Old Dominion University

Chapter 06
Stresses in Beams (Advanced Topics)

Engr. Muhammad Fahim

mfahi001@odu.edu
hmf_engr@yahoo.com
1
 6.2 COMPOSITE BEAMS
Cross sections remain plane during bending. This axiom is valid for pure bending
regardless of the nature of the material. Therefore, the longitudinal strains εx in a
composite beam vary linearly from top to bottom of the beam.

At the interface, strains are same but stresses are

different (Different moduli of inertia).

Chap 04 ` Engr. M. Fahim 2

 6.2 COMPOSITE BEAMS

Chap 04 ` Engr. M. Fahim 3

 6.2 COMPOSITE BEAMS

Chap 04 ` Engr. M. Fahim 4

 6.2 COMPOSITE BEAMS

Chap 04 ` Engr. M. Fahim 5

 6.2 COMPOSITE BEAMS

Chap 04 ` Engr. M. Fahim 6

 6.2 COMPOSITE BEAMS
Example 6.1

Example 6.2

Chap 04 ` Engr. M. Fahim 7

 6.3 TRANSFORMED SECTION METHOD
If the transformed beam is to be equivalent to the original beam, its
neutral axis must be located in the same place and its moment-
resisting capacity must be the same.

Chap 04 ` Engr. M. Fahim 8

 6.3 TRANSFORMED SECTION METHOD

Chap 04 ` Engr. M. Fahim 9

 6.3 TRANSFORMED SECTION METHOD

Chap 04 ` Engr. M. Fahim 10

 6.3 TRANSFORMED SECTION METHOD
Example 6.3

Chap 04 ` Engr. M. Fahim 11

 6.4 DOUBLY SYMMETRIC BEAMS WITH INCLINED LOADS

Chap 04 ` Engr. M. Fahim 12

 6.4 DOUBLY SYMMETRIC BEAMS WITH INCLINED LOADS

Chap 04 ` Engr. M. Fahim 13

 6.4 DOUBLY SYMMETRIC BEAMS WITH INCLINED LOADS

The sensitivity of the position of the neutral axis

to the angle of the load is a consequence of the
large Iz /Iy ratio.

Chap 04 ` Engr. M. Fahim 14

 6.4 DOUBLY SYMMETRIC BEAMS WITH INCLINED LOADS

FIG. 6-15 Doubly symmetric beam with an inclined load P acting at an angle θ to the positive y axis
Chap 04 ` Engr. M. Fahim 15
 6.4 DOUBLY SYMMETRIC BEAMS WITH INCLINED LOADS

Chap 04 ` Engr. M. Fahim 16

 6.4 DOUBLY SYMMETRIC BEAMS WITH INCLINED LOADS
Example 6.4

Example 6.5

Chap 04 ` Engr. M. Fahim 17

 6.5 BENDING OF UNSYMMETRICAL BEAMS

When an unsymmetric beam is in pure bending, the plane in which the bending moment
acts is perpendicular to the neutral surface only if the y and z axes are principal
centroidal axes of the cross section and the bending moment acts in one of the two
principal planes (the xy plane or the xz plane).

Chap 04 ` Engr. M. Fahim 18

 6.5 BENDING OF UNSYMMETRICAL BEAMS
Example 6.6
Example 6.7

Chap 04 ` Engr. M. Fahim 19

 6.6 THE SHEAR CENTER CONCEPT

A lateral load acting on a beam will produce bending without twisting

only if it acts through the shear center.

Chap 04 ` Engr. M. Fahim 20

 6.6 THE SHEAR CENTER CONCEPT

The shear center (like the centroid) lies on any axis of symmetry, and
therefore the shear center S and the centroid C coincide for a doubly
symmetric cross section. A load P acting through the centroid produces
bending about the y and z axes without torsion.

Chap 04 ` Engr. M. Fahim 21

 6.6 THE SHEAR CENTER CONCEPT
If a beam has a singly symmetric cross section , both the centroid and
the shear center lie on the axis of symmetry. A load P acting through
the shear center can be resolved into components in the y and z
directions. The component in the y direction will produce bending in
the xy plane with the z axis as the neutral axis, and the component in
the z direction will produce bending (without torsion) in the xz plane
with the y axis as the neutral axis.

Chap 04 ` Engr. M. Fahim 22

 6.6 THE SHEAR CENTER CONCEPT

Finally, if a beam has an unsymmetric cross section, the bending analysis proceeds as
follows (provided the load acts through the shear center). First, locate the centroid C of the
cross section and determine the orientation of the principal centroidal axes y and z. Then
resolve the load into components (acting at the shear center) in the y and z directions and
determine the bending moments My and Mz about the principal axes. Lastly, calculate the
bending stresses using the method described in Section 6.5 for unsymmetric beams.

Chap 04 ` Engr. M. Fahim 23

 6.6 THE SHEAR CENTER CONCEPT

How do we locate the shear center?

For doubly symmetric shapes the answer, of course, is simple—it is at the centroid.

For singly symmetric shapes the shear center lies on the axis of symmetry, but the precise
location on that axis may not be easy to determine.

