Unsymmetrical

Bending
Dr Alessandro Palmeri
<A.Palmeri@lboro.ac.uk>

Teaching schedule
Week
1
2
3
4
5

Lecture 1
Beam Shear Stresses 1
Shear centres
Principle of Virtual
forces
The Compatibility
Method
Examples

Staff
AP
AP
J E-R

Lecture 2

Tutorial

Beam Shear Stresses 2

Basic Concepts
Indeterminate Structures

Staff
AP
J E-R
J E-R

--Shear Centre
Virtual Forces

Staff
--AP
J E-R

J E-R

Examples

J E-R

Virtual Forces

J E-R

J E-R

J E-R

Comp. Method

J E-R

J E-R

Comp. Method

J E-R

Mom. Dist
Mom. Dist
Colum Stability
Unsymmetric
Bending
Complex
Stress/Strain

J E-R
J E-R
AP
AP

J E-R

7
8
9
10

The Hardy Cross

Method
Examples
Column Stability 1
Column Stability 2
Unsymmetric Bending 2

Moment Distribution Basics

Fixed End Moments

J E-R
AP
AP
AP

Non Sway Frames

Sway Frames
Unsymmetric Bending 1
Complex Stress/Strain

J E-R
J E-R
AP
AP

11

Complex Stress/Strain

AP

Complex Stress/Strain

AP

12
13
14
15

AP

Christmas
Holiday
Revision
Exams

Mo@va@ons (1/2)
Many cross sec@ons used for
structural elements (such us Z
sec@ons or angle sec@ons) do
not have any axis of symmetry
How does the theory
developed for symmetrical
bending can be extended to
such sec@ons?

Mo@va@ons (2/2)
The gure shows the
nite element model of
a can@lever beam with
Z cross sec@on
subjected to its own
weight, in which the
gravita@onal (ver@cal)
load induces lateral
sway (horizontal),

Z
Y

Z
Y

exaggerated for clarity

How can we predict

this?
4

Learning Outcomes
When we have completed this unit (2 lectures
+ 1 tutorial), you should be able to:
Determine the principal second moments of area
AND the principal direc@ons of area for
unsymmetrical beams cross sec@ons
Evaluate the normal stress x in beams subjected
to unsymmetric bending
5

Further reading
R C Hibbeler, Mechanics of Materials, 8th
Ed, Pren@ce Hall Chapter 6 on Bending

T H G Megson, Structural and Stress
Analysis, 2nd Ed, Elsevier Chapter 9 on
Bending of Beams (eBook)

Symmetrical Bending (1/3)

Our analysis of beams in bending has been restricted so far
(part A) to the case of cross sec@ons having at least one
axis of symmetry, assuming that the bending moment is
ac@ng either about this axis of symmetry (a), or about the
orthogonal axis (b)
compressive
stress
x < 0

(right hand)

My

axis of symmetry

x < 0
compressive
stress

(b)

axis of symmetry

x
z

x > 0
tensile
stress

be
am
s
ax
is

be
am
s
ax
is

(a)

x > 0

tensile
stress

x
z

Mz

Symmetrical Bending (2/3)

Right-Hand Rule

t to the
If the thumb poin
of the axis,
posi0ve direc0on
f the other
then the curling o
osi0ve
ngers give the p
ending
direc0on of the b

My

Noteworthy: Some0mes a double-

headed arrow is used to represent a
moment (as opposite to a single-headed
arrow used for a force)

be
am
s
ax
is

axis of symmetry

x
z

Mz
8

Symmetrical Bending (3/3)

My

The simplest case when the

bending moment My acts
about the axis y, orthogonal to
the axis of symmetry z

be
am
s
ax
is

axis of symmetry

x > 0

Therefore, the beam bends in

the ver@cal plan Gxz
The direct stress x is given by:

Eq. (1)

My z
x =
Iyy

Unsymmetrical Bending (1/3)

The case of unsymmetric bending deals with:
EITHER a bending moment ac@ng about an axis which is
neither an axis of symmetry, nor orthogonal to it (le9)
OR a beams cross sec@on which does not have any axis of
symmetry (right)

My

My

axis of symmetry

x
z

be
am
s
ax
is

be
am
s
ax
is

x
z

10

Unsymmetrical Bending (2/3)

The rst case is trivial,
and can be solved by
using:
Decomposi@on of the
bending moment:

Mp = My cos( )
Mq = My sin( )

Mp d Mq

e
Superposi@on of eects: x (A) =
I pp 2 Iqq

d /2

e
= My
cos( ) +
sin( )
I pp
I pp

11

Unsymmetrical Bending (3/3)

