Experiment 1: Shear Force and Bending Moment at a Point due to a Point Load Acting at a

Specific Location.
Objectives:
To show that the bending moment at a cut section of a beam is equal to the algebraic sum of the
moment acting to the left or right of the section and the shear force at a cut section of a beam is
equal to the algebraic sum of the acting to the left or right of the section.
Theory:

Figure 1: Schematic diagram of beam

When the load is to the left of x-x;
Shear force at section x-x is: = 1
Or =
When the load is to the right of x-x;
=
When the load is to the left of x-x;
Bending Moment at section x-x is: = 1 1
Or = 2
When the load is to the right of x-x;
Or =
Quartz piezoelectricity

When certain crystals such as quartz is squeezed electricity will flow through them.
Piezoelectricity is the appearance of an electrical potential (voltage) across the sides of a crystal
when you subject it to mechanical stress by squeezing it. When Quartz piezoelectric is squeezed
the electricity will flow to the recorder and the reading will be displayed. Multiple times of force
apply on the quartz piezoelectric will causes the quartz to send out multiple electricity and sum
up on the recorder.

Apparatus:

Special beam with cut section

A pair of simple supports
A set of weights with a load hanger

Procedure:
1. The indicator was switched on. The indicator was switched on 10 minutes before taking
reading to ensure the stability of the reading.
2. Two simple supports were fixed to the aluminum base at a distance equal to the span of
the beam to be tested. The support was screwed tightly to the base.
3. The load hanger was hanged to the beam.
4. The beam was placed on the support.
5. The load hanger was placed at the desired location.
6. The indicator readings were noted. If they are not zero the tare button on the indicator
was pressed.
 7. A load was placed on the load hanger.
8. The indicator reading was recorded.
9. Load was added to the load hanger and the indicator reading was recorded.
10. Step 9 was repeated for another 4 sets of readings.
11. The location was moved closer to the cut section.
12. Step 6 to step 10 was repeated.

Result and Calculations:

Case 1:
Beam span = 900 mm
Distance of the load cell from the top of the beam at the cut section = 200 mm
Distance of the cut section from the right support, 2 = 295 mm
Distance of the load from the left support, 1 = 450 mm
Weight (N) Horizontal Load Cell Experiment Bending Theoretical Bending
Reading, (N) Moment, Moment,
0.2(Nm) 2 (Nm)
10 7.3 1.46 1.48
20 14.0 2.80 2.95
30 22.0 4.40 4.43
40 29.5 5.90 5.90
50 36.7 7.34 7.38

Weight (N) Vertical Load Cell Experiment Shear Theoretical Shear

Reading, (N) Force, (N) Force, (N)
10 4.8 4.8 5
20 9.1 9.1 10
30 13.9 13.9 15
40 18.9 18.9 20
50 24.3 24.3 25

0.2 = 7.3 0.2

= 1.46
Take moment at ,
(1 ) () = 0
(0.45) (0.9) = 0
 (0.45)
=
(0.9)
10(0.45)
=
(0.9)
=5
2 = 5 0.295
= 1.48

Theoretical slope:
Bending Moment:
1 0.45
1 2 ( ) = 1 0.295 ( )
0.9
= 0.15
Shear force:
1 0.45
1( )= 1( )
0.9
= 0.50
Percentage error:
Bending Moment:
100 100
( ) ( )% = (0.15 0.14) ( )%
0.15

= 6.67%
Shear force:
100 100
( ) ( )% = (0.50 0.46) ( )%
0.50
= 8%
Case 2:
Beam span = 900 mm
Distance of the load cell from the top of the beam at the cut section = 200 mm
Distance of the cut section from the right support, 2 = 295 mm
Distance of the load from the left support, 1 = 150 mm
Weight (N) Horizontal Load Cell Experiment Bending Theoretical Bending
Reading, (N) Moment, Moment,
0.2(Nm) 2 (Nm)
10 1.6 0.32 0.49
20 3.7 0.74 0.98
30 5.8 1.16 1.48
40 8.1 1.62 1.97
50 10.8 2.16 2.46

