Sheet 4

(Stresses in Beams)
1. Determine the minimum height h of the beam shown in the figure if the flexural stress is not to exceed 20 MPa.
[137 mm]

2. A rectangular steel beam, 2 in wide by 3 in deep, is loaded as shown in the figure. Determine the magnitude and
the location of the maximum flexural stress. [11400 psi, 3 ft from right]

3. The wide-flange beam shown is made of a high-strength, low-alloy steel for which  all =150 MPa. Determine
the largest couple that can be applied to the beam when it is bent about the z axis. Neglect the effects of fillets. [243
kN-m]

4. Find the maximum tensile and compressive flexure stresses and their locations for the cantilever beam shown in
the figure. Take INA=100 × 106 mm4. [comp. stress=24 MPa at fixed end, ten. Stress=25 MPa at 2.5 m from the
free end]
5. Determine the maximum tensile and compressive bending stresses developed in the beam as shown in the figure.
[comp. stress=1800 psi at 12ft from left, ten. Stress=3600 psi 6ft from left]

6. Determine the maximum tensile and compressive stresses developed in the overhanging beam shown in the
figure. [4800 psi, 9600 psi]

7. Consider a beam having an I-type cross section as shown in the figure. A shearing force V of 150 kN acts over
the section. Determine the maximum and minimum values of the shearing stress in the vertical web of the section.
[42.4 MPa, 36.2 MPa]

8. The simply supported beam of length 10 ft and cross section 4 in. x 8 in. carries a uniform load of 200 lb/ft.
Neglecting the weight of the beam, find (a) the maximum normal stress in the beam, (b) the maximum shearing
stress in the beam, and (c) the shearing stress at a point 2 ft from the left support and 1 in. below the top surface of
the beam.[(a) 705 lb/in2, (b) 47 lb/in2, (c) 12.3 lb/in2]

9. A simply supported timber beam of rectangular cross section carries a single concentrated load P at its midpoint.
(a) Show that the ratio  m /  m of the maximum values of the shearing and normal stresses in the beam is equal to
h/2L, where h and L are, respectively, the depth and the length of the beam. (b) Determine the depth h and width b
of the beam, knowing that L=2m, P=40 kN,  m =960kPa and  m =12 Mpa] [320 mm, 97.7 mm]
10. For the timber beam and loading shown, determine the minimum required width b, knowing that for the grade
of timber used  all =12 MPa and  all =825 kPa.

11. An I-section of a beam has the following dimensions: flanges- 10 cm × 1 cm and web- 12 cm × 1 cm. If this
section is subjected to a bending moment of 5 kN-m and a shearing force of 5 kN, find out the maximum tensile
stress and maximum shearing stress induced in it. [35.33 MPa, 4.189 MPa]

12. Prove that the maximum shear stress developed at the neutral axis of a beam with circular cross section is (4/3)
times the average shear stress.

13. A beam 5.4 m long is simply supported with a span of 3.6 m and an overhang at one end of 1.8 m. The beam
carries a uniformly distributed load of intensity 3 kg/cm over its entire length. The rectangular cross-section is 15
cm wide by 30 cm deep. Calculate the maximum shear stress in the beam. [2.25 kg/cm2]

14. A wood beam 1.8 m long is simply supported at its ends, has a cross-section 15 cm wide by 60 cm deep and
carries a uniformly distributed load of intensity w=8000 kg/m over the full span. Calculate the bending stress at a
point 20 cm above the bottom of the beam and 60 cm from the left support. [10.7 kg/cm2]

15. A simply supported beam with overhang is loaded as shown in the figure. The beam is made of cast iron and
has a T-section the flange of which is 10 cm wide and the stem of which is 7.5 cm deep. Flange and stem are each
2.5 cm thick. Find the safe value of the load P if the allowable working stresses for cast iron are 420 kg/cm2 in
tension and 700 kg/cm2 in compression. [432 kg]

16. A simply supported cast iron beam is to have the inverted T-section shown in the figure. If the allowable stresses
for cast iron in tension and compression are 280 kg/cm2 and 560 kg/cm2, calculate the proper stem thickness t of
the section. [3 cm]