UNIT-1

PART-A: DESIGN OF CURVED BEAMS

TOPICS:
 Stresses in curved beams,
 Expression for radius of neutral axis for rectangular, circular, trapezoidal and T-Section.
 Design of crane hooks,
 Design of C –clamps.

Curved beam: A Beam in which the neutral axis in the unloaded condition is curved beam
instead of straight.
(or)
If the beam is originally curved before applying the bending moment are termed as curved beam.

Applications of Curved Beam:

 C-clamps
 Crane hooks
 Presses
 Chains and Bracket
 Links and Rings

Assumptions of stressed in curved beams (or) Winckler-Bach Equation:

 The material of the beam is perfectly Homogeneous and isotropic.

 The material of the beam obeys Hook’s law.
 Youngs Modulus is same in tension and compression.
 Stresees induced are with in the elastic limit.
 Each layer of the beam is free to expand independent of the layer above it.

BENDING STRESSES IN CURVED BEAMS:

The straight beams, the neutral axis of the section coincides with its centroidal axis
and the stress distribution in the beam is linear. But in case of curved beams, the neutral axis of
the cross-section is shifted towards the centre of curvature of the beam causing a non-linear
(hyperbolic) distribution of stress, as shown in Fig.It may be noted that the neutral axis lies
between the centroidal axis and the centre of curvature and always occurs within the curved
beams.
 Consider a curved beam subjected to a bending moment M, as shown in Fig. In finding the
bending stress in curved beams, the same assumptions are used as for straight beams. The
general expression for the bending stress (σb) in a curved beam at any fibre at a distance y from
the neutral axis, is given by

Where, M = Bending moment acting at the given section about the centroidal axis,
A = Area of cross-section,
e = Distance from the centroidal axis to the neutral axis = R – Rn,
R = Radius of curvature of the centroidal axis,
Rn = Radius of curvature of the neutral axis, and
y = Distance from the neutral axis to the fibre under consideration.
It is positive for the distances towards the centre of curvature and negative for the distances
away from the centre of curvature.
Notes : 1. The bending stress in the curved beam is zero at a point other than at the centroidal
axis.
2. If the section is symmetrical such as a circle, rectangle, I-beam with equal flanges, then the
maximum bending stress will always occur at the inside fibre.
3. If the section is unsymmetrical, then the maximum bending stress may occur at either the
inside fibre or the outside fibre. The maximum bending stress at the inside fibre is given by

where ,yi = Distance from the neutral axis to the inside fibre = Rn – Ri , and
Ri = Radius of curvature of the inside fibre.
The maximum bending stress at the outside fibre is given by,

where ,yo = Distance from the neutral axis to the outside fibre = Ro – Rn, and
Ro = Radius of curvature of the outside fibre.
It may be noted that the bending stress at the inside fibre is tensile while the bending stress at the
outside fibre is compressive.
4. If the section has an axial load in addition to bending, then the axial or direct stress (σd) must
be added algebraically to the bending stress, in order to obtain the resultant stress on the section.
In other words,
Resultant stress, σ = σd ± σb

Expression for radius of neutral axis for rectangular, circular, trapezoidal and T-Section
The following table shows the values of Rn and R for various commonly used cross-sections
in curved beams.
Problems:
1.The frame of a punch press is shown in Fig. 5.9. Find the stresses at the inner and outer
surface at section X-X of the frame, if W = 5000 N.?
2.The crane hook carries a load of 20 kN as shown in Fig. The section at X-X is
rectangular whose horizontal side is 100 mm. Find the stresses in the inner and outer fibres
at the given section.
3. A C-clamp is subjected to a maximum load of W, as shown in Fig. If the maximum
tensile stress in the clamp is limited to 140 MPa, find the value of load W.

Radius Curvature at neutral axis

4. A steel bracket is subjected to a load of 4.5 kN, as shown in Fig. 5.41. Determine the
required thickness of the section at A-A in order to limit the tensile stress to 70 MPa

Answer: t =9mm
5. A crane hook made from a 50 mm diameter bar is shown in Fig. 5.39. Find the maximum
tensile stress and specify its location

Answer: Max stress=35.72 MPA

SHORT ANSWER QUESTIONS

1.Define beam and curved beams.? (MAY/JUNE-2019)

Beam is a structural element that primarily resists loads applied laterally to the beam's axis. Its
mode of deflection is primarily by bending. The loads applied to the beam result in reaction
forces at the beam's support points. The total effect of all the forces acting on the beam is to
produce shear forces and bending moments within the beam, that in turn induce internal
stresses, strains and deflections of the beam.
Curved Beam. (in strength of materials and the theory of elasticity), a body whose geometric
shape is formed by the motion in space of a plane figure (called the cross section of the curved
beam); its center of gravity always follows a certain curve (the axis), and the plane of the figure
is normal to the curve.

2. State any four assumptions made in deriving the expression for stress due to bending at
the extreme fibers of a curved beam? ( December/January 2018/19)
1. The material of the beam is homogeneous1 and isotropic2.
2. The value of Young's Modulus of Elasticity is same in tension and compression.
3. The transverse sections which were plane before bending, remain plane after bending
also.
4. The beam is initially straight and all longitudinal filaments bend into circular arcs with a
common centre of curvature.
5. The radius of curvature is large as compared to the dimensions of the cross-section.
6. Each layer of the beam is free to expand or contract, independently of the layer, above or
below it.