Beams

Shear & Moment Diagrams

E. Evans
2/9/06
 Beams
Members that are slender and support
loads applied perpendicular to their
longitudinal axis.

Distributed Load, w(x) Concentrated Load, P

Longitudinal
Axis

Span, L
 Types of Beams
Depends on the support configuration
FH
Pin
FV
FV
FH Fixed
Roller

M
Fv Roller Pin
FH

FV FV
Statically Indeterminate Beams

Continuous Beam

Propped Cantilever
Beam

Can you guess how we find the extra

reactions?
 Internal Reactions in Beams
At any cut in a beam, there are 3 possible
internal reactions required for equilibrium:
normal force,
shear force,
bending moment.
P

a b
L
 Internal Reactions in Beams
At any cut in a beam, there are 3 possible
internal reactions required for equilibrium:
normal force,
shear force,
bending moment. Positive Directions
Shown!!!
Left Side of Cut M

N
Pb/L V
x
 Internal Reactions in Beams
At any cut in a beam, there are 3 possible
internal reactions required for equilibrium:
normal force,
shear force,
bending moment. Positive Directions
Shown!!!
M V Right Side of Cut

N
Pa/L
L-x
 Finding Internal Reactions
Pick left side of the cut:
Find the sum of all the vertical forces to the
left of the cut, including V. Solve for shear, V.
Find the sum of all the horizontal forces to the
left of the cut, including N. Solve for axial
force, N. Its usually, but not always, 0.
Sum the moments of all the forces to the left
of the cut about the point of the cut. Include
M. Solve for bending moment, M
Pick the right side of the cut:
Same as above, except to the right of the cut.
Example: Find the internal reactions at
points indicated. All axial force reactions
are zero. Points are 2-ft apart.
P = 20 kips

1 2 3 4 5 8 9 10

6 7

8 kips 12 kips
12 ft
20 ft

Point 6 is just left of P and Point 7 is just right of P.

 P = 20 kips
1 2 3 4 5 8 9 10

6 7

8 kips 12 kips
12 ft
20 ft
8 kips
V x
(kips)
-12 kips
96
80
64 72
48 48
32
16 24
M x
(ft-kips)
V & M Diagrams P = 20 kips

8 kips 12 kips
12 ft
20 ft
8 kips
V
(kips) x

What is the slope -12 kips

of this line? 96 ft-kips What is the slope
96 ft-kips/12 = 8 kips b of this line?
-12 kips
M a c
(ft-kips) x
V & M Diagrams P = 20 kips

8 kips 12 kips
12 ft
20 ft
8 kips
V
(kips) x

What is the area of

the blue rectangle? -12 kips
96 ft-kips What is the area of
96 ft-kips the green rectangle?
b
-96 ft-kips
M a c
(ft-kips) x
 Draw Some Conclusions
The magnitude of the shear at a point
equals the slope of the moment diagram at
that point.
The area under the shear diagram
between two points equals the change in
moments between those two points.
At points where the shear is zero, the
moment is a local maximum or minimum.
The Relationship Between Load, Shear and
Bending Moment

w( x ) the load function

V( x ) w( x )dx

M( x ) V( x )dx
 Common Relationships

0 Constant Linear
Load

Constant Linear Parabolic

Shear

Linear Parabolic Cubic

Moment
 Common Relationships

0 0 Constant
Load M

Constant Constant Linear

Shear

Linear Linear Parabolic

Moment
Example: Draw Shear & Moment
diagrams for the following beam

12 kN 8 kN
A C
D
B

1m 3m 1m
RA = 7 kN RC = 13 kN
 12 kN 8 kN
A C
D
B

1m 3m 1m

7 8
7 8
V
(kN) -15
-5
7
M
(kN-m)

2.4 m -8