MCM610S LABORATORY EXPERIMENT

SHEAR FORCE

OBJECTIVES

1. To observe and understand the action of a shear in a beam.

2. To measure the shear force at a normal section of a loaded beam and to check its agreement with theory.

INTRODUCTION

A length of material supported horizontally at two points in such a way that it will carry vertical loads is called a beam. The
loading perpendicular to the beams’ longitudinal axis causes bending and in most cases transverse shearing. The loads and
support reactions are the external forces acting on the beam and they must be in equilibrium. In order to study the strength
of a beam, it is necessary to know how these external forces affect it.
As the theory shows, the mathematical method is to assume the beam is cut into two parts by a transverse section and then
to examine the equilibrium of each part. To maintain equilibrium, it is evident that certain forces must be introduced at the
cut and when the cut is not there, these same forces exist internally in the material of the beam.
In this experiment a horizontal beam is cut into two parts (A) and (B) by a vertical cross section and is then held together
with springs which must produce a system of forces equivalent to those which would normally exist internally in the beam
at that section if it had not been cut. Since the forces in part (A) acting on part (B) must be equal and opposite to those in (B)
acting on (A), it follows that the same values will be obtained by working to the right or left of the section plane.

APPARATUS

The experiment beam is in two parts, the smaller left hand part being (A) and the larger right hand part being (B). At the
section normal to the beam axis where they join a pair of ball bearing rollers pinned in (B) runs on flat vertical tracks fixed
in (A). To develop the “internal” forces at the section an under slung tension spring and roller bearings resist the bending
moment, while an overhung spring balance provides the vertical shearing force.
As the spring balance can resist shear only in one direction it will be found that there must always be a net downward load
on (B). Nevertheless the design of the roller bearing prevents the beam from sliding more than a few mm up or down at the
normal section. Two end bearings on stands support the beam, and three stirrup shaped load hangers can be threaded onto
the two parts of the beam.
PROCEDURES

Pre-experiment procedure

1. Fix the beam supports permanently to provide a span of 900mm.

2. Make a pencil mark on the side of the beam 300mm from the face of the shear section to the left. This will be the support
position A, from which support position be will be 900mm to the right.
3. Make pencil marks on top of the beam at 100mm from the left-hand support (support A) and 400mm from the right
hand-support. Suspend two of the load hangers at these positions and set up the other hanger in the groove just to the
right of the shear section
4. The apparatus is now ready for part 1 of the experiment.

Part1

1. Position one load hanger 100mm from A, the second hanger in the groove just to the right of the shear section
C (310mm from A) and the third hanger 400mm from the right hand support B (500mm from A). Use the
tensioning adjustments on the under slung spring and the spring balance to align the two parts of the beam.
The spring balance reading should be recorded as the “no load” datum value.
2. Place a 10N weight on the third hanger 400mm from B and re-align the beam using the tensioning adjustments.
Read and note the spring balance force. The difference between this force and the datum value is the shear at
C due to the 10N load.
3. Repeat the procedure with 20N on the third hanger.
4. Remove the 20N load and place 10N on the second hanger. Re-align the beam and record the spring balance
force.
5. Finally transfer the 10N load to the first hanger and re-align the beam. Record the spring balance force, which
should be less than the datum thus showing the shear at C is negative.

Part 2

1. Unload the beam and move the third hanger to 300mm from B. Align the beam and note the new ‘no load’
datum value of the spring balance.
2. Place 5N on the first hanger and 12N on the third. Record the balancing shear force of the realigned beam in
the table such as below.
3. Now move the 2N weight from the third to the second hanger. Realign the beam and record the spring balance
force.
4. Finally replace the 2N with a 10N weight on the second hanger, realign the beam and record the balancing
force.

2
RESULTS

For each loading arrangement calculate the shearing force at the section, draw the shear force diagram and compare the
measured value with the theoretical value.
Part 1
(a)
Load on 3rd hanger 0 10 20
(400mm from B) (N)
Spring balance force
(N)
Shear force Qc (N)
(spring balance value-
datum value)
Theoretical shear force 0 4.44N
(N)

Ratio exp/theory

(b)
Load on second hanger (N) 0 10
(310mm from A)
Spring balance force (N)
Shear force Qc (N)
Theoretical Shear force Qc (N) 0
Ratio exp/theory

(c)
Load on first hanger (N) 0 10
(400mm from B)
Spring balance force (N)
Shear force Qc 0 -1.11N
Theoretical Qc
Ratio exp/theory

Part 2

(a)
Load (N) at position Balance force (N) Shear force Qc Shear force Qc
indicated exp (N) theory (N)
0 0 0
(a) 5 0 12 3.44
(b) 5 2 10
(c) 5 10 10

Experiment date: 06 February 2024

Report Due date: 13 February 2024 at 16h30 in LG39

Lecturer: Mr. F Kaitungwa

Lab Technician: Mr. V. Chaka