Chapter 10

Moments of Inertia
Area Moment of Inertia
 Definition of Moments of Inertia For Areas,
Radius of Gyration of An Area
Today’s Objectives:
Students will be able to: In-Class Activities:
a) Define the moments of inertia (MoI) • Check Homework, if any
for an area.
• Reading Quiz
b) Determine the MoI for an area by
integration. • Applications
• MoI: Concept and Definition
• MoI by Integration
• Concept Quiz
• Group Problem Solving
• Attention Quiz
Reading Quiz
1. The definition of the Moment of Inertia for an area involves an
integral of the form
A)  x dA. B)  x2 dA.
C)  x2 dm. D)  m dA.

2. Select the correct SI units for the Moment of Inertia for an

area.
A) m3
B) m4
C) kg·m2
D) kg·m3
 Moment of Inertia
Moment: it is the torque created by a force, so it is a
turning force and it is equal to:

Mo = F x d
What is Moment of Inertia ( MoI )?
 It is the moment required by a solid body to
overcome it’s resistance to rotation.
 It is resistance of bending moment of a beam
 It is the second moment of mass (mr2) or second m1
moment of area (ar2), it’s unit is ( m4 ) or ( kgm2 )
Moment of inertia :
 It is the mass property of a rigid body that determines the
torque needed for a desired angular acceleration about an axis m1 = m2
of rotation.
 Moment of inertia depends on the shape of the body and
may be different around different axes of rotation. m2
 A larger moment of inertia around a given axis requires
more torque to increase the rotation, or to stop the rotation of ( m1 ) has a larger ( MoI )
a body about that axis.
than ( m2 ), so it needs more
torque to rotate it.
4
Applications

Many structural members like beams and columns have cross

sectional shapes like an I, H, C, etc..
Why do they usually not have solid rectangular, square, or
circular cross sectional areas?
What primary property of these members influences design
decisions?
Applications (Continued)
Many structural members are made
of tubes rather than solid squares or
rounds.
Why?

This section of the book covers some

parameters of the cross sectional area
that influence the designer’s selection.
Do you know how to determine the
value of these parameters for a given
cross-sectional area?
10.1 Definition of Moments of Inertia for Areas

Consider a plate submerged in a liquid.

The pressure of a liquid at a distance y
below the surface is given by p =  y,
where  is the specific weight of the
liquid.

The force on the area dA at that point is dF = p dA.

The moment about the x-axis due to this force is y (dF).
The total moment is A y dF = A  y2 dA =  A( y2 dA).
This sort of integral term also appears in solid mechanics when
determining stresses and deflection.
This integral term is referred to as the moment of inertia of the
area of the plate about an axis.
10.1 Definition of Moments of Inertia for Areas
10cm 3cm

10cm 3cm P
10cm
1cm x
(A) (B) (C) R S
1cm

Consider three different possible cross-sectional shapes and areas for the
beam RS. All have the same total area and, assuming they are made of
same material, they will have the same mass per unit length.
For the given vertical loading P on the beam shown on the right,
which shape will develop less internal stress and deflection? Why?
The answer depends on the MoI of the beam about the x-axis. It turns
out that Section A has the highest MoI because most of the area is
farthest from the x axis. Hence, it has the least stress and deflection.
10.1 Definition of Moments of Inertia for Areas
For the differential area dA, shown in the
figure:
d Ix = y2 dA ,
d Iy = x2 dA , and,
d JO = r2 dA , where JO is the polar
moment of inertia about the pole O or z axis.
The moments of inertia for the entire area are obtained by
integration.
Ix = A y2 dA ; Iy = A x2 dA
JO = A r2 dA = A ( x2 + y2 ) dA = Ix + Iy
The MoI is also referred to as the second moment of an area and
has units of length to the fourth power (m4 or in4).
 MoI For an Area by Integration
For simplicity, the area element used has a
differential size in only one direction
(dx or dy). This results in a single integration
and is usually simpler than doing a double
integration with two differentials, i.e., dx·dy.

The step-by-step procedure is:

1. Choose the element dA: There are two choices: a vertical strip or
a horizontal strip. Some considerations about this choice are:

a) The element parallel to the axis about which the MoI is to be

determined usually results in an easier solution. For example,
we typically choose a horizontal strip for determining Ix and a
vertical strip for determining Iy.
 MoI FOR AN AREA BY INTEGRATION (continued)
b) If y is easily expressed in terms of x (e.g.,
y = x2 + 1), then choosing a vertical strip
with a differential element dx wide may
be advantageous.
2. Integrate to find the MoI. For example, given the element shown in
the figure above:
Iy =  x2 dA =  x2 y dx and
Ix =  d Ix =  (1 / 3) y3 dx (using the parallel axis theorem as
per Example 10.2 of the textbook).
Since the differential element is dx, y needs to be expressed in terms
of x and the integral limit must also be in terms of x. As you can see,
choosing the element and integrating can be challenging. It may
require a trial and error approach, plus experience.
EXAMPLE y
Given: The shaded area shown in a”
the figure.
Find: The MoI of the area about b”
the x- and y-axes.
x
Solution
Ix =  y2 dA y

dA = a. dy
b 2 a
Ix = 
0 y . a. dy dy
y
= [ a .y3/3]b0 = ab3/3 in4 x

Iy =  x2 dA y dx
dA = b. dx
x b
Iy = 0 x . b. adx
a2
x
= [ b .x3/3]0 = ba3/3 in4
 EXAMPLE
Given: The shaded area shown in the
figure.


