CHAPTER 4: SHEAR AND MOMENT IN BEAMS SHEAR-MOMENT EQUATIONS AND SHEAR-MOMENT DIAGRAMS

The determination of the internal force system acting at a

INTRODUCTION: given section of a beam is straightforward: We draw a free-
The term beam refers to a slender bar that carries transverse loading; that is, the applied body diagram that exposes these forces and then compute
forces are perpendicular to the bar. In a beam, the internal force system consists of a shear force the forces using equilibrium equations.
and a bending moment acting on the cross section of the bar. In the previous chapters, axial and
torsional loads often result in internal forces that are constant in the bar, or over portions of the bar.
The study of beams, however, is complicated by the fact that the shear force and the bending
moment usually vary continuously along the length of the beam. However, the goal of beam analysis is more involved—we
This chapter is concerned only with the variation of the shear force and the bending want to determine the shear force V and the bending
moment under various combinations of loads and types of supports. Knowing the distribution of the moment M at every cross section of the beam. To
shear force and the bending moment in a beam is essential for the computation of stresses and accomplish this task, we must derive the expressions for V
deformations. and M in terms of the distance x measured along the beam.
By plotting these expressions to scale, we obtain the shear
SUPPORTS AND LOADS force and bending moment diagrams for the beam. The
Beams are classified according to their supports. shear force and bending moment diagrams are convenient
visual references to the internal forces in a beam; in
SIMPLY SUPPORTED BEAM: CANTILEVER BEAM: particular, they identify the maximum values of V and M.

SIGN CONVENTIONS
`For consistency, it is necessary to
adopt sign conventions for applied
OVERHANGING BEAM: loading, shear forces, and bending
moments. We will use the conventions
shown in the figure shown, which
assume the following to be positive:
A concentrated load, such as P, is an approximation of a force that acts over a very small area. In 1) External couples that are directed
contrast, a distributed load is applied over a finite area. The intensity w of this loading is expressed clockwise.
as force per unit length (lb/ft, N/m, etc.). The load distribution may be uniform, or it may vary with 2) Shear forces that tend to rotate a
distance along the beam. The weight of the beam is an example of distributed loading, but its beam element clockwise.
magnitude is usually small compared to the loads applied to the beam. 3) Bending moments that tend to bend
a beam element concave
upward (the beam smiles’’).
PROCEDURE FOR DETERMINING SHEAR FORCE AND BENDING MOMENT DIAGRAMS
The following is a general procedure for obtaining shear force and bending
moment diagrams of a statically determinate beam:
 Compute the support reactions from the FBD of the entire beam.
 Divide the beam into segments so that the loading within each segment is continuous.
Thus, the end-points of the segments are discontinuities of loading, including concentrated
loads and couples.

Perform the following steps for each segment of the beam:

 Introduce an imaginary cutting plane within the segment, located at a distance x from the
left end of the beam, that cuts the beam into two parts. Sample Problem #2
 Draw a FBD for the part of the beam lying either to the left or to the right of the cutting Draw the shear and bending-moment diagrams for the
plane, whichever is more convenient. At the cut section, show V and M acting in their beam and loading shown, and determine the maximum
positive directions. absolute value (a) of the shear, (b) of the bending
 Determine the expressions for V and M from the equilibrium equations obtainable from the moment.
FBD.
 Plot the expressions for V and M for the segment.

Sample Problem #1
Draw the shear and bending-moment diagrams for the
beam and loading shown, and determine the maximum
absolute value (a) of the shear, (b) of the bending moment.
 AREA METHOD FOR DRAWING SHEAR-MOMENT DIAGRAMS
Useful relationships between the loading, shear force, and bending moment can be derived from
the equilibrium equations. These relationships enable us to plot the shear force diagram directly
from the load diagram, and then construct the bending moment diagram from the shear force
diagram. This technique, called the area method, allows us to draw the shear force and bending
moment diagrams without having to derive the equations for V and M.
Sample Problem #3
For the beam and loading shown, (a) determine the
equations of the shear and bending-moment curves,
(b) draw the shear and bending-moment diagrams,

Sample Problem #4
Construct the shear force and bending moment
diagrams for the beam shown by the area method.
Neglect the weight of the beam.
Sample Problem #5 MOVING LOADS
Construct the shear force and bending moment A truck or other vehicle rolling across a beam or girder constitutes a system of concentrated loads
diagrams for the beam shown by the area method. at fixed distances from one another.
Neglect the weight of the beam.
In general, the bending moment under a particular load is a maximum when the center of the
beam is midway between that load and the resultant of all the loads then on the span. With this
rule, we compute the maximum moment under each load, and use the biggest of the moments for
the design. Usually, the biggest of these moments occurs under the biggest load.

Sample Problem #6
Construct the shear force and
bending moment diagrams for the
beam shown by the area method.
Neglect the weight of the beam.

The maximum shear occurs at the reaction where the resultant load is nearest. Usually, it happens
if the biggest load is over that support and as many a possible of the remaining loads are still on
the span.
Sample Problem #7
A truck with axle loads of 40 kN and 60 kN on a wheel base of 5 m rolls across a 10-m span.
Compute the maximum bending moment and the maximum shearing force.

Sample Problem #8
A truck and trailer combination crossing a 12-m span has axle loads of 10, 20, and 30 kN separated
respectively by distances of 3 and 5 m. Compute the maximum moment and maximum shear
developed in the span.