BENDING MOMENTS AND SHEARING FORCES
Monday, June 23, 2025 5:08 PM
Basic Definitions
Beam: Beam is a structural member which is acted upon by a system of external loads.
Bending: Bending implies deformation of a bar produced by loads perpendicular to its axis as
well as force-couples acting in a plane passing through the axis of the bar
Point load: A point load or concentrated load is one which is considered to act at a point
Distributed load: A distributed load is one which is distributed or spread in some manner over the length of
the beam.
3.2 Shearing Force (S.F.) and Bending Moment (B.M.)
When a beam, which is in equilibrium under a series of forces, is cut in some section , and the beam to the
left to the section remain in equilibrium (Fig. 3.1), then some force must act at the section. Prior to cutting,
this force would be provided by the adjacent material, and would act tangentially to the section. Hence there
will be a shearing force at the section. Numerically, this shearing force will be given by the algebraic sum of
the forces to the left or to the right of the section. As a convention, an upward force to the left of the section
is considered as producing negative shearing force. Similarly an upward force to the right of the section will
produce positive shearing force.
The bending moment is the algebraic sum of moments to the left or right of the section. In each case, by
considering equilibrium, either for forces or moments the resultant caused by the applied forces to one side
of the section is balanced by the bending moment and shearing force acting at the section. The "sign
conventions” for bending moments is that a beam in "hogging" condition is subject to negative bending
moment, and one in a "sagging" condition to positive bending moment (Fig. 3.2).
3.3 Classification of Beams
Depending upon the type of supports beams are classified as follows
A cantilever is a beam whose one end is fixed and the other end free. Fig. 3.3 shows a cantilever with end A
rigidly fixed into its support and the other end B free. The length between A and B is known as the length of
cantilever.
2. Simply (or freely) supported beam
A simply supported beam is one whose ends freely rest on walls or columns or knife edges (Fig. 3.4). In all
such cases, the reactions are always upwards.
MPE 222 SOLID STRUCTURAL MECHANICS 1 [Link] Page 1
3. Overhanging beam
An overhanging beam is one in which the supports are not situated at the ends i.e. one or both the ends
project beyond the supports. In Fig. 3.5, C and D are two supports and both the ends A and B of the beam are
overhanging beyond the supports C and D respectively.
4. Fixed beam
A fixed beam is one whose both ends are rigidly fixed or built in into its supporting walls or columns (Fig. 3.6).
5. Continuous beam.
A continuous beam is one which has more than two supports. The supports at the extreme left and right are
called the end supports. All the other supports, except the extreme, are called intermediate supports.
Sign Conventions
For writing the general expressions for bending moment, and shearing force we shall be the adopting the
following sign conventions:
Shearing force
A shearing force having an upward direction to the right hand side of a section or downwards to the left of
the section will be taken ‘positive’. Similarly, a negative shearing force will be one that has a downward
direction to the right of the section or upward direction to the left of section
Bending Moment
MPE 222 SOLID STRUCTURAL MECHANICS 1 [Link] Page 2
Bending Moment
A bending moment causing concavity upwards will be taken as 'positive' and called as sagging bending
moment bending moment, a bending moment causing convexity upwards will be taken as 'negative' and
called hogging bending moment.
3.4 CANTILEVER BEAMS
3.4.2 Cantilever with Uniformly Distributed Load
Let the load be distributed over the whole length of the beam, the loading being per unit run (Fig.3.8).
MPE 222 SOLID STRUCTURAL MECHANICS 1 [Link] Page 3
3.4.3 Cantilever Carrying Uniformly Distributed Load for a Part of its Length from the Free End
Fig. 3.9 shows a cantilever AB of length carrying a uniformly distributed load of per unit run for a
distance from the free end.
MPE 222 SOLID STRUCTURAL MECHANICS 1 [Link] Page 4
3.4.4 Cantilever Carrying Load Whose Intensity Varies Uniformly from Zero at the Free End to Per
Unit Run at the Fixed End
Fig. 3.11 shows a cantilever of length carrying a point load whose intensity varies uniformly from
zero at the free end to per unit run at the fixed end. Let the intensity of loading at , at a distance
from the free end be per unit run.
MPE 222 SOLID STRUCTURAL MECHANICS 1 [Link] Page 5
from the free end be per unit run.
MPE 222 SOLID STRUCTURAL MECHANICS 1 [Link] Page 6
3.4.5 Cantilever Carrying Load Whose Intensity Varies Uniformly from Zero at the Fixed Point End to
per Unit Run at the Free End
Fig. 3.13 shows a cantilever AB of length (fixed at B and free at A) carrying a load whose intensity varies
uniformly from zero at the fixed end to per unit run at the free end. It is convenient to find S.F and
B.M. at any section by considering the left part of the section.
MPE 222 SOLID STRUCTURAL MECHANICS 1 [Link] Page 7
MPE 222 SOLID STRUCTURAL MECHANICS 1 [Link] Page 8
MPE 222 SOLID STRUCTURAL MECHANICS 1 [Link] Page 9
MPE 222 SOLID STRUCTURAL MECHANICS 1 [Link] Page 10
MPE 222 SOLID STRUCTURAL MECHANICS 1 [Link] Page 11
MPE 222 SOLID STRUCTURAL MECHANICS 1 [Link] Page 12
MPE 222 SOLID STRUCTURAL MECHANICS 1 [Link] Page 13
3.5.5 The Points of Contraflexure
The bending moments of opposite
e nature always produce curvatures of beams in opposite directions. In a beam if the bending moment
changes sign at a point, the point itself having zero bending moment, the beam changes curvature at
this point of zero bending moment and this point is called the point of contraflexure. So at a point of
contraflexure the beam flexes in opposite direction. The point of contraflexure is called the point of
inflexion or a virtual hinge. The point of contraflexure can be found by setting the bending moment
equation in terms of equal to zero for part of a span where bending moment is likely to change sign.
3.5.6 Loading and B.M. Diagrams from S.F. Diagrams
If the S.F. diagram for a beam is given, (or the B.M. diagram is given) the loading diagrams for
the beam can very easily be drawn, if the following points are remembered:
1. The S.F. diagram will consist of rectangle (or series of rectangles), if the beam is loaded with
point loads.
2. The S.F. diagram will consist of inclined lines for the portion on which . . . is acting.
3. The S.F. diagram will consist of parabolic lines for the portion over which triangular or
trapezium load distribution is acting.
4. The S.F. diagram will consist of 'cubic' for the portion over which parabolic load distribution
is acting.
5. The B.M. diagram will consist of inclined lines if the beam is loaded with free point loads.
6. The B.M. diagram will consist of parabolic lines for portion over which U.D.L. is acting.
7. The B.M. diagram will consist of' cubic' or third degree polynomials if the load distribution is
a triangle.
8. The B.M. diagram will consist of fourth degree polynomial if the load distribution is parabolic.
MPE 222 SOLID STRUCTURAL MECHANICS 1 [Link] Page 14