Find: The MoI of the area about the
(x,y) x- and y-axes.
Plan: Follow the steps given earlier.

Solution:
Ix =  y2 dA
dA = (1 – x) dy = (1 – y3/2) dy
12
Ix = 0 y (1 – y3/2) dy
= [ (1/3) y3 – (2/9) y9/2 ] 01 = 0.111 m4
EXAMPLE (continued)

Iy =  x2 dA =  x2 y dx
=  x2 (x2/3) dx
 (x,y) 1
= 0  x8/3 dx
1
= [ (3/11) x 11/3
]0
= 0.273 m 4

In the above example, Ix can be also determined using a

vertical strip.
1

Then Ix =  (1/3) y3 dx = 0 (1/3) x2 dx = 1/9 = 0.111 m 4

CONCEPT QUIZ
1. A pipe is subjected to a bending
moment as shown. Which property M M
y
of the pipe will result in lower stress
(assuming a constant cross-sectional x
area)? Pipe section
A) Smaller Ix B) Smaller Iy
C) Larger Ix D) Larger Iy
y
2. In the figure to the right, what is the y=x3
differential moment of inertia of the
element with respect to the y-axis (dIy)? x,y
A) x2 y dx B) (1/12) x3 dy
C) y2 x dy D) (1/3) y dy x
GROUP PROBLEM SOLVING
Given: The shaded area shown.
Find: Ix and Iy of the area.
(x,y)
Plan: Follow the procedure
described earlier. 
y
dx
 GROUP PROBLEM SOLVING (continued)
Solution:
The moment of inertia of the rectangular differential element about the
x-axis is dIx = (1/3) y3 dx (see Case 2 in Example 10.2 in the textbook).
  1 3 1 h 3 3
dI x = ( 𝑦 ) dx=
3 3 𝑏 3 ( )
𝑥 dx
(x,y)
 

I x =∫ d I x

y
dx

  1 3
I x= 𝑏 h
30
 GROUP PROBLEM SOLVING (continued)
The moment of inertia about the y-axis
 
2
I y =∫ x dA (x,y)
 
where

y

  dx

  1 3
I y= 𝑏 h
6
 ATTENTION QUIZ
1. When determining the MoI of the
element in the figure, dIy equals
(x,y)
A) x 2 dy B) x 2 dx y2 = x
C) (1/3) y3 dx D) x 2.5 dx

2. Similarly, dIx equals

A) (1/3) x 1.5 dx B) y 2 dA
C) (1 /12) x 3 dy D) (1/3) x 3 dx
 Parallel-Axis Theorem for an
Area
If moment of inertia of an area about an
axis passing through its centroid is
known, then it will be convenient to
determine the moment of inertia about
any parallel axis by the parallel-axis
theorem.
 How to derive the theorem?
• find the moment of inertia of the area
about the axis
• Ix =  (y + dy)2 dA
• =  y2 dA + 2dy  y dA + d2y  dA
• The first integral is the moment of inertia
about the centroid axis Ix
• The second integral is zero since the x
axis passes through the area's centroid C y
y
•  y dA = y  dA = 0 (since y = 0) x dA
y
dx
• Ix = Ix + A d2y C
x

A
• Iy = Iy + A d2x d
dy
• Jo = Jc + A d2 O x
10.4 Moments of Inertia for Composite Areas
• The composite area is composed of areas with many simple
geometries
• The moment of inertia of composite areas can be found by the
sum of individual moment of inertia with sign (holes are negative)
Procedure for Analysis
Composite areas
• Divide a composite area into simple geometrical areas and locate
the centroids of each of the areas and find the moment of inertias
about each of their own centroids
Parallel Axis Theorem
• Apply the parallel axis theorem to calculate the moment of inertia
about the required axis
Summation
• Sum all of the moment of inertia, beware of signs
2
2
 Procedure for Analysis
1. Divide the area into simpler parts
2. Indicate the perpendicular distance from the centroid of
each part to the reference axis
3. Find moment of inertia of each part about its centroidal axis
4. Use parallel-axis theorem to find moments of inertia about
the reference axis (I = ¯I + A d2 )
5. Find moment of inertia of the entire area by summing
moments of inertia of all parts algebraically
6. If a composite body has a hole, then its moment of inertia is
found by subtracting the moment of inertia for the hole
from the moment of inertia of the entire part including the
hole.
Area Moment of Inertia of Common Shapes: Lecture 10

The following ( MoI ) is for common &

standard shapes that can be used to
determine the ( MoI ) for composite area:

24
 Example 10.4 ( composite area ): Lecture 10

Compute the moment of inertia of the composite area shown in

the figure.
Solution

25
Example 4 ( composite area ): Lecture 10

Determine the moments of inertia and the radius of

gyration of the shaded area with respect to the x and y
axes.
Solution

26
 Lecture 10
Continue Example 4 ( composite area ):

27
Problem 10–25.
Determine the moment of inertia of the composite area about the
x axis.
Problem: *10–32.: Determine the moment of inertia Ix of the
shaded area about the x axis.
Thus,
Problem 10-98: The pendulum consists of the 3-kg slender rod and
the 5-kg thin plate. Determine the location of the center of mass G of
the pendulum; then find the mass moment of inertia of the pendulum
about an axis perpendicular to the page and passing through G.