Weight (N) Vertical Load Cell Experiment Shear Theoretical Shear

Reading, (N) Force, (N) Force, (N)
10 1.1 1.1 1.67
20 2.5 2.5 3.33
30 4.1 4.1 5.00
40 5.5 5.5 6.67
50 6.3 6.3 8.33

0.2 = 1.6 0.2

= 0.32
Take moment at ,
(1 ) () = 0
(0.15) (0.9) = 0
(0.15)
=
(0.9)
10(0.15)
=
(0.9)
= 1.67
2 = 1.67 0.295
= 0.49
Theoretical slope:
Bending Moment:
1 0.15
1 2 ( ) = 1 0.295 ( )
0.9
= 0.05
Shear force:
1 0.15
1( )= 1( )
0.9
= 0.17
Percentage error:
Bending Moment:
100 100
( ) ( )% = (0.05 0.038) ( )%
0.05

= 24%
Shear force:
100 100
( ) ( )% = (0.17 0.132) ( )%
0.17
= 22.35%
Discussion:
1. Experimental value is only slightly higher than theoretical value, this shows that the
experiment is successfully performed.
2. When load applied to the beam a rotational force is applied to the beam due to the fixed points.
The rotational force is known as torque.
3. The closer the load to the cut section the higher the magnitude of shear force and bending
moment.
4. If the horizontal load cell is place closer to the beam it will produce lesser torque hence lesser
bending moment because bending moment is the product of force and distance and vice versa.
5. The percentage error for bending moment of case 1 and case 2 comparing to the theoretical
value is 6.67% and 24% respectively. While the percentage error of shear force of case 1
compare to the theoretical value is 8% and 22.35% respectively. From the reading, we can see
that there are slight different between theoretical and experimental value.
6. There are few factors that could affect the experimental value. First will be zero error during
measurement of beam using long ruler. Besides, Systematic error might be one of the factor,
while using quartz piezoelectric to measure some external force is applied while loading the
weight to the beam.
Experiment 2: Shear Force and Bending Moment at a Point due to Several Point Load Acting at
Various Location
Objectives:
To show that the bending moment at a cut section of a beam is equal to the algebraic sum of the
moment acting to the left or right of the section and the shear force at a cut section of a beam is
equal to the algebraic sum of the acting to the left or right of the section.
Theory:

Figure 3: Schematic diagram of a beam

Shear force at section x-x is: = 1 + 2 + 3 +

Or =
Bending Moment at section x-x is:
= 1 ( 1 ) + 2 ( 2 ) + 3 ( 3 )
Or = 4
Apparatus:

Special beam with cut section

A pair of simple supports
A set of weights with a load hanger

Procedure:
1. The indicator was switched on. The indicator was switched on 10 minutes before taking
reading to ensure the stability of the reading.
2. Two simple support was fixed to the aluminum base at a distance equal to the span of the
beam to be tested. The support was screwed tightly to the base.
3. Two load hangers was slide to the beam.
4. The beam was placed on the support.
5. The load hangers was placed at the desired location.
6. The indicator reading was noted. If they are not zero the tare button on the indicator was
pressed.
7. A load was placed on each load hanger.
8. The indicator reading was recorded.
9. The load was added to the load hangers and the indicators readings was recorded.
10. Step 7 to 9 was repeated for another few sets of readings.
11. Step 3 to 10 was repeated for three load hangers.
Result and Calculations:
Case 3:
Beam span = 900 mm
Distance of the load cell from the top of the beam at the cut section = 200 mm
Distance of the load from the left support, 1 = 200 mm
Distance of the load from the left support, 2 = 400 mm
Distance of the cut section from the right support, 4 = 295 mm

Weight (N) Horizontal Load Cell Experiment Bending Theoretical Bending

Reading, (N) Moment, Moment,
0.2(Nm) 4 (Nm)
10 9.5 1.90 1.97
20 18.3 3.66 3.93
30 28.8 5.76 5.90
40 37.9 7.58 7.87
50 48.3 9.66 9.83

Weight (N) Vertical Load Cell Experiment Shear Theoretical Shear

Reading, (N) Force, (N) Force, (N)
10 6.3 6.3 6.67
20 13.1 13.1 13.33
30 18.8 18.8 20.00
40 26.3 26.3 26.67
50 30.1 30.1 33.33

