fyx  xx1
Dividing by x and letting x  0 and taking y y M xz  M xz
the limit, we get Plane 2
*
dA N.A.
dFyx 1 dM xz
I z dx A*
 ydA Plane 1
dx z x

Q   * ydA  A* y (first moment of area about the z-axis)

A

A * : area of the cross-section isolated by the horizontal cut; i.e. above the location of the
shear stress being determined (i.e. above y)
y : vertical distance between the centroidal axis and the CG of isolated section A*
ME2112 (Part 1) L2 - 5

Centroid of an Area
The first moments of the area A about the x and y axes
are:
Qx   ydA Qy   xdA
A A

The centroid of the area A is denoted by C of the

coordinates of x and y Q  Ax Q  Ay
y x

x
Qy

 xdA
A
y
Qx

 ydA
A

A  dA
A
A  dA
A

Composite Areas

x
Ax i i
y
Ay i i

A i A i

ME2112 (Part 1) L2 - 6

M    Fdx  (area under shear force curve)


Since M xz   Fxy dx , we differentiate with respect to x

dM xz
dx
  Fxy or 
dM xz
dx
 Fxy note :
d
dx
 F dx   F
xy xy

dFyx 1 dM xz
dFyx 1 dM xz   ydA
 dx I z dx A*
as  ydA
dx I z dx A*

dFyx 1  dM xz  1 FxyQ
    A* ydA  ( Fxy ) A y 
*

dx Iz  dx  Iz Iz

Note : Q   * ydA  A* y (first moment of area about the z-axis)

A

dF yx
This term is known as the “shear force per unit length” or shear flow. The shear flow
dx is useful in the study of connection in section of a built-up beams formed by joining
two or more materials.
ME2112 (Part 1) L2 - 7

Shear stress
b
Fxy
x A*
 xx 2
shear force dFyx
 yx   Fxy
Fyx
area b  dx  xx1
M xz y y

Since  yx   xy N.A.

z x
M xz  M xz
1 dFyx dFyx 1
  xy  as  ( Fxy ) A* y
b dx dx Iz
1 Fxy *
 Ay
b Iz Q  A* y

1 Fxy * F Q
The Shear Formula  xy  A y  xy (3.1)
b Iz I zb

ME2112 (Part 1) L2 - 8

Alternative method to derive Shear Formula:

y P y F x 0
m n M xz y ( M xz  dM xz ) y
m’ n’ y1  A* Iz
dA   *
A Iz
dA   yx bdx  0

x z M xz y ( M xz  dM xz ) y
  yx bdx   * dA   * dA
A Iz A Iz
x dx (a) 1 dM xz
  yx  
I zb A*
dx
ydA
y
b
 xx 2 m n y Centroid
 xx1
of A*
m’ n’ h1 y A*
y1
M xz x z
M xz  dM xz h2 C N. A.
Fxy dx Fxy dM xz
  Fxy ,  yx   xy
(d) dx
(b)
 yx F F Q
  xy  xy  * ydA  xy
y M xz y ( M xz  dM xz ) y I zb A I zb
I m n I
 xy
b Q   * ydA  A* y
 xy dx
m’  yx n’  xy y1 h1 A

x (e)
(c)
ME2112 (Part 1) L2 - 9

Example 3.1
Determine the shear stress distribution in a beam of rectangular cross-section (b  h )
subjected to the loading shown below.

2P
C y
h
A a y a B

P P

Fxy
P q ( x)  P  x  1 2 P  x  a  1

P x  Fxy ( x)  P  x 0 2 P  x  a 0

ME2112 (Part 1) L2 - 10

Solution.
Consider the cross-section at y-y.