Par@cular cases

My d
x (A) =

I pp 2

My
x (A) =
e
Iqq

Bending about the strong axis

Bending about the weak axis

12

Product Moment of Area (1/3)

Lets introduce a new quan@ty, Iyz, called
Product Moment of Area
Dened as:

Iyz = y z dA
A

If and only if Iyz =0, a bending moment ac@ng on one of

these two axes will cause the beam to bend about the
same axis only, not about the orthogonal axis (symmetric
bending)
I.e. a ver@cal transverse load will not induce any lateral sway
and a lateral transverse will not cause any ver@cal movement
13

Product Moment of Area (2/3)

The product moment of area is
dened mathema@cally as the
integral of the product of the
coordinates y and z over the cross
sec@onal area

Iyz = y z dA
A

Similarly the second moments of

area Iyy and Izz are the integrals of the
second power of the other
coordinate, z2 and y2

Iyy = z 2 dA
A

I zz = y 2 dA
A

G is the centroid of the cross sec@on

14

Product Moment of Area (3/3)

The Parallel Axis Theorem (also known as Huygens-Steiner Theorem)
can be used to determine the product moment of area Iyz, as well as the
second moments of area Iyy and Izz, provided that:
The cross sec@on can be split into simple blocks, e.g. rectangular blocks
The corresponding quan@@es for the central axes (eta) and (zeta), parallel
to y and z, are known

(i )
Iyy = I
+ zi2 A(i )

yi (< 0)

y
i

zi (> 0)

A (i)

I zz = I(i ) + yi2 A(i )

i

(i )
Iyz = I
+ yi zi A(i )
i

15

Moments of Area: Worked Example

(1/5)
n
1.
2.

Split the cross sec@on in rectangular

blocks
Calculate the area of each block

m
?

A(1) = 30 30 = 900
A(2) = 30 50 = 1,500
3.

If the posi@on of the centroid G is

unknown

Calculate the rst moment of each block

about two arbitrary references axes

Qm(1) = A(1) 15 = 13,500

Qn(1) = A(1) 15 = 13,500

Qn(2) = A(2) 25 = 37,500

(2)
m

= A(2) 45 = 67,500

?
n

16

Moments of Area: Worked Example

(2/5)
n

Calculate the posi@on of the centroid

dm

=
A
Q

=
A
i

(i )
m
(i )

81,000
= 33.75
2,400

51,000
= 21.25
2,400

dn

(i )

4.

(1)

(2)

(i )
n

Calculate the two second moments of

area (and the product moment of area, if
needed) for each block

30 303
=
= 67,500
12

50 303
=
= 112,500
12

m
?

?
n

30 303
I =
= 67,500
12
30 503
(2)
I =
= 312,500
12
(1)

I (1) = 0
I (2) = 0

17

Moments of Area: Worked Example

(3/5)
5. Calculate the coordinates
of the centroid i of each
block

30
y1 = 21.25

2

30

z1 = 33.75

= 6.25 > 0

= 18.75 < 0

50

y2 =
21.25
2

= 3.75 < 0

30
33.75
2
= 11.25 > 0

z2 = 30 +

18

Moments of Area: Worked Example

(4/5)
6. Apply the Parallel Axis
Theorem for the two second
moments of area

(i )
Iyy = i I
+ A(i ) zi2

= 67,500 + 900 ( 18.75)

+112,500 +1,500 (11.25)

= 686,250

I zz = i I(i ) + A(i )yi2

= 67,500 + 900 (6.25)

+312,500 +1,500 ( 3.75)

= 436,250

19

Moments of Area: Worked Example

(5/5)
7. And the product moment of
area

(i )
Iyz = i ( I
+ A(i )yi zi )

= 0 + 900 6.25 ( 18.75)

+0 +1,500 ( 3.75) 11.25

= 168,750

20

Rota@ng the Central Axes

QuesBon: What happens to second moment Answer: The points of
of area (Imm) and product moment of area
coordinates {Imm,Imn}
(Imn) if we rotate the central axes of reference will describe a circle
for a given cross sec@on?

y
m
Iyy
Izz

Second moment of
area (always +ve)

n n
z

Imm
m

Iyz

Mohrs
Circle

-Iyz

Imn

Product moment of
area (+ve, -ve or null)

21

Mohrs Circle (1/6)

y
m
Iyy
Izz

Second moment of
area (always +ve)

Imm
m

Iyz

Mohrs
Circle

n n
z

-Iyz

Product moment of
area (+ve, -ve or null)

