Experiment 2: Shear Force and Bending Moment

Objective:
1. To determine the bending moment and shear force at any section
2. To establish relationship between bending moment and shear force at any section.
Introduction:
Shearing forces are unaligned forces pushing one part of a body in one direction, and
another part the body in the opposite direction. When the forces are aligned into each other, they
are called compression forces. A bending moment exists in a structural element when a moment
is applied to the element so that the element bends. Moments and torques are measured as a force
multiplied by a distance so they have as unit newton-meters (Nm).
This experiment was conducted to figure out the relationship between shear force and
bending moment. Two separating equal loads were applied on the equal length of the beam from
the end to find out the difference of shear force and bending moment.
Apparatus and Materials
1. Shear forces apparatus :- 1 set of 80mm x 50mm x 38mm aluminium section with 2
adjustable span support.
2. 1 unit of shear force dynamometer.
3. 2 sets of weight hangers.
4. 1 set of weights.
5. 2m measuring tape.
Procedure:
Shear force and bending moment experiment for concentrated load.
1. Two edge supports were set up on the base of the structural test frame at a distance of
800mm from edge to edge.
2. The shear force apparatus were placed in the supports.
3. The beam was aligned by adjusting the screws.
4. The weight hanger was placed in the centre of the beam.
5. The screws were adjusted to repeat the horizontal alignment.
6. The force and bending moment dynamometer were zeroed.
7. The weights were placed as given in the table from manual and the bending moment was
noted.
8. Horizontal alignment was carried out and the dynamometer was zeroed when placing
each weight.
9. The percentage error for each set of the reading was calculated.

Shear force and bending moment experiment for symmetrical load.

The 2 edge supports were set up on the base of the structural test frame at a distance of
800mm from edge to edge.
10. The shear force apparatus were placed on the support.
11. The beam was aligned horizontally by adjusting the screws.
12. The weight hangers were placed at a distance of 100mm from the supports.
13. The screws were adjusted to repeat horizontal beam alignment.
14. The shear force and bending moment were zeroed.
15. The weights were placed as given in the table from manual and the shear force and
bending moment values were noted.
16. The horizontal beam alignment was carried out and the dynamometers were zeroed when
placing each weight.
17. The percentage error for each set of reading was calculated.
Results:
Case 1: Load at midspan
Weight
(g)

Force
(N)

Shear Force
experiment

Shear Force
calculation

%
error

500
1000
1500
2000

2.453
4.905
7.358
9.810

0
0
0
0

2.453
4.905
7.358
9.810

100
100
100
100

Bending
moment
calculation
0.613
1.226
1.839
2.453

Bending
moment
experiment
0.651
1.169
1.722
2.252

%
error

Bending
moment
experiment
0.336

%
error

6.12
4.66
6.39
8.16

Case 2: Symmetrical load

Weight
(g)

Force
(N)

Shear Force
experiment

Shear Force
calculation

%
error

500

4.905

100

Bending
moment
calculation
0.441

1000

9.810

100

0.883

0.745

1500

14.71
5
19.62
0

100

1.324

1.121

100

1.766

1.504

2000

23.7
8
15.6
1
15.3
5
14.8
3

Case 3: Non-Symmetrical load (a > x)

Weight
(g)

Force
(N)

Shear Force
experiment

Shear Force
calculation

%
error

500

1.514

1.514

100

Bending
moment
calculation
0.378

Bending
moment
experiment
0.175

1000

3.028

3.028

100

0.757

0.338

1500

4.542

4.542

100

1.135

0.537

2000

6.056

6.056

100

1.514

0.721

%
error
53.7
3
55.3
2
52.6
7
52.3
7

Case 4: Non-Symmetrical load (a < x)

Weigh
t (g)

Force
(N)

Reactio
n (N)

500

4.905

1000
1500
2000

Shear
Force
calculatio
n
-0.606

%
erro
r

4.299

Shear
Force
experimen
t
0

9.810

8.599

14.71
5
19.62
0

12.898
17.198

Sample calculation:
Case 1, weight 500g:
Load at middle,
500 g 9.8

1 kg
=4.905 N
1000 g

To find load at end of the span,

100

Bending
moment
calculatio
n
0.339

Bending
moment
experimen
t
0.271

-1.211

100

0.678

0.548

-1.817

100

1.017

0.860

-2.422

100

1.356

1.167

%
error

20.0
1
19.2
5
15.4
6
13.9
4

4.905 N
=2.453 N
2
To calculate bending moment,
2.453 N 250 mm

1m
=0.613 Nm
1000 mm

Discussion

Example Graph for 1500N load

2
1.8
1.6
1.4
1.2
Bending Moment

1
0.8
0.6
0.4
0.2
0
1

Case

The graph above will help me explain the experiment better. For case 3 and 4, the value for the
calculation value was used because of the large percentage of error. Based on the above graph,
we can observe that the bending moment is the highest when the load is at midspan and lowest
when the load was placed non-symmetrically. For case 1, the load was placed at the middle of
the widthspan. So the distance from the load from the reference point was further compared
when the load was placed non-symmetrically. Thus, the bending moment for case 4 is lower. The
graph shows that the beam in Case 1 has a higher tendency to topple over than Case 4. For shear
force, the equipment that's supposed to be used to measure the shear force was not working.
Therefore, the percentage of error is 100% because we couldn't do the experiment. Basically,

shear force is the force required to sheer the object directly without the object bending. It's
similar to the object just snapping off. There are some error that may cause the difference in
reading between the experimental value and the calculated value for both shear force and
bending moment. The load is disturbed while applying force. Therefore, the force will become
not accurate. Besides, the mass of the hanger also increase the force of the load. The mass of the
hanger is not calculated. The beam is not stable when measuring the shear force. The beam is
shaking during the experiment. The reading of shear force dynamometer is kept on changing.
Accurate reading is hardly taken. Screwing or unscrewing the beam has affected the balance
level.

Conclusion
In conclusion, the bending moment is influenced by distance and that is why the bending
moment in Case one the highest and bending moment in Case 4 is the lowest. For shear force, no
conclusion can be made as the experiment was not carried out.