Fxy A* y
 xy   yx 
I zb P

Fxy  P at section y - y
h 
A*    y1 b
2  2P
y
C
1h  h
y  y1    y1  A a y a B
22 
P P
1
I z  bh 3 Fxy
P
12
P x
ME2112 (Part 1) L2 - 11

By using the shear formula, we have

h   1h 
P  y1 b  y1    y1 
2 22
 xy      P
1 3 Fxy A* y
bh b  xy 
12 I zb
h  1  h  2P
P  y1     y1  C y
2  2  2 
 h
1 3 A a y a B
bh
12 P P

6 P  h  
2
Fxy
 3    y12  P
bh  2   P x

3P 3P
At y1  0,  xy   max   (3.2)
2bh 2 A
A: area of cross-section

ME2112 (Part 1) L2 - 12

6 P  h  
2

 xy  3    y12 
bh  2  
y
(compressive)
 xx (-ve)
P
M M
 avg 
A x N. A.

 xx (+ve)
3P
 max  (tensile)
2A

Shear stress distribution Bending stress distribution

The shear stress distribution is parabolic; maximum at the centroidal axis and zero
at the top and bottom. (Contrast this with the normal stress distribution caused by
bending, where the maximum stresses occur furthest from the centroidal axis).
ME2112 (Part 1) L2 - 13

Limitations on the Use of Shear Formula:

Fxy Q
 xy 
I zb
where Q   ydA  y A *
A*

• For narrow beams ( b  0.5h ), the solutions are in reasonably good.

• For square beams ( b  h ), the maximum shear stress error is about 13%.
• For beams with b  4h , the maximum shear stress error is about 100%.
• Clearly, shear formula developed is only applicable to narrow beams.
• The shear formula is particularly useful, as beams of single or composite
narrow rectangular cross-sectional forms are often employed in practice.

ME2112 (Part 1) L2 - 14

Example 3.2
A hollow rectangular area as shown in the figure. Calculate the moment of inertia
of the area about a horizontal axis through its centroid.

y
ME2112 (Part 1) L2 - 15

Solution.
Location of Centroid. The coordinates are selected as shown in the Fig. (a). The
shaded area may be regarded as consisting of the original rectangle A1 minus
rectangle A2 as shown in Fig. (b).

y
Ay i i

A1 y1  A2 y2 (80 120)60  (40  60)70
  56.7 mm
A i A1  A2 80 120  40  60

y
y

A1 y 56.7 mm A1 60 mm 70 mm

z
A2
C1 z C2
3.3 mm A2
63.3 mm 13.3 mm

(a) (b) (c)

ME2112 (Part 1) L2 - 16

Parallel-Axis Theorem (Appendix C)

The moment of inertia about x axis is
I x   ( y  d y ) 2 dA   y 2 dA  2d y  ydA  d y2  dA
A A A A

The first term is I x , The second term is zero.

 ydA  yA  0 since y  0
Hence I x  I x  Ad y2 (C.1a)

I y  I y  Ad x2 (C.1b)

The moment of inertia of an area about any axis is equal to the moment of inertia
around a parallel centroidal axis, plus the product of the area and the square of the
distance between the two axes.
ME2112 (Part 1) L2 - 17

Moment of Inertia. Referring to Fig. (a), we find that application of the parallel-axis
theorem leads to
1 
I z   ( I z  Ad y2 )    bh3  Ad y2 
 12 
1 1
 (80)(120)3  (80)(120)(3.3) 2  (40)(60)3  (40)(60)(13.3) 2
12 12
 10480008 mm  10.5 10 mm  10.5 106 m 4
4 6 4

y
y

A1 y 56.7 mm A1 60 mm 70 mm

z
A2
C1 z C2
3.3 mm A2
63.3 mm 13.3 mm

(a) (b) (c)

ME2112 (Part 1) L2 - 18

Example 3.3
A box beam is loaded as shown in the Figure. The moment of inertia I about neutral axis
is 10.5  106 m 4. Draw shear force and bending moment diagrams and calculate
(a) the shearing and bending stresses at point E,
(b) the maximum shear and bending stresses.