Locating the shear center is even more difficult if the cross section is unsymmetric (Fig. 6-
29). In such cases, the task requires more advanced methods than are appropriate for this
book. (A few engineering handbooks give formulas for locating shear centers; e.g., see
Ref. 2-9.)

Beams of thin-walled open cross sections, such as wide-flange beams, channels, angles,
T-beams, and Z-sections, are a special case. Not only are they in common use for
structural purposes, they also are very weak in torsion. Consequently, it is especially
important to locate their shear centers.

Chap 04 ` Engr. M. Fahim 24

 6.7 SHEAR STRESSES IN BEAMS OF THIN-WALLED OPEN CROSS SECTIONS

Chap 04 ` Engr. M. Fahim 25

 6.7 SHEAR STRESSES IN BEAMS OF THIN-WALLED OPEN CROSS SECTIONS
To keep the derivation as general as possible, we will consider a beam having
its cross-sectional centerline mm of arbitrary shape (Fig. 6-31a). The y and z
axes are principal centroidal axes of the cross section, and the load P acts
parallel to the y axis through the shear center S (Fig. 6-31b). Therefore,
bending will occur in the xy plane with the z axis as the neutral axis.

Under these conditions, we can obtain the normal stress at any point
in the beam from the flexure formula:

FIG. 6-31 Shear stresses in a beam of thin-walled open cross section. (The y and z axes are principal centroidal axes.)
Chap 04 ` Engr. M. Fahim 26
 6.7 SHEAR STRESSES IN BEAMS OF THIN-WALLED OPEN CROSS SECTIONS

The shear force Vy is parallel to the y axis and positive in the negative direction of the y axis, that is,
positive in the direction of the force P. Qz represents the first moment with respect to the z axis (the
neutral axis) of the area of the cross section from s = 0 to s = s.

FIG. 6-31 Shear stresses in a beam of thin-walled open cross section. (The y and z axes are principal centroidal axes.)
Chap 04 ` Engr. M. Fahim 27
 6.7 SHEAR STRESSES IN BEAMS OF THIN-WALLED OPEN CROSS SECTIONS

Because Vy and Iz are constants, the shear flow is directly proportional to Qz. At
the top and bottom edges of the cross section, Qz is zero and hence the shear flow
is also zero. The shear flow varies continuously between these end points and
reaches its maximum value where Qz is maximum, which is at the neutral axis.

Chap 04 ` Engr. M. Fahim 28

 6.8 SHEAR STRESSES IN WIDE FLANGE BEAMS

We begin by considering the shear stresses at section bb in the right

hand part of the upper flange:

Chap 04 ` Engr. M. Fahim 29

 6.8 SHEAR STRESSES IN WIDE FLANGE BEAMS

FIG. 6-32 Shear stresses in a wide-flange beam

Chap 04 ` Engr. M. Fahim 30
 6.8 SHEAR STRESSES IN WIDE FLANGE BEAMS

Considering a horizontal cut at the junction of the flange and web

Note that the shear flow f2 is equal to twice the shear flow f1, which is expected
since the shear flows in the two halves of the upper flange combine to produce
the shear flow at the top of the web.

Chap 04 ` Engr. M. Fahim 31

 6.8 SHEAR STRESSES IN WIDE FLANGE BEAMS

Chap 04 ` Engr. M. Fahim 32

 6.8 SHEAR STRESSES IN WIDE FLANGE BEAMS
From Fig. 6-32d we see that the shear stresses on the cross section “flow”
inward from the outermost edges of the top flange, then down through the web,
and finally outward to the edges of the bottom flange. Because this flow is
always continuous in any structural section, it serves as a convenient method for
determining the directions of the stresses.

For instance, if the shear force acts downward on the beam of Fig. 6-32a, we
know immediately that the shear flow in the web must also be downward.
Knowing the direction of the shear flow in the web, we also know the directions
of the shear flows in the flanges because of the required continuity in the flow.

Chap 04 ` Engr. M. Fahim 33

 6.8 SHEAR STRESSES IN WIDE FLANGE BEAMS
The resultant of all the shear stresses acting on the cross section is clearly a
vertical force, because the horizontal stresses in the flanges produce no resultant.
The shear stresses in the web have a resultant R, which can be found by
integrating the shear stresses over the height of the web, as follows:

When the expression for Iz is substituted into Eq.

(6-56), we get R = P, which demonstrates that the
resultant of the shear stresses acting on the cross
section is equal to the load. Furthermore, the line of
action of the resultant is in the plane of the web, and
therefore the resultant passes through the shear
center.

Chap 04 ` Engr. M. Fahim 34

 6.9 SHEAR CENTERS OF THIN-WALLED OPEN SECTIONS

Only beams with singly symmetric or unsymmetric cross sections will

be considered, because we already know that the shear center of a doubly
symmetric cross section is located at the centroid.

Steps:
1. Evaluating the shear stresses acting on the cross section when
bending occurs about one of the principal axes.
2. Determining the resultant of those stresses.

The shear center is located on the line of action of the resultant. By

considering bending about both principal axes, we can determine the position
of the shear center.

