Shear Force and Bending

Moments – Part 2
Civil Structures
Uniformly Distributed Load (UDL)
• When constructing shear force and bending moment diagrams, the
engineer should also consider the self-weight of the beam.
• The weight of the beam is generally regarded as a uniformly
distributed load (must also have a uniform cross-sectional area.)
• A UDL can be represented by a load per unit length (N/m), as shown.
The UDL will have the effect of:
• Continually changing the shear force along the length of the beam.
• Continually changing the corresponding bending moment supplied by
the shear force.

Question : Based on the method used to construct the shear force and
bending moment diagrams, what shape is the curve to shear force and
bending moment for a UDL?
Developing shear force and bending moment
diagrams for UDL beams
If the beam was 10 m long, with a distributed load of 20 N/m, the total
load on the beam would be 200 N.

20 𝑁 ∕ 𝑚 × 10 𝑚 = 200 𝑁
The UDL can be replaced by a single force acting at the mid-point of
the beam.
Step 1 : Find the reactions

! 𝑀! ↺" = 0

0 = −5×200 + 10×𝑅#
10𝑅# = 1000
𝑅# = 100 𝑁 ↑

! 𝐹$ ↑" = 0

0 = 𝑅! − 200 + 100
𝑅! = 100 𝑁 ↑
Step 2 : Choose a number of points along the length of the beam and calculate the
shear force and bending moments at these points.

We will choose V = 1, W = 2, X = 5, Y = 6, Z = 9.

For V = 1 m. 𝑊𝑒𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡 𝐹𝑜𝑟𝑐𝑒 = 1𝑚 × 20 𝑁 ∕ 𝑚

= 20 𝑁 ↓

8 𝐹! ↑" = 0

0 = 100 − 20 − 𝑆!
𝑆! = 80 𝑁

8 𝑀! ↺" = 0

0 = −1×100 + 0.5×20 + 𝑀!
𝑀! = 90 𝑁𝑚
For W = 2 m. 𝑊𝑒𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡 𝐹𝑜𝑟𝑐𝑒 = 2 𝑚 × 20 𝑁 ∕ 𝑚
= 40 𝑁 ↓

4 𝐹! ↑"= 0

0 = 100 − 40 − 𝑆#
𝑆# = 60 𝑁

4 𝑀# ↺"= 0

0 = −2×100 + 1×40 + 𝑀#
𝑀# = 160 𝑁𝑚

For X = 5 m
𝑊𝑒𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡 𝐹𝑜𝑟𝑐𝑒 = 5 𝑚 × 20 𝑁 ∕ 𝑚
= 100 𝑁 ↓

4 𝐹$ ↑"= 0

0 = 100 − 100 − 𝑆$
𝑆$ = 0 𝑁

4 𝑀$ ↺"= 0

0 = −5×100 + 2.5×100 + 𝑀$
𝑀$ = 250 𝑁𝑚
For Y = 6 m. 𝑊𝑒𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡 𝐹𝑜𝑟𝑐𝑒 = 6 𝑚 × 20 𝑁 ∕ 𝑚
= 120 𝑁 ↓

4 𝐹% ↑"= 0

0 = 100 − 120 − 𝑆%
𝑆% = −20 𝑁

4 𝑀% ↺"= 0

0 = −6×100 + 3×120 + 𝑀%
𝑀% = 240 𝑁𝑚

For Z = 9 m
𝑊𝑒𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡 𝐹𝑜𝑟𝑐𝑒 = 9 𝑚 × 20 𝑁 ∕ 𝑚
= 180 𝑁 ↓

4 𝐹& ↑"= 0

0 = 100 − 180 − 𝑆&

𝑆& = −80 𝑁

4 𝑀& ↺"= 0

0 = −6×100 + 4.5×180 + 𝑀&

𝑀& = 90 𝑁𝑚
Consolidating the data

Location V=1 W=2 X=5 Y=6 Z=9

SF 80 60 0 -20 -80
BM 90 160 250 240 90

Now plot the values.

For a double supported beam with a UDL, SF

the maximum value of the bending moment

occurs where shear force equals zero.

BM
Example 2
A cantilever shelf in a book shop is loaded as shown. Determine the
shear force and bending moment diagrams.
Free body diagram
Free body diagram
There are 2 forces acting vertically down, therefore there must be a vertical
reaction of the wall.
Free body diagram
The 2 forces applied to the shelf will try to make it rotate with a clockwise moment.

These two forces form a clockwise moment.

Therefore there must be an anticlockwise moment at

the wall to keep the system in equilibrium.
Calculate the reactions in the system.

8 𝐹! ↑" = 0

0 = 𝑅# − 2 − 3.5
𝑅# = 5.5 𝑘𝑁 ↑

8 𝑀# ↺" = 0

0 = −0.2×2 − 0.3×3.5 + 𝑀#
𝑀# = 1.45 𝑘𝑁𝑚
Create the shear force diagram.
Cantilever Bending Moments
• We still find the area under each section of the curve.
• The bending moment diagram is always negative as the beam usually
has negative bending (a grumpy beam!)
• The areas are reversed and made negative.
• The maximum moment occurs at the wall in this case.
 Areas under the shear force diagram

At x = 0.3m, the bending moment = 0 kNm

𝐵𝑀G.J = 0 𝑘𝑁𝑚

At x = 0.2m, the bending moment = A1

𝐵𝑀G.H = −𝐴I
= −0.1×3.5
NOTE : The bending moment of a cantilever is always negative.
= −1.1 𝑘𝑁𝑚
Areas under the shear force diagram

𝐴I = 0.2×5.5 + 0.1×3.5
= 1.45 𝑘𝑁𝑚
Areas under the shear force diagram

At x = 0 m, the bending moment = -A1 - A2

𝐵𝑀G.H = −𝐴I − 𝐴H
= −0.1×3.5 − 0.2×5.5
= −1.45 𝑘𝑁𝑚
Shear force and Bending
Moment Diagram.