Unit 3: Internal

Loadings

Unit 3a (Characteristics of
External Loading)
Introduction
• One of the most important applications of
statics, in the analysis of problems involving
mechanics of materials is to be able to
determine the internal resultant force developed
within the body, which are necessary to hold the
body together when the body is subjected to
external loads.
• Mathematically, this requires

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• This unit:
i. Determine the characteristics of external
forces.
ii. Develop a technique to analyze the resultant
internal forces within the body.
iii. Learn how to apply shear and moment
equations and plot the resultant forces.
iv. Know the relationship between distributed
load, shear and moment

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External Forces
• In reality, the structures under investigation
may be subjected to very complicated
loadings in a form of distribution.
• In this section, we are going to see how it is
possible to reduce a very complicated
external loading to a characteristics or
equivalent loading.

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Pressure Distribution Over a Flat Surface

• The external force is described by the load function p = p (x, y).

For an infinitesimal area, δA, the force is given by
δF = p(x, y) δA
• The resultant loading is therefore given by

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• This resultant force can be represented as shown below:

The location where FR acts on the surface can be evaluated using

the formulae

where ( x , y ) is the geometric center of the volume under the

distributed load.
Note: Observe that p(x, y) dA = dV, the infinitesimal volume of the p – A diagram.
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• Pressure distribution can be caused by wind,
fluid, weights of objects etc.
• The intensity of the pressure distribution is
measured in SI as N/m2.
• In Imperial System, it is measured in lb/ft2
(psf) or lb/in2 (psi). Sometimes, kips is used
for kilo-pound per sq. inch.

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• The following example shows a typical distributed
loading.

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Linear Distribution of Load Along a
Straight Line
Consider the loading
function shown. Here,

Because the pressure is

uniform along the y-axis.
We can write

which is the load per unit

length along the line y = 0.
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• The three-dimensional problem is now reduced to
a two-dimensional problem, as shown.
The resultant force is
calculated by

and the location x of the line

of action of FR is

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• The equivalent force is thus as shown.

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Example 3a-1 (Resultant force of distributed load):
Determine the magnitude and location of the resultant
of the distributed load shown.
a) Uniformly distributed load
FR 40 kN/m

10 m

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Example 3a-1 (Resultant force of distributed load) (continued):
b) Triangularly distributed load
FR

2m

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Example 3a-2 (Resultant force of trapezoidal load):
Determine the magnitude and resultant of the loading acting
on the beam.

100 kN/m

50 kN/m

9m

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Example 3a-2 (Resultant force of trapezoidal load) (continued):

Solution:
Divide the trapezoidal loading into rectangle and triangle loading.

50 kN/m

50 kN/m

9m
kN
kN;
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Example 3a-2 (Resultant force of trapezoidal load) (continued):
The equivalent position can be found as

m;

4.5 m

Vertical force equilibrium requires:

675kN

To find the equivalent point of action, we can take moment about

A, thus

m
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Example 3a-3 (Resultant force of a curve):

Determine the location and resultant force on the beam.

kN/m

kN/m
kN/m

10m

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Example 3a-3 (Resultant force of a curve) (continued):

FR = 52.222 kN
 2 2 17 
 xw( x )dx   15 15
x   x  x  4 dx
 220
x L
 
 2 2 17 
10
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 w( x )dx 0  15 15
 x  x  4 dx

L

x  4.681 m

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Example 3a-4 (Resultant force of a pressure over constant width):

Determine the magnitude and location of the resultant

force.

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Example 3a-4 (Resultant force of a pressure over constant width)
(continued):
Solution:

Even though the loading is 3D, the distribution is only a function

of x. Thus

The magnitude of the resultant force

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Example 3a-4 (Resultant force of a pressure over constant width)
(continued):

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 Internal Forces
• Consider an arbitrary body • If we make an imaginary cut
subjected to the external through the body, we can see that
forces as shown in Fig. A. there is a distribution of internal
force acting on the ‘exposed’
area; as shown in Fig. B.

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• These forces represent the effect of the material of the
top part of the body acting on the adjacent material of
the bottom part.
• Although the exact distribution is unknown, we can
use statics to determine the resultant internal force (FR)
and moment (MR) and at any arbitrary point.

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• In fact, these resultant forces, FR and MR, can be resolved into
four components each; as shown in figure below, where
N – Normal force (parallel to longitudinal axis, z-axis;
perpendicular to x-y plane)
V – Shear force (force in x-y plane)
T – Torsional moment (Twist about longitudinal axis, z-axis)
M – Bending moment
(moment about x-axis or y
axis)

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• For analysis of two dimensional bodies, it is
sufficient to consider the normal force, shear force
and bending moment, i.e. three components only.

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Example 3a-5 (Internal Forces):

Determine the resultant internal loadings acting on the

cross section at C of the machine shaft shown. The shaft
is supported by bearings at A and B, which exert only
vertical forces on the shaft.

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Example 3a-5 (Internal Forces) (continued):
Solution:
First we need to obtain the reaction at the supports.

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Example 3a-5 (Internal Forces) (continued):

In order to analyze the resultant internal loading at C, we section

the beam at C.

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Example 3a-6 (Internal Forces) :
Determine the resultant internal loadings acting on the cross-
section at G of the beam shown. Assume the joints at A, B, C, D
and E are pin-connected.

3m

1500N

300 N/m

2m 2m 6m

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Example 3a-6 (Internal Forces) (continued):

6200N

3m

6200N

2400N
1500N

6m ⅔ (6m) = 4m

½(6m)(300 N/m) = 900 N

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Example 3a-6 (Internal Forces) (continued):

6200N
6200N

But we cannot solve Cy and Ey. To proceed, if we look at beam AE,

it is seen that Ey ≠ 0 due to the horizontal external force. The
member BC is a two-force member and therefore Cy = 0. Thus we
have Ey = 2400. 31
Example 3a-6 (Internal Forces) (continued):
Next, we proceed to analyze joint B.

6200N

7750N
4650N

7750N

4650N
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Example 3a-6 (Internal Forces) (continued):

Finally we analyze segment AG

7750N

-6200N

3150N
1500N

6300 Nm

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