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Raising a new Generation of Leaders

Structural Mechanics –
Internal Forces in Beams and Frames
(Shear force and Bending moment)

Dr Oluwarotimi Olofinnade MNSE, Rg. Engr

Senior Lecturer, Department of Civil Engineering
Covenant University
 Module Objectives
• Students should have a clear understanding and definitions of the
shear force and bending moment as internal forces in structural
members

• Students should be able to determine the magnitude of the shearing

force and bending moment values at any section of a beam or frame;

• Students should be able to present the computed values in a

graphical form, which is referred to as the “shearing force” and the
“bending moment diagrams.”
• When a beam or frame is subjected
to transverse loadings, the three
possible internal forces that are
developed are the normal or axial
force, the shearing force, and the
bending moment, as shown in
section k of the cantilever of
Figure1a.
• To predict the behavior of structures,
the magnitudes of these forces must
be known.
• Bending moment and shearing force
diagrams aid immeasurably during
design, as they show the maximum
bending moments and shearing
forces needed for sizing structural
members.
 Basic Definitions
• Normal Force
The normal force at any section of a structure is defined as the
algebraic sum of the axial forces acting on either side of the section.

• Shearing Force/Shear Force

The shearing force (SF) is defined as the algebraic sum of all the
transverse forces acting on either side of the section of a beam or a frame.
The phrase “on either side” is important, as it implies that at any particular
instance the shearing force can be obtained by summing up the transverse
forces on the left side of the section or on the right side of the section.
 • Bending Moment
The bending moment (BM) is defined as the algebraic sum of all the
moments acting on either side of the section of a beam or a frame.

Shear Force Diagram (SFD)

This is a graphical representation of the variation of the shearing force on a portion or
the entire length of a beam or frame. As a convention, the shearing force diagram can
be drawn above or below the x-centroidal axis of the structure, but it must be indicated
if it is a positive or negative shear force.

Bending Moment Diagram (BMD)

This is a graphical representation of the variation of the bending moment on a segment
or the entire length of a beam or frame. As a convention, the positive bending moments
are drawn above the x-centroidal axis of the structure, while the negative bending
moments are drawn below the axis.
Sign Convention

Axial Force
An axial force is regarded as positive if
it tends to tier the member at the
section under consideration. Such a
force is regarded as tensile, while the
member is said to be subjected to axial
tension. On the other hand, an axial
force is considered negative if it tends
to crush the member at the section
being considered. Such force is
regarded as compressive, while the
member is said to be in axial
compression (see Figure 2a and
Figure 2b).
Shear Force
A shear force that tends to move
the left of the section upward or
the right side of the section
downward will be regarded as
positive. Similarly, a shear force
that has the tendency to move
the left side of the section
downward or the right side
upward will be considered a
negative shear force (see Figure
2c and Figure 2d).
Bending Moment
A bending moment is considered
positive if it tends to cause
concavity upward (sagging). If
the bending moment tends to
cause concavity downward
(hogging), it will be considered a
negative bending moment (see
Figure 2e and Figure 2f).
 Procedure for Computation of Internal Forces
• Draw the free-body diagram of the structure.
• Check the stability and determinacy of the structure. If the structure
is stable and determinate, proceed to the next step of the analysis.
• Determine the unknown reactions by applying the conditions of
equilibrium.
• Pass an imaginary section perpendicular to the neutral axis of the
structure at the point where the internal forces are to be determined.
The passed section divides the structure into two parts. Consider
either part of the structure for the computation of the desired internal
forces.
• For axial force computation, determine the summation of the axial
forces on the part being considered for analysis.
• For shearing force and bending moment computation, first
write the functional expression for these internal forces for
the segment where the section lies, with respect to the
distance 𝑥 from the origin.
• Compute the principal values of the shearing force and the
bending moment at the segment where the section lies.
• Draw the axial force, shearing force, and bending moment
diagram for the structure, noting the sign conventions
discussed.
• For cantilevered structures, step three could be omitted by
considering the free-end of the structure as the initial
starting point of the analysis.
Draw the shearing force and bending moment diagrams
for the cantilever beam supporting a concentrated load at
the free end, as shown.

