Mechanics of Materials III:

Beam Bending
Dr. Wayne Whiteman
Senior Academic Professional and Director of the Office of Student Services
Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering
Module 19 Learning Outcome
• Solve an inelastic beam bending problem
Inelastic Beam Bending
Worksheet:
An I-beam is made of cold-rolled red brass with a cross section shown
below, and may be treated as an elasto-plastic material.
a) Determine the maximum elastic moment that the beam can support.
b) A strain gage on the top of the beam measures the strain in the x-
direction to be ε = 3250µ mm/mm. Determine the applied moment
for this situation.
c) Determine the maximum moment that the beam can support just
before it reaches a fully plastic condition.

Cold-Rolled Red Brass

200 mm
12.5 mm
12.5 mm
410 MPa 150 mm
300 mm
Neutral
axis

12.5 mm
0.002 mm/mm 200 mm
 Worksheet: An I-beam is made of cold-rolled red brass with a cross section shown
below, and may be treated as an elasto-plastic material.
b) A strain gage on the top of the beam measures the strain in the x-direction to be
ε = 3250µ mm/mm. Determine the applied moment for this situation.
Cold-Rolled Red Brass 200 mm
12.5 mm
12.5 mm

410 MPa 150 mm

300 mm
Neutral
axis

12.5 mm
200 mm
0.002 mm/mm
Strain
Strain is proportional to y
curvature and varies
εx
0.00325
linearly with distance, y,
from the neutral axis across
the cross section.
N.A.
x
Independent of material
Worksheet: An I-beam is made of cold-rolled red brass with a cross section shown
below, and may be treated as an elasto-plastic material.
b) A strain gage on the top of the beam measures the strain in the x-direction to be
ε = 3250µ mm/mm. Determine the applied moment for this situation.
Cold-Rolled Red Brass 200 mm
12.5 mm
12.5 mm

410 MPa 150 mm

300 mm
Neutral
axis

12.5 mm
200 mm
0.002 mm/mm
Strain Stress
y εx y σx=410 MPa
0.00325
Plastic
162.5 0.002 0.002
mm 100 Elastic
mm
N.A. x N.A. x
 Worksheet: An I-beam is made of cold-rolled red brass with a cross section shown
below, and may be treated as an elasto-plastic material.
b) A strain gage on the top of the beam measures the strain in the x-direction to be
ε = 3250µ mm/mm. Determine the applied moment for this situation.
Cold-Rolled Red Brass 200 mm
12.5 mm
12.5 mm

410 MPa 150 mm

300 mm
Neutral
axis

12.5 mm
200 mm
0.002 mm/mm

Stress σx=410 MPa

Strain
y εx y 410 N/mm2(12.5mm)200mm
=1,025,000 N
0.00325 410 N/mm2(12.5mm)50mm
150 mm Plastic
0.002 0.002 =256,250 N
162.5
mm 100 Elastic (1/2)410 N/mm2(12.5mm)100mm
mm =256,250 N
N.A. x N.A. x
 Worksheet: An I-beam is made of cold-rolled red brass with a cross section shown 200 mm
below, and may be treated as an elasto-plastic material.
b) A strain gage on the top of the beam measures the strain in the x-direction to be 12.5 mm
ε = 3250µ mm/mm. Determine the applied moment for this situation. 12.5 mm
Stress σx=410 MPa 150 mm
Strain 410 N/mm2(12.5mm)200mm 300 mm
y εx y =1,025,000 N
0.00325 Neutral
150 mm Plastic 410 N/mm2(12.5mm)50mm axis
162.5 0.002 0.002 =256,250 N
mm 100 Elastic (1/2)410 N/mm2(12.5mm)100mm12.5 mm
mm =256,250 N
200 mm
N.A. x N.A. x

M  [
  256 , 250  100  25 
2 
  256 , 250  100  ]2  418 , 542 , 000 N  mm  418 , 542 N  m
3 
ANS