Imn

Named arer the German civil engineer Chris@an Oso Mohr

(1835-1918), the Mohrs circle allows determining the extreme
values of many quan@@es useful in the stress analysis of structural
members, including minimum and maximum values of stress,
strain and second moment of area
n

22

Mohrs Circle (2/6)

y
m
Imn
-Iyz

The centre is always on the

horizontal axis, whose posi@on is
the average of the second moments
of area about two orthogonal axes,
e.g. Iyy and Izz

CI {Iave,0}

Iave =

RI
Izz

Iyz

We can draw the Mohrs circle,

once its centre CI and its radius Ri
are known:

CI

Iyy

Iave

Imm

Iyy + I zz
=561,250
2

From simple geometrical
considera@ons (Pythagoras
theorem), the radius requires the
product moment of area as well
2

I I zz
2
RI = yy
+ Iyz
=210,004

23

Mohrs Circle (3/6)

y
m

Imn
-Iyz

Points Y and Z in the Mohrs

circle, representa@ve of the
central axes y and z in the
cross sec@on, are the
extreme points of a
diameter

Z
RI
Izz

Iyz

CI

Iyy

Iave

A rota@on of an angle of
the central axes in the cross
sec@on corresponds to an
angle 2 in the Mohrs
Imm
circle (in the same
M
2
direc@on), i.e. twice the
angle in the Mohrs plane
24

Mohrs Circle (4/6)

We can determine the maximum

and minimum values of the
second moment of area for a
given cross sec@on:
Imax = Iave + RI =771,254
Imin = Iave RI =351,246

Imn

z
Z

-Iyz

RI
Imin
Q

Iyz

Izz

CI

Iyy

Iave

P
Imax Imm

The axes p and q associated with

the extreme value of I are called
principal axes of iner@a
They are orthogonal each other
In this example:
Ipp= Imax p-p is the strong(est)
axis in bending
Iqq= Imin q-q is the weak(est)
axis in bending, e.g. to be used
when calcula@ng the Eulers
buckling load

25

Mohrs Circle (5/6)

zq=yp

yp

Imn

In this example:
z

yp = zq

-Iyz

RI

Imin
Q
Iyz

We can also evaluate the

inclina@on of the principal
axes p and q with respect to
reference axes y and z

2zq CI Iyy P
Izz
Iave 2yp
Imax Imm
Y

1 1 Iyz
= sin
RI
2

=26.7

In general, you dont know

whether p is the strong
axis or the weak axis, but
its for sure one of the two
extreme values
26

Mohrs Circle (6/6)

zq=yp

yp

Imn

I pq = 0
That is, their representa@ve
points P and Q in the Mohrs
circle belong to the horizontal
axis

z
Z

-Iyz

RI

Imin
Q
Iyz

For any beams cross sec@on,

the principal axes p and q
always sa@sfy the
mathema@cal condi@on

2zq CI Iyy P
An axis of symmetry is always
Izz
Iave 2yp
Imax Imm
a principal axis of the area
Y
27

Mohrs Circle: Par@cular Cases

Mm

This is the case, for instance, of

both circular and square
shapes

Mm

If for a given cross sec@on

Imin=Imax, then all the central
axes m will have the same
second moment of area, i.e.
Imm=Imin=Imax, and all the
central axes m will be principal
axes of area, i.e. Imn=0

The neutral axis (where x=0)

will always coincide with the
axis about which the bending
moment is applied

x
z

28

Bending about Principal Axes

x < 0
compressive
stress
Mp

s x
i
x
s a
am
e
b

s
l axi
a
p
i
princ
G

x > 0
q

tensile
stress

In general, a bending
moment Mp ac@ng
about the principal
axis p will cause the
beam to bend in the
orthogonal Gxq plane
The simple formula
of direct stress x
due to pure bending
can be resorted to:
Eq. (2) x =

Distance (with sign) to the neutral axis

Mp q
I pp

Similar to Eq. (1)

29

Normal Stress due to Unsymmetrical

Bending: General Procedure (1/4)
My

yp

p
z

M y (> 0)

yp

0)
<
(
Mq

If the bending does not act

along one of the principal
axis (p and q), then the
bending moment can be
decomposed along the
principal axes
In the gure, My is the
bending moment about the
horizontal axis (due, for
instance, to the dead load):

0)
>
(
Mp

M p = M y cos( )

M q = M y sin( )
30

Normal Stress due to Unsymmetrical

Bending: General Procedure (2/4)
If the bending does not act
along one of the principal
axis (p and q), then the
bending moment can be
decomposed along the
principal axes