0.2 = 9.5 0.2

= 1.9
Take moment at ,
1 (1 ) + 2 (2 ) () = 0
1 (0.2) + 2 (0.4) (0.9) = 0
1 (0.2) + 2 (0.4)
=
(0.9)
10(0.2) + 10(0.4)
=
(0.9)
 = 6.67
4 = 6.67 0.295
= 1.97
Percentage error:
Bending Moment:
100 100
( ) ( )% = (0.098 0.094) ( )%
0.098

= 4.08%
Shear force:
100 100
( ) ( )% = (0.333 0.309) ( )%
0.333
= 7.20%

Case 4:
Beam span = 900 mm
Distance of the load cell from the top of the beam at the cut section = 200 mm
Distance of the cut section from the right support, 2 = 200 mm
Distance of the cut section from the right support, 3 = 400 mm
Distance of the cut section from the right support, 4 = 295 mm
Distance of the load from the left support, 1 = 100 mm

Weight (N) Bending Moment(N) Experimental Theoretical

value(N/m) value(N/m)
10 10.1 2.02 1.968
20 23.6 4.76 4.590
30 36.2 7.24 6.880

Weight (N) Shear force(N) Experimental Theoretical

value(N/m) value(N/m)
10 7.2 7.2 7.78
20 14.9 14.9 15.56
30 21.7 21.7 23.33
 0.2 = 10.1 0.2
= 2.02
Take moment at ,
1 (1 ) + 2 (2 ) + 3 (3 ) () = 0
1 (0.1) + 2 (0.2) + 3 (0.4) (0.9) = 0
1 (0.1) + 2 (0.2) + 3 (0.4)
=
(0.9)
10(0.1) + 10(0.2) + 10(0.4)
=
(0.9)
= 7.78
4 = 7.78 0.295
= 2.29

Percentage error:
Bending Moment:
100 100
( ) ( )% = (0.074 0.078) ( )%
0.074

= 5.13%
Shear force:
100 100
( ) ( )% = (0.255 0.244) ( )%
0.255
= 4.31%
 Comperison of gradient of bending moment between
Theory and Experimental value
0.16
0.14
0.12
0.1
Gradient

0.08
0.06
0.04
0.02
0
1 2 3 4
case

Experiment Theoretical

Comperison of gradient of Shear Force between Theory

and Experimental value
0.6

0.5

0.4
Gradient

0.3

0.2

0.1

0
1 2 3 4
case

Experiment Theoretical
Discussion:
1. From the bar chart, we could have observed that the theoretical value is higher than the
experimental value.
2. The experimental value is only slightly off compare to the theoretical value and this
shows that our experiment is successfully performed.
3. There are few factors that could affect the experimental value. First will be zero error
during measurement of beam using long ruler. Besides, Systematic error might be one of
the factor, while using quartz piezoelectric to measure some external force is applied
while loading the weight to the beam.
4. -Material of beam is homogenous and isotropic
-Beam is initially straight and all longitudinal filaments bend in circular arcs
-Each layer of the beam is free to expand or contract
Conclusions:
1. From both of the experiment the result shows that bending moment and shear force is
directly proportional to the load applied. As the weight increased, bending moment and
shear force increased as well. The error we obtained from the experiment does not show
large different compared to the theoretical value. The highest percentage of error is 24%,
on the bending moment on experiment1, case 2.
2. Error can never be ignored during laboratory experiment. To improve the accuracy of the
experiment we could repeat the experiment for three times and take the average reading
of the result. Beside we should pay extra careful while applying the load on the beam to
avoid any external fore on the beam and affect the reading produce by the quartz
piezoelectric. Furthermore, every time before a load is added the Quartz Piezoelectric
meter should be reset to zero.

References:

Cheng, Fa-Hwa. "Shear Forces and Bending Moments in Beams" Statics and Strength of
Materials. New York: Glencoe, McGraw-Hill, 1997. Print.
S. Trolier-McKinstry (2008). "Chapter3: Crystal Chemistry of Piezoelectric Materials". In A.
Safari; E.K. Akdogan. Piezoelectric and Acoustic Materials for Transducer Applications.
New York: Springer.