CHAPTER 10 BENDING OF BEAMS

EXERCISE 61, Page 149

1. A cantilever of solid circular cross-section is subjected to a concentrated load of 30 N at its free

end, as shown below. If the diameter of the cantilever is 10 mm, determine the maximum stress

in the cantilever.

πd 4 π×104
Second moment of area, I == = 490.9 mm 4 (1)
64 64
� , will occur at the built-in end of the beam, i.e. on the
The maximum bending moment, namely M

extreme right of the beam.

� = W × L = 30 N × 1.2 × 1000 mm = 36000 N mm

Maximum bending moment, M (2)

The maximum stress occurs at the outermost fibre of the beam’s cross-section from NA, at y

10 mm
By inspection, y = =5m (3)
2

σ M 
=  = My
from which, σ
y I I
Hence, from equations (1) to (3),

�
 = M y = 36000 N mm × 5 mm
σ = 367 N / mm
= 2
367 ×106 N / m 2
4
I 490.9 mm

� = 367 MPa
i.e. the maximum bending stress, σ

2. If the cantilever of problem 1 above were replaced with a tube of the same external diameter, but

of wall thickness 2 mm, what would be the maximum stress due to the load shown.

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 π ( D 2 4 − D14 ) π (104 − 64 )
I= = = 427.3 mm 4
64 64

y = 5 mm and M
� = 36000 N mm from Problem 1.

�
 = M y = 36000 N mm × 5 mm
σ = 421N / mm
= 2
421×106 N / m 2
I 427.3mm 4

� = 421 MPa
i.e. the maximum bending stress, σ

3. A uniform section beam, simply supported at its ends, is subjected to a centrally placed

concentrated load of 5 kN. The beam’s length is 1 m and its cross-section is a solid circular one.

If the maximum stress in the beam is limited to 30 MPa, determine the minimum permissible

diameter of the beam’s cross-section.

� = W × L = 2.5 kN × 0.5m = 2500 N × 0.5 ×1000 mm = 1.25 ×106 N mm

M
=σˆ 30=
MPa 30 N / mm 2
d
y =
2
d
� y 1.25 ×10 N mm × mm
6

 = M 2
σ = = 30 N / mm 2
I π d 4
mm 4
64
1.25 ×106 × 64
i.e. 30 =
2π d 3

1.25 ×106 × 64
=
from which, d3 = 424413
2π× 30

Hence, d = 3 424413

i.e. diameter, d = 75 mm

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© John Bird & Carl Ross Published by Taylor and Francis
4. If the cross-section of the beam of Problem 3 were of rectangular shape, as shown below,

determine its dimensions. Bending can be assumed to take place about the xx axis.

 = 30 MPa, M
From Problem 3, σ � = 1.25 × 106 N mm

D
D bD × D3 D 4
3
Now y = and I == 2=
2 12 12 24

D
� 1.25 ×106 ×
2 = 1.25 ×10 ×12
6
 = My
From above, σ i.e. 30 =
I D4 D3
24

1.25 × 106 × 12
i.e. =D3 = 500000
30

3
from which, D= 500000 = 79.4 mm

D 79.3
and b= = = 39.7 mm
2 2

Hence, the dimensions of the beam are 79.4 mm by 39.7 mm

5. If the cross-section of the beam of Problem 3 is a circular tube of external diameter d and

internal diameter d/2, determine the value of d.

 d 
4

π  d4 −   
  2  
If d is the external diameter, I = 
d
and y =
64 2

� 1.25 ×106 N mm
From problem 3, M =
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 d d
ˆ yˆ 1.25 ×106 × 1.25 ×106 ×
M 2 2
σˆ = =
hence, 30 =
I  4 d4   15 4 
π d −  π d 
 16   16 
64 64

π  15 4  2 1.25 ×106
Hence,  d × =
64  16  d 30

i.e. 0.0920 d 3 = 41666.67

41666.67
and d3 = = 452898.6
0.0920

3
Hence, external diameter, d = 452898.6 = 76.8 mm

6. A cantilever of length 2 m, carries a uniformly distributed load of 30 MN/m, as shown below.

Determine the maximum stress in the cantilever.

� l wl2 30N / m × 22 m 2
M = w × l × = = = 60 N m= 60 × 103 N mm
2 2 2

d 25 πd 4 π× 254
d = 25 mm; ŷ= = = 12.5 mm; = = 19175 mm 4
I=
2 2 64 64

ˆ yˆ 60 ×103 N mm ×12.5 mm
M
=
σˆ =
I 19175 mm 4

i.e. maximum stress = 39.1 MPa

7. If the cantilever of Problem 6 were replaced by a uniform section beam, simply supported at its

ends and carrying the same uniformly distributed load, determine the maximum stress in the

beam. The cross-section of the beam may be assumed to be the same as that of Problem 6.

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M̂ = 30 N × 1 m – 30 N × 1 m × 0.5 = 15 N m = 15 ×103 N mm

Using the values from Problem 6 gives:

M̂ y 15 ×103 N mm ×12.5 mm
=
σˆ =
I 19175 mm 4

i.e. maximum stress = 9.78 MPa

8. If the load in Problem 7 were replaced by a single concentrated load of 120 N, placed at a

distance of 0.75 m from the left support, what would be the maximum stress in the beam due to

this concentrated load.

Taking moments about B gives: R1 × 2= 120 × ( 2 − 0.75 )

150
i.e. R1 = = 75 N
2

M̂ occurs at point C, and M̂ = R1 × 0.75 = 75 × 0.75 = 56.25 N m = 56.25 ×103 N mm

M̂ y 56.25 ×103 N mm × 12.5 mm

=
σˆ =
I 19175 mm 4

i.e. maximum stress = 36.7 MPa

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© John Bird & Carl Ross Published by Taylor and Francis
 9. If the beam shown in problem 6 were replaced by another beam of the same length, but which

had a cross-section of tee form, as shown below, determine the maximum stress in the beam.

Section a y ay ay 2 i
1 75 37.5 2812.5 105469 156.3
2 175 17.5 3062.5 53594 17865
∑ 250 5875 159063 18021

=y
∑
=
ay 5875
= 23.5 mm
∑a 250

=
I XX ∑ ay + ∑ i
2
= 159063 + 18021 = 177084 mm 4

= I XX − y 2 ∑ a = 177084 – 23.5 2 × 250 = I = 39022 mm 4

I NA

M̂ y 56.25 ×103 N mm × 23.5 mm

=
σˆ =
I 39022 mm 4

i.e. maximum stress = 33.9 MPa

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EXERCISE 62, Page 150

Answers found from within the text of the chapter, pages 145 to 149.

EXERCISE 63, Page 150

1. (b) 2. (b) 3. (c)

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