Area Moment of Inertia

The area moment of inertia of an object is a measure of the resistance that object gives to
bending. A beam with a larger moment of inertia will resist bending more than a beam
with a smaller area moment of inertia.
A 2 x 4 will have a greater resistance to bending if put on its side then if laid flat.
F
x

A 2 x 4 on edge has more area of the board, a greater distance from the x-axis and
therefore has a larger area moment of inertia.
The area moment of inertia is the summation of all the individual areas that make up the
object times the square of the distance each area is from an given axis.
In general the formula for the area moment of inertia for an object is:
Ix = Ay2
Iy = Ax2
The units of area moment of inertia are m4 , mm4 etc.
The above formula are the moment of inertia formula for objects in general. From these
formula, the specific moment of inertia formula are determined using calculus.
Different objects have different moment of inertia formula depending on the shape
and the axis to which the moment is been taken about.
Area moment of inertias for common areas are found in any statics textbook.

Eg) Determine the Area Moment of Inertias for the following two beams:

8mm

8mm

10mm
10mm
2mm

Beam 1

Beam 2

From Appendix C of the textbook, the moment of inertia about an x-axis through a
rectangles centroidal axis is:
I

1
3
bh
12

Note: b is always denoted as being the side parallel to the x-axis.

For Beam 1 the moment of inertia is :

I

1
10 83
12

I = 427mm4

For Beam 2, the moment of inertia is:

I for the entire rectangle subtract I for the cutout.

1
14123 - 1 10 83
12
12

I = 2016mm4 - 427mm4
I = 1589mm4
Notice that the volumes of the two beams are approximately the same, but because Beam
2 has a larger area moment of inertia it will resist bending more than Beam 1.

Eg) Determine

and

for the following area:

y

90cm

60cm

From Appendix C of the textbook, the Ix and Iy of a rectangle with the x and y axis
through its centroid are:
b
I x 12h

h
I b12

and

(60cm) (90cm)

(60cm) (90cm) 1.62x10 cm

12

3.65x106 cm4

12

It is logical that Ix is greater than Iy because a larger amount of the rectangular area lies
further from the x axis than the y axis. This causes the shape to have a greater resistance
to bending around the x axis and therefore a larger moment of inertia around that axis.

Eg) Calculate Ix and Iy for the following area:

y(mm)

150

x(mm)

The area is composed of two quarter circles. From appendix C the formulas for Ix and Iy
of a quarter circle is

and I y

16

(150mm)
16

9.940x107 mm4

For the half circle: (9.940x107mm4) x 2 = 1.99 x 108 mm4

Ix and Iy = 1.99 x 108 mm4

Eg) Calculate

for the following area:

y(mm)

60

25

x(mm)

60

For the circle:

I x 4r

(25mm)
4

3.068x105 mm4

For the rectangle:

b
I x 12h

Ix

(60 mm )( 60 mm )3
1.08 x10 6 mm 4
12

For the total area:

= 1.08 x 106mm4 - 3.068 x 105 mm4 = 7.73 x 105 mm4

Notice that area moment of inertia of the circle is subtracted from the area moment of
inertia of the rectangle because the circle is cutout.

Parallel Axis Thereom

The centroidal moment of inertia can be used to find the value of moments of inertia
about other parallel axes.

y
x

d
x

In the above example, we are asked to find the area moment of inertia about axis x.
Notice that the table in appendix C only provides the formula for I through a centroidal
axis( x ).
If we are interested in the moment of inertia about axis other than the centroidal axis x ,
the following formula is used:

I x Ad 2 and

I y Ad 2

where I x is the moment of inertia about the centroid , A is the area of the shape and d the
distance between the two axis. Note: the bar over the I is to differentiate the centroidal
moment of inertia with moment of inertia about another axis.

Eg) The following shape has a centroidal area moment of inertia of

= 600.0 cm4

and an area of 25.0cm2. Find the moment of inertia about an axis 10.0 cm to the left
of the y axis.