As in Sections 6.7 and 6.8, we will use only centerline dimensions when
deriving formulas and making calculations. This procedure is satisfactory if
the beam is thin walled, that is, if the thickness of the beam is small compared
to the other dimensions of the cross section.

Chap 04 ` Engr. M. Fahim 35

 6.9 SHEAR CENTERS OF THIN-WALLED OPEN SECTIONS

Chap 04 ` Engr. M. Fahim 36

 6.9 SHEAR CENTERS OF THIN-WALLED OPEN SECTIONS

For s = b

Chap 04 ` Engr. M. Fahim 37

 6.9 SHEAR CENTERS OF THIN-WALLED OPEN SECTIONS

Since the horizontal components of the forces F cancel each other, only the vertical
components remain. Each vertical component is equal to F/√2, or Vy /2, and therefore the
resultant vertical force is equal to the shear force Vy, as expected.

Since the resultant force passes through the intersection point of the lines of action of the two
forces F (Fig. 6-34d), we see that the shear center S is located at the junction of the two legs
of the angle.

Chap 04 ` Engr. M. Fahim 38

 6.9 SHEAR CENTERS OF THIN-WALLED OPEN SECTIONS
Since the shear stresses are parallel to the centerlines of the legs we would have
known immediately that their resultants are two forces F (Fig. 6-34d).

The resultant of those two forces is a single force that passes through their point
of intersection. Consequently, this point is the shear center. Thus, we can
determine the location of the shear center of an equal-leg angle section by a
simple line of reasoning (without making any calculations).

The same line of reasoning is valid for all cross sections consisting of two thin,
intersecting rectangles (Fig. 6-35). In each case the resultants of the shear stresses
are forces that intersect at the junction of the rectangles. Therefore, the shear
center S is located at that point.

FIG. 6-35 Shear centers of sections consisting of two intersecting narrow rectangles
Chap 04 ` Engr. M. Fahim 39
 6.9 SHEAR CENTERS OF THIN-WALLED OPEN SECTIONS
The section has no axes of symmetry but is symmetric about the centroid C. The y
and z axes are principal axes through the centroid.
We begin by assuming that a shear force Vy acts parallel to the y axis and causes
bending about the z axis as the neutral axis. Then the shear stresses in the flanges
and web will be directed as shown in Fig. 6-36a.

From symmetry considerations we conclude that the

forces F1 in the two flanges must be equal to each other
(Fig. 6-36b). The resultant of the three forces acting on
the cross section (F1 in the flanges and F2 in the web)
must be equal to the shear force Vy.

The forces F1 have a resultant 2F1 acting through the

centroid and parallel to the flanges. This force intersects
the force F2 at the centroid C, and therefore we conclude
that the line of action of the shear force Vy must be
through the centroid.
FIG. 6-36 Shear center of a thin-walled
Z-section
Chap 04 ` Engr. M. Fahim 40
 6.9 SHEAR CENTERS OF THIN-WALLED OPEN SECTIONS
If the beam is subjected to a shear force Vz parallel to the z axis, we arrive at a
similar conclusion, namely, that the shear force acts through the centroid.

Since the shear center is located at the intersection of the lines of action of the
two shear forces, we conclude that the shear center of the Z-section coincides
with the centroid.

This conclusion applies to any Z-section that is symmetric about the centroid,
that is, any Z-section having identical flanges (same width and same thickness).
Note, however, that the thickness of the web does not have to be the same as the
thickness of the flanges.

Chap 04 ` Engr. M. Fahim 41

 6.9 SHEAR CENTERS OF THIN-WALLED OPEN SECTIONS
Example 6-8

Chap 04 ` Engr. M. Fahim 42

 6.10 ELASTOPLASTIC BENDING
The bending moment in the beam when the maximum stress just reaches the
yield stress, called the yield moment MY, can be obtained from the flexure
formula:

FIG. 6-40 Stress distributions in a beam of elastoplastic material

Chap 04 ` Engr. M. Fahim 43
 6.10 ELASTOPLASTIC BENDING

The plastic modulus may be interpreted geometrically as the first moment (evaluated with
respect to the neutral axis) of the area of the cross section above the neutral axis plus the
first moment of the area below the neutral axis.

This factor is a measure of the reserve strength of the beam after yielding first begins. It is
highest when most of the material is located near the neutral axis (for instance, a beam
having a solid circular section), and lowest when most of the material is away from the
neutral axis (for instance, a beam having a wide-flange section).

Chap 04 ` Engr. M. Fahim 44

 6.10 ELASTOPLASTIC BENDING

The shape factor f for wide flange beams is typically in the range 1.1 to 1.2, depending upon
the proportions of the cross section.

Chap 04 ` Engr. M. Fahim 45

 6.10 ELASTOPLASTIC BENDING
Example 6-9

Chap 04 ` Engr. M. Fahim 46

 6.10 ELASTOPLASTIC BENDING
Example 6-10

Chap 04 ` Engr. M. Fahim 47

 PROBLEMS

Chap 04 ` Engr. M. Fahim 48