Local equilibrium (biaxial state of stress)

dx
dy
dz
x
y
z
xx

xx
xx
dx
x

yy

yy
yy
dy
y

xy

xy
xy
dx
x

yx

yx
yx
dy
y

0
0
x
xx
xx xx
yx
yx yx
F
dx dydz dydz
dx
dy dxdz dxdz
y

=
(
| |
+
| (
\ .

(
| |
+ + =
( |

\ .

0
yx
xx
x y

+ =

similarly
0
y
F =

0
xy yy
x y

+ =

Equations of equilibrium
(2-D stresses)
0
0
yx
xx
yx yy
x y
x y

+ =


+ =

General 3-D Equations
of equilibrium (with
body forces)
0
0
0
yx
xx zx
x
xy yy zy
y
yz
xz zz
z
f
x y z
f
x y z
f
x y z

+ + + =


+ + + =

+ + + =

Stresses from axial loading of a bar through the centroid
of the cross sectional area
P
P
A
x
constant
xx
P
A
= =
all other stresses are zero
Equations of equilibrium are all satisfied (with zero body force)
0
0
0
yx
xx zx
xy yy zy
yz
xz zz
x y z
x y z
x y z

+ + =


+ + =

+ + =

Stresses from pure bending of a beam
M
M
x
y
z
xx
yy
M z
I

=
all other stresses are zero
Equations of equilibrium are all satisfied (with zero body force)
0
0
0
yx
xx zx
xy yy zy
yz
xz zz
x y z
x y z
x y z

+ + =


+ + =

+ + =

Stresses due to bending (engineering beam theory)
x
y
z
( )
xx
yy
M x z
I

=
all other stresses are neglected
( ) ( )
( )
xz
yy
V x Q z
I t z
=
0
0
0
yx
xx zx
xy yy zy
yz
xz zz
x y z
x y z
x y z

+ + =


+ + =

+ + =

Are the equilibrium
equations satisfied?
Consider the equilibrium equations for a rectangular beam where t(z) = t
= constant. Since there are no loads in the x and y directions it is
reasonable to assume that
yy
= 0,
xy
= 0,
yz
=0, but the third
equilibrium equation shows us that we cannot also set
zz
= 0 and still
satisfy that equilibrium equation
( ) ( ) ( )
( ) ( )
0 0
0 0 0 0
0 0
yy yy
zz
yy
M x z V x Q z
x I z I t
V x Q z
x I t z

( (


+ + =
( (

( (

+ + =
(

+ + =
(

(

The first equilibrium equation is satisfied since
( )
( )
dM x
V x
dx
=
and
( )
/ 2
0 0
h
z
dQ z
d
z tdz zt
dz dz
(
= =
(

t
z
h/2
From the third equilibrium equation
( )
2 2
2
2
3
/
8 2
6
4
zz
yy
dV dx h z
z I
q x
h
z
th
(
=
(

(
=
(

dx
( )
V x ( )
dV
V x dx
dx
+
( )
q x
( )
dV
q x
dx
=
( ) ( )
, / 2 /
zz
x z h q x t = =
Integrating, we find
( )
( )
2 3
3
6
,
4 3
zz
q x
h z z
x z C
th

(
= +
(

and using we find
3
12
h
C =
( )
( )
2 3 3
3
6
,
4 3 12
zz
q x
h z z h
x z
th

(
= +
(

force/length
( )
( )
2 3 3
3
6
,
4 3 12
zz
q x
h z z h
x z
th

(
= +
(

( )
( )
2
2
max max
max
6
zz
xx max
q L h
M L

| |
=
|
\ .
O(1) very small
for long,
slender
beams
0
-q(x)/t
z
h/2
-h/2
zz