

However, more often it’s the case that we know the value of the bending moment at a point and use this to work out the maximum values of normal stress at that location. If we know the state of longitudinal or normal stress due to bending at a given section in a structure we can work out the corresponding bending moment. The bending moment diagram shows how (and therefore normal stress) varies across a structure. 💡 The internal bending moment, is the bending moment we represent in a bending moment diagram. You might recognise this pair of forces as forming a couple or moment.

The same is true for the stress acting on the cut face of the beam. We know that if we multiply a stress by the area over which it acts, we get the resultant force on that area. This simply means we need to multiple the strain at some point in the beam by the Young’s modulus (modulus of elasticity) to get the corresponding stress at that point in the beam. We can assume this beam is made of a linearly elastic material and as such the stresses are linearly proportional to the strains. Tensile strains occur in the bottom because the fibres are extending or getting longer.

In this case we’re considering the longitudinal strain or strain perpendicular (normal) to the cut face.Ĭompression strains above the neutral axis exist because the longitudinal fibres in the beam are getting shorter. Remember, strain is just the change in length divided by the original length. Consider a simply supported beam subject to a uniformly distorted load. Let’s start with a basic question what is a bending moment? To answer this we need to consider what’s happening internally in a structure under load.
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So in this post we’ll give you a thorough introduction to shear forces, bending moments and how to draw shear and moment diagrams. The quickest way to tell a great CV writer from a great graduate engineer is to ask them to sketch a qualitative bending moment diagram for a given structure and load combination! So naturally they’re the starting point in any design process.Īnother reason every graduating engineer needs to have a solid grasp of shear forces and bending moments is because they’re absolutely going to be tested in almost every graduate interview. Shear force and bending moment diagrams tell us about the underlying state of stress in the structure. Without understanding the shear forces and bending moments developed in a structure you can’t complete a design. Download the DegreeTutors Guide to Shear and Moment Diagrams eBook.