y
y

10 cm

I y Ad 2
= 600.0 cm4 + (25cm2 )(10cm)2
Iy = 3100 cm4

Eg) Determine the moments of inertia(Ix and Iy) for the following shape.
y

4cm

x
3 cm
The Appendix C table provides the I x and I y formulas for moments taken about the
centroidal axis. The first step is therefore to determine the location of the shapes
centroid and the shapes area.
d to x 2cm
d to y 1.5cm
A = (3cm)(4cm) = 12cm2
Ix

bh 3 (3cm)( 4cm) 3

16 cm 4
12
12

b 3 h (3cm) 3 (4cm)
Iy

9cm 4
12
12

I x I x Ad 2
I x 16 cm 4 (12 cm 2 )( 2cm) 2 64 cm 4

Ix = 64cm4

I y I y Ad 2
I y 9cm4 (12cm2 )(1.5cm) 2 36cm4

Eg) Determine Ix of the following semicircular area with respect to the x-axis.
4
I x for a semicircle is 0.11r . Note: Appendix C in the text gives

for a

quarter circle, which would be

for a half circle. Notice however that
this is not for the centroidal axis but an axis flush with the base of the
semicircle.
The centroid( x )of a semicircle is located at

4r
3

r =40mm

28mm
x

I x Ad 2

The moment of inertia for a semicircle about its centroidal axis is

I x 0.11(40mm)4

I x 281600mm4
The area of the semicircle is:
r 2
A
2
(40 mm ) 2
A
2513 mm 2
2
d is the distance between the centroidal axis( x )and the required axis(x)
d = 28mm +

4(40 mm )
44 .98 mm
3( )

I x Ad 2

I x 281600 mm 4 (2513 mm 2 )( 44 .98 mm ) 2

I x 5.37 x10 mm4

6

Eg) Determine the moment of inertia of the area with respect to the horizontal centroidal
axis.
6cm
1cm
1cm
6cm

1cm
8cm
Step 1:Divide the composite area into simpler areas.
Step 2: Locate the centroids of each simple area in relation to some chosen reference axis
6cm
1cm

C1

Area 1

1cm
C2

Area 2

6cm

7.5cm

C
4cm

1cm

C3

Area 3

Reference axis

8cm

0.5cm

Step 3: Locate the centroid of the composite area as the questions asks for I about the
centroidal axis.

Recall:
Y

A y
A
i

to find the y coordinate centroidal axis

Shape
1
2
3
Total

Y (cm)
7.5
4
0.5

Shape Area(cm2)
1cm x 6cm = 6cm2
1cm x 6cm = 6cm2
1cm x 8cm = 8cm2
A = 20cm2

Ay(cm3)
45cm3
24cm3
4cm3
Ay = 73cm3

73
3.65cm
20

Step 4:Apply the Ix formula for each simple area.

I x Ad 2

Where d is the distance from the centroid of each simple area to the centroid of the
composite area, A is the area of each simple area and I x is the centroidal moment of
inertia of each simple area.

For area 1:

Ix (

bh 3
) Ad 2
12

(6cm)(1cm) 3
2
2
I x ( 12 ) (6cm )(7.5cm 3.65cm)

89.4cm 4

For area 2:

(1cm)( 6cm) 3
(1cm)( 6cm)( 4.0cm 3.65 cm) 2
Ix
12

18.7cm 4

And for Area 3:

Ix

(8cm)(1cm) 3
(1cm)(8cm)( 0.5cm 3.65 cm) 2
12

I x 80.1cm4
The total moment of inertia for the composite body is the sum of the individual I values.
Ix = 89.4cm4 + 18.7cm4 + 80.1cm4 = 188cm4

6 Steps to Finding the Moment of inertia for a Composite Body:

1. Divide the composite area into simpler areas.
2. Locate the centroids of each simple area in relation to some chosen reference
axis.
3. Locate the centroid of the composite body using X

A x ,Y A y
A
A
i

4. Determine the Moment of Inertia( Ix) about the centroid for each simple area.
Refer to Appendix C for the appropriate formulas.
5. Using the Parallel Axis Theorem( I x I x Ad 2 ), find the Moment of Inertia
about the centroidal axis of the entire area.
6. Add the individual moments of inertia.

y(mm)
Eg) Determine I x and
I y for the following channel section:

15

300

x(mm)

15
12
92

Step 1 Divide the composite areas into simpler areas and Step 2 ,locate the centroids of
each simple area in relation
y(mm) to some chosen reference axis
Area 1

157.5

Area 2
x(mm)

157.5
Area 3
46

Step 3. Locate the centroid of the composite body using Y

A y
A
i

and X

Simple Area
1
2
3

Coordinates of centroid
Y
X
46
6
46

A y 0 0mm ,
A 6360
i

Area
92 x 15=1380
12x300=3600

1380
A=6360

A x 148560 23.36mm
A 6360
i

Step 4. Determine I x and I y for each simple area.

