4-2.

Second Moment of Iinertia and Ssection mModulus

In the preceding section, we defined the first moment as

= dA y S
(4.1.1)
where y is the distance between an infinitesimal section dA and the neutral axis as shown in (Fig. 4-
2-1). In this section, we wishall define the second moment (or the moment of inertia) b replacing y
with y
2
! in "#. 4.1.1!

= dA y I
2
(4.2.1)
aa
y
dy
y y
h
b
y
y
max
(a)Rectangle (b)H(vertical) (c)H(horizontal) (d)General shape
dA dy
dA
dy
dy dA dA
Fig. 4-2-1 $arious sections and infinitesimal segments
In %ection 2-4&, we learned that the bending moment is the integral of the axial force of the
infinitesimal section, .dA, multiplied b the distance from the neutral axis, y!

M=ydA
(2.4&.')
(his e#uation applies to all )inds of sections. In %ection 2-4*, we learned that the stress is
proportional to the cur+ature, , and the distance from the neutral axis, y, as expressed in "#. 2.&*.'.

=Ey
(2.&*.')
%ubstituting this into "#. (2.&4.'),
'

M=Ey
2
dA

=EI
(4.2.2)
(hus, the moment of inertia plas an important role relating the bending moment to the cur+ature
(cur+ature is a measure of how or at what rate the beam bends). For a the rectangular section in Fig.
4-2-1a, dA , b.dy and


= = =
2 -
2 -
'
2 2
12
h
h
bh
dy b y dA y I (4.2.')
as we learned in %ection 2-&*.
Figure 4-2-2 shows the initial window of the software, ./01-I. 1s was stated earlier, each s#uare
measures 12 x 12 mm. (he digits in the right-hand column show the contribution of each row to the
moment of inertia.! Ffor example, the contribution of the uppermost row is
4 '
22
12
2
mm 12 32 '2 = =

dy y I
as indicated listed in the column of numbers that appear in Fig.4.2.2. If we are interested in
obtaining an approximate and simpl arithmeticnumerical 456 +alue, we can state the contribution of
these three s#uares to the moment of inertia as
( )
4 ' 2 2
mm 12 & . *3 12 '2 1& = = dA y I
where
y
is the distance from the neutral axis to the centroid of these s#uares. (he total moment of
inertia is shown at the bottom of the column (I , 32 7 12 7 12 7 32 , 1*2 x 12
'
mm
4
).
4
Fig. 4-2-2 8indow of ./01-I
9ress :trl 7 ; )e three times to create four windows. In these windows, draw the four sections
shown in Fig. 4-2-'. 1ll the sections ha+e the same area, A , 2222 mm
2
, but +er different moments
of inertia, I, ranging from <2 to 1<23 x 12
'
mm
4
. (he large differences are caused primaril b the
different contributions of the extreme rows ( dA y I
2
in Fig. 4-2-').! For the section in Fig. 4-2-
'a the a+erage distance to the extreme rows is as small as
mm 1& = y
, whereas but for the section
in Fig. 4-2-'d the a+erage distance is as large as
mm '& = y
. For the section of Fig. 4-2-'c, the
a+erage distance to the extreme rows (or s#uares) is large but the area dA is small. (he expression
EI M - =
indicates that the beam with the section in Fig. 4-2-'d will ha+e a smaller cur+ature and,
therefore, smaller deflection for a gi+en load o+er a gi+en span than the other sections.
Fig. 4-2-' =oment of inertia (unit! 12
'
mm
4
)
%ubstituting
EI M - =
into