Support reactions. First, compute the reactions at the

support.
Shearing force function. Let 𝑥 be the distance of an
arbitrary section from the free end of the cantilever beam.
The shearing force at that section due to the transverse
forces acting on the segment of the beam to the left of the
section (see fig below) is 𝑉 = – 5 k.
 Bending moment function. By definition, the bending
moment at a section is the summation of the
moments of all the forces acting on either side of the
section. Thus, the expression for the bending
moment of the 5 k force on the section at a distance 𝑥
from the free end of the cantilever beam is
as follows:

The obtained expression is valid for the entire beam

Calculate and draw the shearing force and bending
moment diagrams for the cantilever beam subjected to a
uniformly distributed load in its entire length, as shown.
Support reactions. First, compute the reactions at the support

Next, estimate the shearing force function

Let 𝑥 be the distance of an arbitrary section from the free
end of the cantilever beam. The shearing force of all the
forces acting on the segment of the beam to the left of the
section, as shown is determined as follows:

The obtained expression is valid for the entire beam. The

negative sign indicates a negative shearing force, which
was established from the sign convention for a shearing
force. The expression also shows that the shearing force
varies linearly with the length of the beam.
Bending moment expression. The expression for the
bending moment at a section of a distance 𝑥 from the free
end of the cantilever beam is as follows:

Bending moment diagram. Since the function for the bending moment is parabolic, the bending
moment diagram is a curve.
Classwork: Draw the shearing force and bending moment
diagrams for the cantilever beam subjected to the loads
shown in Figure below.
Draw the shearing force and bending moment diagrams for the beam with
an overhang subjected to the loads shown. Determine the position and the
magnitude of the maximum bending moment.
Support reactions. The reactions at the supports of the beam are shown in the free-body diagram
in Figure above. The reactions are computed by applying the following equations of equilibrium:
Shear and bending moment functions. Due to the discontinuity in the shades of distributed
loads at the support B, two regions of x are considered for the description and moment
functions, as shown below:
Shearing force and bending moment diagrams. The computed values of the
shearing force and bending moment are plotted.

• Observe that the values of the shear force at the supports are equal to the
values of the support reactions.
• Also, notice in the diagram that the shear in the region AB is a curve and
the shear in the region BC is a straight, which all correspond to the
parabolic and linear functions respectively obtained for the regions.
• The bending moment diagrams for both regions are curvilinear. The curve
for the AB region is deeper than that in the BC region. This is because the
obtained function for the AB region is cubical while that for the BC region is
parabolic.
Position and magnitude of maximum bending moment. Maximum
bending moment occurs where the shearing force equals zero. As
shown in the shearing force diagram, the maximum bending
moment occurs in the portion 𝐴𝐵.
Equating the expression for the shear force for that portion as
equal to zero suggests the following:

The magnitude of the maximum bending moment can be

determined by putting 𝑥 =2.21 m into the expression for the
bending moment for the portion AB. Thus,
Draw the shearing force and bending moment diagrams
for the compound and overhang beams subjected to the
loads shown in Figure below.
Draw the shear force and bending moment diagrams for
the frame subjected to the loads shown in Figure below.
Free-body diagram. The free-body diagram of the beam is shown.
Support reactions. The reactions at the support of the beam can be computed as follows when
considering the free-body diagram and using the equations of equilibrium:
 Shearing force and bending moment functions of beam BC.

Shearing force and bending moment functions of column AB

Shearing force and bending moment diagrams. The computed values of the shearing force and
bending moment for the frame are plotted as shown
Draw the shearing force and the bending moment
diagrams for the frames shown.
Recommended texts
 Strength of Materials (Mechanics of Solid) by Er. R.K. Rajput, 2006, 4th
edition, S Chand Ltd
 Structural Analysis, by R.C. Coates, M.G. Coutie and F.K. Kong, 1990,
Reprint edition, CRC Press
 Structural Analysis by Aslam Kassimali, 2011, 4th edition, Cengage
learning
 Structural Analysis by R.C. Hibbeler, 2012. 8th edition, Pearson Prentice
Hall
 Structural Analysis; in theory and Practice by Alan Williams, 2009,
Revised edition, Butterworth-Heinemann
 Structural and Stress Analysis 2nd Edition, T.H.G. Megson
 Structural Mechanics 5th or 6th Edition by Durka, Morgan & Williams