EA 430 Bending of open and closed, thin-walled

beams

Andrew Wisdom Zulu

Department of Mechanical Engineering,

School of Engineering,
The copperbelt University,
Kitwe Zambia.

SEPTEMBER 2021
 Introduction

An axial load when applied to a member produces a uniform direct stress

across the cross-section of the member.
A different situation arises when the applied loads cause a beam to bend
which, if the loads are vertical, will take up a sagging ‘(^)’ or hogging
shape ‘(_)’.
This means that for loads which cause a beam to sag the upper surface
of the beam must be shorter than the lower surface as the upper surface
becomes concave and the lower one convex; the reverse is true for loads
which cause hogging.
The strains in the upper regions of the beam will, therefore, be different
to those in the lower regions and since we have established that stress
is directly proportional to strain.

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 The beam equation for symmetric bending
Symmetrical bending arises in beams which have either singly or doubly
symmetrical cross-sections as shown in slide 3.
Suppose that a length of beam, of rectangular cross-section, say, is sub-
jected to a pure, sagging bending moment, M, applied in a vertical plane.
The length of beam will bend into the shape shown in slide 4(a) in which
the upper surface is concave and the lower convex.
It can be seen that the upper longitudinal fibres of the beam are com-
pressed while the lower fibres are stretched.
The direct stress therefore varies through the depth of the beam from
compression in the upper fibres to tension in the lower. Clearly the direct
stress is zero for the fibres that do not change in length; we have called
the plane containing these fibres the neutral plane.
The line of intersection of the neutral plane and any cross-section of the
beam is termed the neutral axis
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 Symmetrical section beams.

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Beam subjected to a pure sagging bending moment.

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 Direct stress distribution I

Consider a length of beam slide 8 below that is subjected to a pure,

sagging bending moment, M, applied in a vertical plane.
The strain induced in the fibers is defined as
change of length
=
original length

Consider the “fiber” S − T its deformed length is rd θ, note here that r =

R − y. Its original length (no curvature) is Rd θ, since R is at the NA where
z = 0
Then
rd θ − Rd θ r −R y
z = = ⇒ z = − since r = R − y
Rd θ R R
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 Direct stress distribution II
Hence
y
σz = E z = −E
R
Pure bending (only M, no axial load) implies that
Z Z Z
E
σz dA = 0 =⇒ − ydA = 0 ⇒ ydA = 0
A R A A

which defines the y −coordinate of the cross section’s centroid C. This

means that for a symmetric section the neutral axis or plane has to go
through the centroid.
Z Z
−Ey −E
M= · ydA = y 2 dA
A R R
| {z }
defines 2nd moment of area
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 Direct stress distribution III
R
The second moment of area about the Cx axis is Ixx = A
y 2 dA and about
R
the Cy axis is Iyy = A x 2 dA
For a rectanglar beam its
bh 3
I=
12
And
EI M E σz My
M=− ⇒ =− = ⇒ σz =
R I R y Ixx
1/R is the curvature of the beam and EI is known as the flexural rigidity
of the beam.

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Length of beam subjected to a pure bending moment

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Determination of neutral axis position and direct stress due
to bending.

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 Direct stress distribution due to bending I

Consider a beam having the arbitrary cross-section shown in slide 9. The

beam supports bending moments Mx and My and bends about some axis
in its cross-section which is therefore an axis of zero stress or a neutral
axis (NA).
Let us assume origin of axes coincides with the centroid C of the cross-
section and that the neutral axis is a distance p from C.
The direct stress σz on an element of area δA at a point (x , y ) and a
distance ξ from the neutral axis is

Eξ ξ
σz = E Z = ⇒ z =
ρ ρ

were ρ is the radius of curvature

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 Direct stress distribution due to bending II
The beam supports pure bending moments so that the resultant normal
load on any section must be zero. Hence

Eξ
Z Z Z
E
σz dA = 0 ⇒ dA = ξdA
A A ρ ρ A

And the neutral axis still has to pass through the centroid C i.e p ≡ 0.
The neutral axis is assumed to have some inclination α, clockwise wrt to
the x −axis then
ξ = x sin α + y cos α
And the normal stress become
E
σz = (x sin α + y cos α)
ρ
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 Direct stress distribution due to bending III

The bending moment then becomes

Z
E
Mx = σz · ydA = (xy sin α + y 2 cos α)dA
ρ
ZA
E
My = σz · xdA = (x 2 sin α + xy cos α)dA
A ρ

Introduce moment of inertia (2nd moment of area)

Z Z Z
Ixx = y dA ,
2
Iyy = x dA ,
2
Ixy = xydA ,
A A A

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 Direct stress distribution due to bending IV
gives

E
Mx = (Ixy sin α + Ixx cos α)
ρ
E
My = (Iyy sin α + Ixy cos α)
ρ

or, in matrix form

sin α
( ) " #( )
Mx E Ixy Ixx
=
My ρ Iyy Ixy cos α
From which # −1 ( )
sin α
( ) "
E Ixy Ixx Mx
=
ρ cos α Iyy Ixy My

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 Direct stress distribution due to bending V
i.e
sin α
( ) " #( )
E 1 −Ixy Ixx Mx
=
ρ cos α 2
Ixx Iyy − Ixy Iyy −Ixy My
so that,

E
σz = (x sin α + y cos α)
ρ
! !
My Ixx − Mx Ixy Mx Iyy − My Ixy
= 2
x+ 2
y
Ixx Iyy − Ixy Ixx Iyy − Ixy

Special case: If at least one of the x and y −axis is symmetry axis Ixy = 0
and then
My Mx
σz = x+ y
Iyy Ixx
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 Orientation of the Neutral axis
For pure bending the neutral axis (NA) is defined by the line through the
cross section where σz = 0 i.e
! !
My Ixx − Mx Ixy Mx Iyy − My Ixy
2
xNA + 2
yNA = 0
Ixx Iyy − Ixy Ixx Iyy − Ixy
Using Megson’s definition of α we then get
yN·A My Ixx − Mx Ixy
tan α = − =
xN·A Mx Iyy − My Ixy
And together with the location of the centroid the position of the NA is
uniquely defined.
The position of the centroid is given by
Z Z
xdA = 0 =⇒ Xc0 ydA = 0 =⇒ Yc0
A A
Note that the orientation of NA depends on a combination of geometry and the load case.
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 Example-P16.1M

Figure in slide 17 shows the section of an angle purlin. A bending moment of

3000Nm is applied to the purlin in a plane at an angle of 30◦ to the vertical y
axis. If the sense of the bending moment is such that its components Mx and
My both produce tension in the positive xy quadrant, calculate the maximum
direct stress in the purlin stating clearly the point at which it acts.
Note that i will solve this question in class after the material has been
covered

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 P.16.1

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