=Ey
,
&
M
I
y
= (4.2.4)
9ress the >bending stress? button in the windows showing the sections in Fig. 4-2-' and obtain the
stress distributions shown in Fig. 4-2-4. ;ote that the stresses +ar linearl with the distance from
the neutral axis, y. If we define the distance between the edge of the section and the neutral axis y
max
as shown in Fig. 4-2-4, the maximum stress in the section max
is
M
I
y
max
max
= (4.2.&)
If the beam is made of brittle material with a strength f
, it will fail at a bending moment of
f f
y
I
M
max
=
(4.2.*)
8e call the coefficient
max
y
I
Z =
(4.2.3)
the >section modulus.? In ./01-I, Z is indicated at the bottom of the window. (he section modulus
of a rectangle is
* 2 12
2 '
max
bh h bh
y
I
Z = = =
(4.2.@)
as we learned in %ection 2-4&. ;ow, we can rewrite "#. (4.2.*) as
f f
Z M =
(4.2.<)
In other words, the strength of a beam is proportional to the section modulus. Aecause the section
modulus of the section in Fig. 4-2-4d is much larger than that of the section in Fig. 4-2-4c, I-shaped
section should be in the +ertical direction if it is used as a beam.
*
Fig. 4-2-4 %tress distribution
------------------(echnical terms! flanges and web-------------------
Figure & shows the tpical section of a steel I-beam. %:i+il 4structural56 engineers call the strips in
the top and bottom >flanges? and the +ertical plate a >web, ? which ma loo) li)e the s)in (web) that
Boins the toes of swans. Flanges are tpicall thic)er than web as shown in the figure to resist
bending moment effecti+el.
Fig. 4-2-& %teel I-beam
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Example 4-2-21! :alculate the section modulus of the section
shown in Fig. 4-2-*.
3
aa
a
3a
3a
a
a 2a 2a
X X
Fig. 4-2-*
Solution! First, we e+aluate the moment of inertia as the total of three parts (top, middle and
bottom)!
4 4 4 4
'
4
2
'
'
2
4
'
2
2
'
424
'
1@&
'
&4
'
1@&
& &
a a a a
dy a y dy a y dy a y
dA y I
a
a
a
a
a
a
= + + =
+ + =
=

;oting y
max
, 4a, we ha+e
'
12*
4
'
424
'
4
max
a
a
a
y
I
Z = = =
Aecause the section considered is smmetrical about its neutral axis, we can shorten the calculation
process b partitioning the section as shown in Fig. 4-2-3! a rectangular section of @a x &a minus
two sections of *a x 2a. Cecalling 12 -
'
bh I = for rectangular section, we obtain the same result.
( ) ( ) ( ) ( )
4 4 4
' '
'
424
'
21*
'
*42
12
* 2
2
12
@ &
a a a
a a a a
I = =

= ! /D
Eowe+er, we should not use this techni#ue for calculating the section modulus, because y
max
of the
outer rectangle (4a) is different from that of the inner ones ('a).
( ) ( ) ( ) ( )
' ' ' '
2 2
'
12*
'
@@
'
32
'
1*2
*
* 2
2
*
@ &
a a a a
a a a a
Z < = =

= ! NGF
Fig. 4-2-3 9artitioning of the section (not for section modulus)
@
;or can we use this short-cut for calculating the moment of inertia of a section not smmetrical
about the horiGontal axis (Fig. 4-2-@), because the neutral axes of the partitioned sections are
different from each other. (his techni#ue is onl +alid onl for the moment of inertia of a section
smmetrical about the bending horiGontal axis. 4= tendenc Hand failureIas a purist ma)es me
thin) it is not the horiGontal axis. 8hat ou sa would be correct if ou turn thr section b <2 deg.
%hould we call it the axis x or the bending axis56 (he correct moment of inertia of the section in
Fig. 4-2-@ is
4 4 4
& . 2
& . 2
2
& . 2
& . 1
2
& . @ 2& . & 2& . ' ' a a a dy a y dy a y I
a
a
a
a
= + = + =

If ou use the short-cut, ou will get an incorrect answer.

( ) ( ) ( ) ( )
4 4 4 4
' '
& . @ & . 11 & . 4 1*
12
'
2
12
4 '
a a a a
a a a a
I > = =

= ! NGF
Fig. 4-2-@ ;e+er do this because neutral axes are different
4(oshi! I remembered what this section is usuall called! 1n in+erted (-section. 8e should correct it
in 4-16
Example 4-2-12! :alculate the moment of inertia and the section modulus of a triangular
section (Fig. 4-2-<).
<
Fig. 4-2-< (riangular section
Solution! :onsider an infinitesimal slice of thic)ness of dy and width of f(y) as shown in Fig. 4-2-<.
(he dimension f(y) can be expressed as
b h y f y h ! ) ( !
'
2
=

or
b
h
y
y f

=
'
2
) (
Aecause the area of the slice is f(y) dy, we ha+e
'* '
2
'
' - 2
' -
2 2
bh
dy b
h
y
y dA y I
h
h
=

