Advanced Structural Mechanics Lecture 3: Outline

(CSE 20204)
• Chapter 2: Stress in Beam II
– Shear Flow
Lecture 4 – Shear Center

Dr. Songye ZHU

Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
The Hong Kong Polytechnic University

CSE204 Structural Mechanics II: Lecture 3 2

Review: Shear Flow in

Review: The Shear Formula Thin-walled Members
• We assume that the member has thin walls, i.e., wall thickness is small
VQ compared with height or width of member
τ= • We will neglect the vertical transverse component of shear flow because it
It is approx. zero throughout thickness of element
I = moment of inertia of entire x-sectional area computed • Because flange wall is thin, shear stress will not vary much over the
thickness of section, and we assume it to be constant. Hence,
about the neutral axis
t = width of the member’s x-sectional area, measured at the q=τ×t
pt where τ is to be determined

Q = the first moment of area Q = ∫A’ y dA’ = y’A’,

where A’ is the top (or bottom) portion of member’s x-sectional area,
defined from section where t is measured, and y’ is distance of
centroid of A’, measured from NA
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Review: Shear Flow in
Thin-walled Members
2.5 Shear Center
• Previously, we assumed the shear formula is to be
used on
– straight prismatic members made of homogeneous
material that has linear-elastic behavior.
– internal resultant shear force, V, must be applied along an
axis of symmetry for x-sectional area

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Shear Center 2.5 Shear Center

• Next, we investigate the effect of applying the shear along
a principal centroidal axis that is not an axis of symmetry
• When a force P is applied to a channel section along the
one vertical unsymmetrical axis that passes through the
centroid C of the x-sectional area, the channel bends
downwards and also twist clockwise

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2.5 Shear Center 2.5 Shear Center
• When the shear-flow distribution is integrated over the flange and web • To prevent the twisting, we need to apply P at a pt O located
areas, a resultant force of Ff in each flange and a force of V=P in the a distance e from the web of the channel, thus
web is created
• If we sum the moments of these forces about pt A or C, the couple (or
torque) created by the flange forces causes the member to twist Σ MA = Ff d = Pe e = (Ff d)/P

≠
P

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2.5 Shear Center 2.5 Shear Center

Procedure for analysis Procedure for analysis
Shear-flow resultants Shear-flow resultants
• Magnitudes of force resultants that create a moment about • Determine the direction of shear flow through the various
pt A must be calculated segments of the x-section
• For each segment, determine the shear flow q at an • Sketch the force resultants on each segment of the x-
arbitrary pt on segment and then integrate q along the section
segment’s length • Since shear center determined by taking the moments of
• Note that V will create a linear variation of shear flow in these force resultants about a pt (A), choose this pt at a
segments that are perpendicular to V and a parabolic location that eliminates the moments of as many as force
variation of shear flow in segments that are parallel or resultants as possible
inclined to V

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2.5 Shear Center 2.5 Shear Center
Procedure for analysis Procedure for analysis
Shear center Shear center
• Sum the moments of the shear-flow resultants about pt A • If no axes of symmetry exists, rotate the x-section by 90o
and set this moment equal to moment of V about pt A and repeat the process to obtain another line of action for V
• Solve this equation and determine the moment-arm • Shear center then lies at the pt of intersection of the two 90o
distance e, which locates the line of action of V from pt A lines
• If axis of symmetry for x-section exists, shear center lies at
the pt where this axis intersects line of action of V

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Example 2-6 Example 2-6 (Soln)

Determine the location of the shear center for the thin-walled Shear-flow Distribution
channel section having the dimensions as shown. Vertical downward shear V applied to section causes shear
to flow through the flanges and web as shown. This causes
force resultants Ff and V in the flanges and web.

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Example 2-6 (Soln) Example 2-6 (Soln)
Shear-flow Distribution Shear-flow resultants
X-sectional area then divided into 3 component rectangles: a Hence,
web and 2 flanges. Assume each component to be thin, then
moment of inertia about the neutral axis is

I = (1/12)th3 + 2[bt(0.5h)2] = (0.5th2)[(h/6) + b]

The triangular area of
The shear flow, q, at the flange of the channel shear flow in flange
0.5b(qmax)f = Ff
VQ V(b – x)
q= =
I h[(h/6) + b]

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Example 2-6 (Soln) Example 2-7

Shear center • Determine the location of the shear center for the
Summing moments about pt A, we require angle having equal legs as shown in the figure.
Ve = Ff h
…

b2
e=
[(h/3) + 2b]

As stated previously, e depends only on

the geometry of the x-section.

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Example 2-7 (Soln) 2.5 Shear Center

• Take the moment around pt O IMPORTANT

• Shear center is the pt through which a force can be applied
Ve = 0 e=0 which will cause a beam to bend and yet not twist
• Location of the shear center is a sectional property, and
does not depend upon the applied loading
• Thus pt O must be the shear center
• Shear center will always lie on an axis of symmetry of the x-
section
• For doubly symmetric sections, the shear center coincides
with the centroid of the section
• All cross sections consisting of two narrow intersecting
rectangles have the shear center located at the junction.

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2.5 Shear Center 2.5 Shear Center

Z-section
• Assume that a shear force V acts parallel to the y axis. The y and z axes
are principal centroidal axes. Then the shear stresses in the flanges and
web will be directed as shown in the figure. By symmetry, the force in the
two flanges must be equal to each other, and have a equal and opposite
moments about O.
• Since this analysis can be repeated when the loads are applied in a plane
perpendicular to the other principal axis, we conclude that point O is the
shear center of the section.

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Example 2-8 Example 2-8 (Soln)

• Locate the shear center S of • Let us consider a section defined by the

distance l = rθ , measured along the median
the thin-walled semicircular line of the cross section.
cross section shown below

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Example 2-8 (Soln) Shear Center

• Where are shear centers?

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Self Test Self Test

• Calculate the location of the shear center • Where are the shear center?
t1 t2
V

b1 b2

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The End
of the Session
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