My

yp

p
z

0)
>
(
Mp

Similarly for the case of the

bending moment Mz (due,
for instance, to some lateral
forces):

zq

M z (> 0)

0)
>
(
Mq

M p = M z sin( )

M q = M z cos( )
31

Normal Stress due to Unsymmetrical

Bending: General Procedure (3/4)
Once Mp and Mq are known,
the normal stress x (+ve in
tension) can be computed
with the expression:

My

yp

p
Eq. (3)

Mp q Mq p
x =

I pp
Iqq

p
G
q

p and q here are the

distances from the
principal axes of the point
where the stress x is
sought
32

Normal Stress due to Unsymmetrical

Bending: General Procedure (4/4)
As an alterna@ve, the following
binomial formula can be used
Eq. (4)

My

where the coecients beta

() and gamma () are given
by:

x = y + z

Mz

M z I yy + M y I yz

= I I I 2
yy zz
yz

= M y I zz + M z I yz

I yy I zz I yz2
33

Neutral Axis (1/2)

ax
tral
neu
stic
ela

Along the neutral axis the normal stress

x is zero, that is:
= y + z = 0
x
The centroid G{0,0} belongs to the
neutral axis, and indeed yG=0 and zG=0
sa@ses the above equa@ons

yN

is
G

zN
N

Mz

We need a second point N{yN,zN} to

draw the straight line GN represen@ng
the neutral axis: we can choose a
convenient value for the coordinate zN,
e.g. the bosom edge of the cross sec@on,
and the associated value of yN is given by:

yN + zN = 0

zN
yN =

34

Neutral Axis (2/2)

ax
tral
neu
stic
ela

yN

is

bending
e
h
t

h
g
u
o
h
lt
A

e verBcal
acBon is about th
l axis is
axis z, the neutra
not verBcal

re parBally
The two anges a
lly in
in tension, parBa
compression

zN

compression

tension

Mz
35

Normal Stress Calcula@ons:

Worked Example (1/3)
My = 106

Mz = 0
My
y

yp

A{-8.75,-33.75}

B{21.25,
26.25} z

Iyy = 686,250

I pp = 771,254

I zz = 436,250

Iqq = 351,246

Iyz = 168,750 yp = 26.7

Mz Iyy + My Iyz

= I I I 2 = 0.623
yy zz
yz

= My I zz + Mz Iyz = 1.610
2

Iyy I zz Iyz

x (A) = y A + z A
= 0.623 8.75 1.610 33.75
= 59.80
x (B) = yB + zB = +55.51
36

Normal Stress Calcula@ons:

Worked Example (2/3)
Mp = My cos( yp ) = 893,092

Mz = My sin( yp ) = 449,874
My
y

yp

x (A) =

Iyy = 686,250

I pp = 771,254

I zz = 436,250

Iqq = 351,246

Iyz = 168,750 yp = 26.7

Mp qA Mq pA

I pp
Iqq

894,092 (23.00)
771,254
(449,874) (26.21)

351,246
= 59.80
=

Mp qB Mq pB
x (B) =

= +55.51
I pp
Iqq
37

Normal Stress Calcula@ons:

Worked Example (2/3)
elas0
c

neut

My

ral a
x

is N

G
tensi
o

point of max
tensile stress

point of max
compressive
stress

com
pres
sion

Iyy = 686,250

I pp = 771,254

I zz = 436,250

Iqq = 351,246

Iyz = 168,750 yp = 26.7

Assume: yN = dn = 21.25

Calculate:

x (N) = yN + zN
= 0.623 21.25 +1.610 zN = 0
13.24
zN =
= 8.22
1.610
(which gives the neutral axis GN)

38

Key Learning Points (1/2)

1. The simple formula of bending stress, x=Myz/Iyy, is valid if
and only if y is a principal axis for the cross sec@on

That is, if and only if the product moment of iner@a is Iyz=0

This is the case, for instance, when y and/or z are axis of symmetry

2. To calculate Iyz one can split the cross sec@on in elementary

blocks, sum the contribu@on from each block and use the
parallel axis theorem

Important: Iyz can be nega@ve, posi@ve or null

39

Key Learning Points (2/2)

3. Knowing Iyy, Izz and Iyz , one can draw the Mohrs circle for the
second moment of area, which allows determining the
extreme values (Imin and Imax) and their direc@ons
4. In the general case of unsymmetrical bending, the normal
stress is given by the formula

x= y + z

where and depend on the components of the bending moments (My and Mz)
as well as on Iyy, Izz and Iyz

5. The above formula allows determining the inclina@on of the

neutral axis

40