= =


(4.2.12)
;oting y
max
, 2h-', we obtain
24 ' - 2
'*
2
'
max
bh
h
bh
y
I
Z = = =
(4.2.11)
Aoth the moment of inertia and the section modulus for the triangular section are smaller than those
of rectangular section of b x h. (hat does not surprise us.
Example 4-2-3! :alculate the moment of inertia of a circular section with a radius of R.
Solution! 8e define the angle between the neutral axis and the edge 4circumference56edge of the
slice, , as shown in Fig. 4-2-12a. (he width of the slice dA is+aries as
cos 2 ) ( R y f =
Figure 4-2-12b shows the segment defined b d. ;oting that d is so small that the arc length R d
12
approximates the chord length, we obtain Fig. 4-2-12c that shows the in5 detail illustrating how we
express dy in terms of R d and cos as follows.
cos = d R dy
(he area of the slice in Fig. 4-2-12(a) is
d R dy y f dA = =
2 2
cos 2 ) (
;oting that
sin =R y
as shown in Fig. 4-2-12a, the moment of inertia, I, is
( )
4
4 cos 1
4
2 sin
2
cos sin 2
4
2 -
2 -
4
2 -
2 -
2
4
2 -
2 -
2 2 4 2
R
d
R
d
R
d R dA y I

= = =
= =

(4.2.12)
Fig. 4-2-12 :ircular section
Jet us compare the result abo+e with that of a s#uare section ha+ing the same area, i.e.
2 2
R h =
where h denotes the side dimension of the s#uare. %ubstituting the abo+e e#uation into "#. 4.2.12
&* . 12 4 4
4 4 4
h h R
I = =

showing that the moment of inertia of a circular section is similar to that of the s#uare section (
12 -
4
h I = ) ha+ing the same area.
Example 4-2-4! Auilding columns or bridge piers are ma be subBected to bending moment both
11
in x- and y-directions b earth#ua)e or storm effects. 1ssume that the tube section of Fig. 4-2-11a is
subBected to the bending moments of
;.mm 12 &2
*
= =
y x
M M
and compute the maximum stress
in the section
1
. (his tpe of column is often used in bridges.
Fig. 4-2-11 (ube section 555555
Solution! (he moment of inertia around the x-axis is obtained b subtracting the moment of
inertiathat of the inner rectangle (422 x &22) from that of the outer one (&22 x *22)!
4 @
' '
mm 12 ' . 4@
12
&22 422
12
*22 &22
=

=
x
I
(he corresponding section modulus is
' *
@
max
mm 12 1 . 1*
'22
12 ' . 4@
=

= =
y
I
Z
x
x
(he maximum stress caused b the bending moment of ;.mm 12 &2
*
=
x
M is
2
*
*
;-mm 11 . '
12 1 . 1*
12 &2
=

= =
x
x
x
Z
M

1
(his is e#ui+alent to a bending moment of ;.mm 12 2 &2
*
= M around about the inclined axis
shown in Fig. 4-2-11b. %ee Fig. 4-2-11c, which shows showing the +ector summation of M
x
and M
y
.
1s we learned in :hapter 2, the bending moment itself is not a +ector. Aut if we cut the member and
consider the forces at the cut, we can treat the moment acting on the cutit as a +ector. 0ou will
remember that we did that for as we can do for axial forces.
12
(he stress distribution is shown in Fig. 4-2-12a.
Fig. 4-2-12 %tress distribution
(he moment of inertia around the -axis is
4 @
' '
mm 12 @ . '&
12
422 &22
12
&22 *22
=

=
y
I
I
y
is smaller than I
x
because of the smaller height (h , *22 mm). (he corresponding section modulus
is
' *
@
max
mm 12 ' . 14
2&2
12 @ . '&
=

= =
y
I
Z
y
y
(he maximum stress caused b the bending moment of
;.mm 12 &2
*
=
y
M
is
2
*
*
;-mm &2 . '
12 ' . 14
12 &2
=

= =
y
y
y
Z
M

(he stress distribution is shown in Fig. 4-2-12(b).

(he stress caused b the simultaneous bending moments of
;.mm 12 &2
*
= =
y x
M M
is shown in
Fig. 4-2-12c. (he maximum stress is
2
;-mm *1 . * &2 . ' 11 . ' = + = + =
y x

and occurs at corners where the moment M
x
and M
y
cause stresses of the same sense (tension or
compression).
1'
Design the best beam section !o" about #Determine the optimum
proportions for an I-section resitingresisting moment$%&! 8e would li)ewish to
design a beam section that can resist the a bending moment of 7&2 x 12
'
;-mm (using ./01-I)
with the limitation that the neither its height nor its and the width should not exceed @2 mm. ;ote
that the positi+e sign of the bending moment indicates that the bottom fiber will be in tension.
1ssume that we can use a material with a compressi+e strength of 2 ;-mm
2
and a tensile strength of
1 ;-mm
2
. Kesign the section so that the area (the number of s#uares) is minimiGed. (he section
should be continuous as shown in Fig. 4-2-1'a, and should not be discontinuous as shown in Fig. 4-
2-1'b. It is difficult to find the best solution directl. Ko it b trial and error.
Fig. 4-2-1' "xamples
14