Internal Forces in Beams

ES 1022y Engineering Statics Internal Forces
Internal Forces in Beams

Introduction
To design a structural member, we need to know the internal forces and moments acting
within the member to make sure that the material can withstand the load. These internal
loadings can be determined using the method of sections to find the unknown internal forces
and moments. Although we can use the method of sections to determine the internal loadings
in any member of a structure such as a truss, frame or machine, in this course we will
concentrate on the internal forces in beams.
Determining the Internal Forces

Consider the cantilevered beam shown below. A free body diagram of the beam allows the
support reactions at A to be determined by applying the equations of equilibrium to the entire
beam ( ∑ Fx = 0 , ∑ Fy = 0 , ∑ M A = 0 ).
Now what happens if, for example, we need to know the internal forces at point B? If we cut
or section the beam at B into two independent segments the internal loadings at the cut
become external loads on the FBD of each beam segment. Since the entire beam is in
equilibrium, we can also note that each of the beam segments must also be in equilibrium.
To maintain equilibrium of each beam segment rectangular force components NB and VB,
together with a couple moment MB must be developed at the cut section. Remember also that
these internal loadings must have the same magnitude but be acting in the opposite direction
on each of the segments.
The internal loadings at the section can then be determined by applying the equations of
equilibrium to one of the beam segments. Note that the internal couple moment MB is
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determined by taking moments about the point B in order to eliminate the moments due to the
unknowns NB and VB.
The force component acting normal to the beam at the cut section, NB, is called the normal or
axial force, while the force component acting tangential to the cut section beam, VB, is called
the shear force. The couple moment, MB, is referred to as the bending moment.
Sign Conventions for Internal Forces
The normal force is said to be positive if it is acting to create tension in the beam, that is it acts
away from the cut face on both beam segments.
The shear force is said to be positive if it causes clockwise rotation of the member on which it
acts. This means that positive shear acts downwards on the face of the beam segment to the
left of the cut, and upwards on the face of segment to the right of the cut.
The bending moment is positive if it causes compression in the top part of the beam and
tension in the bottom part. This means that a positive bending moment causes a counter-
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clockwise moment on the face of the beam segment to the left of the cut, and a clockwise
moment on the face of the segment to the right of the cut.
Procedure for Analysis

To determine the internal forces at any section of the beam:
1) if necessary, draw a FBD of entire beam and determine the support reactions.
2) keep all distributed loads, forces and couple moments acting on the beam in their exact
locations until after the beam is cut.
3) cut the beam perpendicular to its axis at the point you want the internal forces.
4) once the beam is cut, draw a FBD of one of the segments, remembering to include the
internal forces and bending moment acting at the cut section.
5) apply the equations of equilibrium ( ∑ Fx = 0 , ∑ Fy = 0 , ∑ M o = 0 ), remembering to
sum moments at the section about axes passing through the centroid or geometric centre of
the member’s cross-sectional area.
6) remember a negative answer indicates that the force or moment is acting in the opposite
direction to which it is drawn on the FBD.
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Example Problem
Determine the shear force and bending moment acting at a section passing through point D in
the beam. Point D is located just to the left of the 2500 lb force.
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Shear Force and Bending Moment Equations and Diagrams

Shear force and bending moment diagrams are graphical representations of the variations of
the values of shear force V and bending moment M as a function of position x along a beam’s
axis.
The variation of V and M can be determined by using the method of sections to cut the beam
at an arbitrary distance x from one end of the beam.
In general, equations for V and M change at points where concentrated forces or couple
moments are applied or where distributed loads change.
Note that the normal force N is not considered. This is because in most cases loads are applied
perpendicular to the beam’s axis and hence produce only an internal shear force and bending
moment.
Procedure for Analysis

To draw the shear force and bending moment diagram for a beam:
1) determine the beam support reactions
2) specify the distance from the left hand end of the beam to regions of the beam between
concentrated forces and/or couple moments, or to where there is no discontinuity of
distributed loading, in terms of a coordinate x.
3) section the beam perpendicular to its axis at each distance x and draw the FBD of one of
the beam segments, remembering to show V and M acting in their positive sense.
4) determine the equation for the shear force V by summing forces perpendicular to the
beam’s axis ( ∑ Fy = 0 ).
5) determine the equation for the bending moment M by summing moments about the
sectioned end of the beam segment being considered ( ∑ M o = 0 ).
6) draw the shear and bending moment diagrams (shear force and bending moment as a
function of x), indicating values of shear force at each discontinuity, point(s) at which
shear force equals zero, and magnitude of maximum bending moment (which will occur
when the shear force equals zero).
7) as a check, discontinuities in the shear force diagram should match the concentrated load
being applied at that point, and any discontinuity in the bending moment diagram should
match the magnitude of the couple moment being applied at that point.
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Example Problem
Draw the shear and bending moment diagrams for the cantilevered beam.
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Example Problem
Draw the shear and bending moment diagrams for the beam.
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Relations Between Distributed Load, Shear and Bending Moment

Consider the beam shown below, which is subjected to a combination of some arbitrary
distributed load, and several concentrated loads and couple moments. Is there an easier way of
determining the variations in shear and bending moment along the beam?
Now consider a free body diagram of a small segment of the beam not subjected to
concentrated loads or couple moments.
For force equilibrium in the vertical direction we require
This leads to the result that the slope of the shear force diagram at a point is equal to the
negative of the distributed load intensity at that same point (assuming that w is positive if it is
acting downwards). Also, if we integrate between two points the change in the shear force
between those two points is equal to the negative of the area under the distributed load curve.
Note that this relationship is not valid for a concentrated load.
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For moment equilibrium
This leads to the result that the slope of the bending moment diagram at a point is equal to the
shear at that point.
Furthermore, integrating between two points leads to the result that the area under the shear
force diagram between the two points is equal to the change in the bending moment between
those two points. Once again this relationship is not valid for a concentrated couple moment.
Additional Notes
Shear force:
• the shear force changes vertically at the location of a concentrated load i.e. if a
concentrated load is acting downwards on the beam, the shear force will jump downwards
by an amount equal to the magnitude of the concentrated load.
• the shear force is constant between concentrated loads, provided there is no distributed
load or couple moment being applied between the concentrated loads.
• the shear force due to a uniformly distributed load varies linearly.
Bending moment:
• the bending moment changes vertically at the location of a concentrated couple moment
i.e. if a clockwise couple moment acts on the beam, the bending moment will jump
upward by an amount equal to the magnitude of the couple moment.
• the bending moment varies linearly between concentrated loads if there is no distributed
load or couple moment being applied between the concentrated loads.
• the bending moment due to a uniformly distributed load varies parabolically.
Note also that the maximum bending moment occurs when the shear force is equal to zero.
This means that if the shear force is equal to zero at a number of locations along the beam, you
may need to calculate the maximum bending moment at each location to determine the overall
maximum bending moment.
Finally, the internal bending moment in a beam can have a non-zero value at a roller or pin
supporting the beam somewhere in mid-span.
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Example Problem
Draw the shear and bending moment diagrams for the beam.
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ES 1022y Engineering Statics Internal Forces

Internal Forces in Beams

Determining the Internal Forces

Sign Conventions for Internal Forces

Procedure for Analysis

Shear Force and Bending Moment Equations and Diagrams

Procedure for Analysis

Relations Between Distributed Load, Shear and Bending Moment

For force equilibrium in the vertical direction we require

For moment equilibrium

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