Lab 1 : Material lab

PROGRAM KEJURUTERAAN MEKANIKAL

FAKULTI INDUSTRI KEJURUTERAAN

LAB SHEET

EXPERIMENT 4: BENDING MOMENT

1. INTRODUCTION
A length of material supported horizontally at two points in such a way that it will carry
vertical loads is called a beam. The loading perpendicular to its longitudinal axis causes
bending and in most cases transverse shearing. In the simplest example the loads and
supporting reactions act in a vertical plane containing the longitudinal axis, and the beam
has a rectangular cross section.
The loads and support reactions are the external forces acting on the beam and they must
be in equilibrium. But in order to study the strength of the beam it is necessary to know
how these external forces affect it. As the theory appendix shows, the mathematical
method is to assume the beam is cut into two parts by transverse section and then to
examine the equilibrium of each part. To maintain equilibrium it is evident that certain
forces must be introduced at the cut, and when the cut is not there these same forces exist
internally in the material of the beam.
In this experiment a horizontal beam has been actually cut into two parts (A) and (B) by a
vertical cross section, and is then held together with springs (or spring balances) which
must produce a system of forces equivalent to whose which would normally exist
internally in the beam at that section if it had not been cut. Since the forces in part (A)

acting on part (B) must be equal and opposite to those in (B) acting on (A), it follows that
the same value will be obtained by working to the right or left of the section plane.
Given a horizontal beam with vertical loading the internal forces will be
1.
2.

for vertical equilibrium a shearing force in the section plane.

for equilibrium of moments a moment of resistance due to compression in
the top half of the beam section and tension in the bottom half.

In the experimental beam the second system of forces is replaced by compression at a

hinge in the beam and tension in the underslung spring balance. The vertical restraint is
provided by the half housing at the end of part (A) which fits on the ball bearings pinned
to the mating end of part (B).
2. APPARATUS

The experimental beam is in two parts, the smaller left hand part being (A) and the
larger right hand part being (B). At the section normal to the beam axis where they
join a pair of ball bearings pinned in (B) fits in half housings fixed in (A) thus
forming a frictionless hinge. A moment of resistance about the hinge is provided
by an underslung spring balance which acts at a lever arm of 150 mm.

Two end bearings on stands support the beam, and several stirrup shaped load
hangers can be threaded onto the two parts of the beam.

It is generally sufficient to line up parts (A) and (B) by eye, and re-align them by
adjusting the screws on the spring or spring balance each time a load is altered.

3.OBJECTIVE
There are two objects of this introductory experiments as follows:1.
2.

To comprehend the action of the moment of resistance within the beam.

To measure the bending moment at a normal section of a loaded beam and to
compare it with the theoretical value.

4.PROCEDURE
Check that the beam supports have fixed at 900 mm span, and that the beam is positioned
so that the bearing pin in part (B) is 300 mm from the left hand support A.

Part 1

Position one first hanger 100 mm from A, the second hanger in the groove just to
the right of the section C (300 mm from A) and the third hanger 300 mm from B.
align two parts of the beam using the adjustment on the spring balance and note the
initial no load reading in Table 1.
Table 1
Spring balance readings for bending moment at C
Load
(N)
0
10
20

Balance reading (N)/Net force (N) for load at

W1
W2
W3
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/
/
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Place a 10 N weight on the first, re-align the beam and read the balance.
Repeat the whole procedure using a 20 N weight.

Part 2

Without altering the load hangers put a 5 N weight on the second hanger, align the
beam and record the balance reading.
Then add 10 N weights to the first and third hangers, align and re-read the balance.
Enter the results in Table 2.
Table 2
Spring balance readings for bending moment at C
Loading
(N)

Balance Reading
(N)

Net Force
(N)

Bending Moment
(N)

Now move the third hanger to 400 mm from B and after aligning the beam record
the new no load reading.
Try two arrangements of the same total loading by placing 5 N on the first hanger
and 12 N on the third hanger for one balance reading followed by moving the 10 N
from the third to second hanger for the next reading.
A table like 2 can be used for the results.

5.RESULTS
By subtracting the no load value from each spring balance reading the net force causing
the bending moment at C is found. Multiply this by the 150 mm lever arm to derive the
bending moment. For every case the theoretical bending moment at C is to be calculated.
In the first section of Part 2 the load hangers remain in the Part 1 positions. Hence the net
force for a single load on any hanger can be derived as a proportion of the Part 1 values.
As the system is a linear elastic structure the individual readings can be summed for
multiple loading. Compare the net force when all three loads are applied with the sum of
the values derived from Part 1.
Draw the bending moment diagrams for the Part 2 loadings.
6.OBSERVATIONS
1. Did the experimental results verify the theory?
2. How well did the results of Part 1 justify the linear behaviour of the structure?

Department of Mechanical Engineering, University Industri Selangor

Revised AUG:2005

RESULT
Table 1
Spring balance readings for bending moment at C
Load
(N)
0
10
20

Balance reading (N)/Net force (N) for load at

W1
W2
W3
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/
/
/
/
/