Pt E 40 y
mm from
top fibre
ME2112 (Part 1) L2 - 19

Solution. From equilibrium RA  3 kN, RB  11 kN

Pt E 40 mm
 F  0 : R  R  14 kN
y A B

from top fibre  M  0 : R (4)  10(2)  4(6)

A B

q( x )  3  x  1 10  x  2  1 11  x  4  1
 Fxy ( x )  3  x  0 10  x  2  0 11  x  4  0
M xz ( x )  3  x 1 10  x  2 1 11  x  4 1
Fxy (kN) 7 (0  x  2) : Fxy  3
(2  x  4) : Fxy  7
A C B D (4  x  6) : Fxy  4
x
3 E
4 (0  x  2) : M xz  3x
M xz (2  x  4) : M xz  3 x  10( x  2)
(kNm)
6
4.5 (4  x  6) : M xz  3 x  10( x  2)  11( x  4)

( M xz ) E 6
A   ( M xz ) E  4.5 kNm
1.5 m E C B D x 1.5 2
2m
8

ME2112 (Part 1) L2 - 20

Using a different approach to determine y A2 & A3

A1
 60 
(120  80  40  60) y  (80  40  20)  2(20  60)   40  
A4
 2 
 20 
 20  80   100  
 2 

7200 y  64 103  168 103  176 103 Reference line

408 103 A1
 y  56.7 mm y
7200
A2 A3

A4
ME2112 (Part 1) L2 - 21

(a) Stresses at Point E. Fxy Q Fxy (kN) 7

Shear stress at point E  xy  1.5 m
I zb
Fxy  3 kN A C B D x
A y  80  40  (56.7  20) 10
* 9
m  117.4 10
3 6
m 3 3 E
1 1 4
Fxy A1* y1
3  103  117.4 106
 xy  
Ib 10.5 106  b
3 103 117.4 106
  0.839 MPa A1 20 mm
10.5  106  (2  0.02) y1 y  56.7 mm
Q: What should the value of b be?
If aa is slightly above b  80 mm A2 A3
120  y
If aa is slightly below b  20  20 mm
A4
So 80 mm? or (20+20 mm)?
Answer: 20+20 mm

Note: Along section aa, b is taken as 40 mm (20+20 mm) as this will result in a higher shear
stress and is ‘safer’ from a design view point.

ME2112 (Part 1) L2 - 22

Bending stress at point E M xz

(kNm)
6
4.5

M xz  4.5 kNm
A E C B D x
My
 xx  
I 8
4.5  103  (56.7  40)  103

10.5  106
 7.16 MPa

A1 20 mm
y
 xx  7.16 MPa,  xy  0.839 MPa

A2 A3
0.839 MPa 120  y
A4
E 7.16 MPa
ME2112 (Part 1) L2 - 23

(b) Largest Stresses. Fxy (kN) 7

Maximum shear stress occurs at N.A.

A C B D x
Fmax  7 kN, 2  x  4 (m) 3 E
4

16.7
Qmax  A1* y1  2 A2* y2  80  40  (56.7  20)  2  20  16.7 
2
 (80  40  36.7  2  20  16.7  8.4)  109 m3
 123  106 m3
y  56.7 mm

Fmax Qmax
 max 
Ib 40 mm yt
7 103 123 106
  2.05 MPa
10.5 106  (2  0.02)

ME2112 (Part 1) L2 - 24

Question:
Is it okay if I calculate the value of Q
using the area below the neutral axis? A1 20 mm
y
16.7 mm
Answer: Yes
A2 A3
43.3 mm 120  y
Calculate the value of Q below the N.A.
A4
120  y  120  56.7  63.3  0.0633 m

Qmax  0.08  (0.0633)  (0.0633 / 2)  0.04  (0.0433)  (0.0433 / 2)

 123  106 m3 63.3/2 mm
43.3/2 mm 40 mm

FmaxQmax 7  103  123  106 63.3 mm 43.3 mm

 max    2.05 MPa
Ib 10.5  106  ( 2  0.02)
80 mm
ME2112 (Part 1) L2 - 25

For maximum bending stress,

M max  8 kNm at x  4 m

M max y
 max  
I
 8  103  ( 63.3)  103
 A1 20 mm
10.5  106 y1 y  56.7 mm
 48.2 MPa (compression)
A2 A3
M xz (kNm) 4m 120  y
Maximum y values: A4
6
4.5
56.7 mm or  63.3 mm
A E C B D x
Note:  xy (max) occurs at N.A.
 xx (max) occurs at bottom fibre 8
(at support B).