For areas 1 and 3:
bh 3 (92 )(15 ) 3
Ix

25875 mm 4
12
12
Iy

b 3 h (92 ) 3 (15 )

973360 mm 4
12
12

For area 2:
Ix

Ax
63480
21600
63480
Ax =148560

The centroidal x axis is 0mm from the reference axis

A x
A

bh 3 (12 )(300 ) 3

2.7 x10 7 mm 4
12
12

b 3 h (12 ) 3 (300 )
Iy

43200 mm 4
12
12

Step 5. Using the parallel axis theorem, determine Ix and Iy.

For areas 1 and 3:

I x I x Ad 2
I x 25875 mm 4 (1380 mm 2 )(157 .5mm ) 2 3.426 x10 7 mm 4

I y I y Ad 2
I y 973360mm4 (1380mm2 )(46 23.36) 2 1.681x106 mm4

For area 2:
I x 2.7 x10 7 mm 4

I y 43200mm4 (3600mm2 )(6 23.36) 2 1.128x106 mm4

Step 6 Add the moments of inertia

Ix = 2(3.426x107mm4) + 2.7x107mm4 = 9.55 x 107mm4
Iy = 2(1.681x106mm4) + 1.128x106mm4 = 4.49x106mm4

An alternate method to solving the above questions is to divide the area into the
following simpler areas:
Step 1 and Step 2
y(mm)

x(mm)

46
52

Area 1 is the large rectangle and Area 2 is the cutout.

Step 3 Locating the centroid

Simple Area
1
2

Centroid Coordinates
Y
X
0
46
0
52

A y 0 0mm
A 6369
i

A x 148560 23.36mm
A 6360
i

Area

Ay

Ax

330x92=30360
80x300=
-24,000

0
0

1396560
-1248000

A=6360

Ay =0

Ax =148560

Step 4. Determine I x and I y for each simple area.

For Area 1:
Ix

bh 3 (92 )(330 ) 3

2.755 x10 8 mm 4
12
12

b 3 h (92 ) 3 (330 )
Iy

21413920 mm 4
12
12

For area 2:
Ix

bh 3 (80 )(300 ) 3

1.8 x10 8 mm 4
12
12

Iy

b 3 h (80 ) 3 (300 )

1.28 x10 7 mm 4
12
12

Step 5. Using the parallel axis theorem, determine Ix and Iy.

Area 1
I x I x Ad 2
I x 2.755 x10 8 mm 4 (30360 mm 2 )( 0mm ) 2 2.755 x10 8 mm 4

I y I y Ad 2
I y 21413920mm4 (30360mm2 )(46mm 23.36mm) 2 3.698x107 mm4
Area 2
I x 1.8 x10 8 mm 4 (24 ,000 mm 2 )( 0mm ) 2 1.8 x10 8 mm 4

I y 1.28x107 mm4 (24,000mm2 )(52mm 23.36mm) 2 3.2486x107 mm4

For the composite area
I x 2.755 x10 8 mm 4 1.8 x10 8 mm 4 9.55 x10 7 mm 4

I y 3.698x107 mm4 3.2486x107 mm4 4.49x106 mm4

Radius of Gyration In structural engineering, the two-dimensional radius of gyration

is used to describe the distribution of cross sectional area in a beam around its centroidal
axis. If the area is concentrated far from the centroidal axis it will have a greater value of
k and a greater resistance to buckling. The radius of gyration is given by the following
formula:

kx

Ix
and
A

ky

Iy
A

Eg) Determine the radius of gyration about the x-axis of the following area:
60mm

kx

120mm

Ix
A

Ix for the rectangle is

bh 3 (60 mm )(120 mm ) 3

8.64 x10 6 mm 4
12
12

A = bh = (60mm)(120mm) = 7200mm2

kx

8.64 x106 mm 4
7200mm 2

k x 34 .6mm

Eg) Determine the radius of gyration about the centroidal x-axis of the following IBeam:

3
2

x(cm)

kx

Ix
A

Determining Ix for the composite area

Dividing the composite into simple areas and locating their x locations

Area 1

Area 2

5cm

5cm
Area 3

I x for areas 1 and 3

bh 3 (8cm)( 2cm) 3
Ix

5.333 cm 4
12
12

Ix for area 2

bh 3 (2cm)(8cm) 3
Ix

85 .33cm 4
12
12

Applying the Parallel axis theorem for areas 1 and 3

I x I x Ad 2
I x 5.333 cm 4 (8cm)( 2cm)(5cm) 2

Ix = 405.33 x 2 = 810.67cm4
Adding the Ix values to find Ix for the composite body
Ix = 810.67cm4 + 85.33cm4 = 896cm4

K=

896
48

K = 4.32 cm