ME2112 (Part 1) L2 - 26

Shear Stress Distribution in Circular Cross Section Beams

Consider a cantilever beam of circular cross section of radius c supporting a concentrated load
P at free end. The shear force is constant Fxy   P . The shear stress distribution at line ab is
not parallel to y axis as shown Fig. (b) and cannot be determined by   FxyQ / I z b . However,
the max. shear stresses occur along N. A. and parallel to y axis.
c 4 c 2  4 c  2 c 3
Iz  , QA y *
 
4 2  3  3
FxyQ Fxy (2c 3 / 3) 4 Fxy 4 Fxy
b  2c   max     (3.3)
I zb ( c 4 / 4)(2c) 3 c 2 3A

2r

r 4
Ix  I y 
4
ME2112 (Part 1) L2 - 27

Shear Stress Distribution in Circular Cross Section Beams

Fxy A* y Fxy  * ydA

 xy   A Q   * ydA  A* y
bI z bI z A
y
b
first moment of shaded area about the z-axis *
A
2 2 dy
b b b
   y  c     c  y or  c2  y2
2 2 2 2
y y1 c
2
  2
  2 N.A.
z
 c4
b  2 c  y , dA  bdy  2 c  y dy,
2 2 2 2
Iz 
4

Fxy A* y Fxy c
 xy 
bI z

c 4  y1
2 y c 2  y 2 dy
2 c2  y 2
4 Q   * ydA
A
4 Fxy c
  y c  y dy 2 2

 c4 c2  y 2 y1

ME2112 (Part 1) L2 - 28

Shear Stress Distribution in Circular Cross Section Beams

y
4 Fxy c
 xy   c  y ydy b
2 2

c 4
c y
2 2 y1
A*

dy
4 Fxy c
 xy   c  y d (c  y )(1/ 2)
2 2 2 2
N.A. y y1 c
c 4
c y
2 2 y1
z
2 Fxy 2 3/2 c 1 n 1
(c  y )

2
 x dxn
 x
3/ 2 n 1
 c4 c2  y 2 y1

4 Fxy (c  y ) 2 2 3/2


1 4 Fxy (c 2  y12 )3/2 4 Fxy (c 2  y12 )
3 c 4 c 2  y 2 At y  y1  xy  
y  y1
3 c 4 c 2  y12 3 c 4

This is a parabolic distribution of shear stress having maximum stress at y1  0

4 Fxy 4 Fxy
 max  
y1  0
3 c 2 3A
ME2112 (Part 1) L2 - 29

Shear Stress Distribution in Hollow Circular Beams

 
A (c 2  b 2 )  (c  b)(c  b)
2 2

First moment Qx .

 c  c
Qx   ydA     sin  d d      2 sin  d  d
A 0 b 0 b
 
1  2 2
 (c 3  b3 )  sin  d  (c 3  b3 )  (c  b)(c 2  bc  b 2 ) 0
sin  d   cos  0
 (1  1)  2
3 0 3 3

y
Qx

 ydA  Q
A x

( 2 / 3)( c  b)( c 2  bc  b 2 ) 4 c 2  bc  b 2

A  dA A A
( / 2)( c  b)( c  b) 3 cb

ME2112 (Part 1) L2 - 30

2 3 3
Q ( c2  c1 ), b  2( c2  c1 ), A   ( c22  c12 ),
3

Iz  ( c24  c14 ) At centroid axis z of circular tube
4
FxyQ Fxy(2 / 3)(c23  c13)
max   b
Izb ( / 4)(c24  c14 )2(c2  c1)
Fxy(2 / 3)(c2  c1)(c22  c2c1  c12 ) 4Fxy c22  c2c1  c12
 
( / 4)(c22  c12 )(c22  c12 )2(c2  c1) 3A c22  c12

Hence, the maximum shear stress is given by

FxyQ 4 Fxy c22  c2c1  c12

 max   (3.4)
I zb 3A c22  c12 Hollow circular cross-section
ME2112 (Part 1) L2 - 31

Example 3.4

A simply supported beam of rectangular cross-section is subjected to a concentrated

load P =12 kN at its midspan as shown in Fig. (a). Calculate the principal stresses at
point A, B, C, D and E of the beam.