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Chapter 4 Shear Forces and Bending Moments

4.1 Introduction

Consider a beam subjected to

transverse loads as shown in figure, the
deflections occur in the plane same as
the loading plane, is called the plane of
bending. In this chapter we discuss shear
forces and bending moments in beams
related to the loads.

4.2 Types of Beams, Loads, and Reactions

Type of beams

a. simply supported beam (simple beam)

b. cantilever beam (fixed end beam)

c. beam with an overhang

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Type of loads
a. concentrated load (single force)
b. distributed load (measured by their intensity) :
uniformly distributed load (uniform load)
linearly varying load
c. couple

Reactions
consider the loaded beam in figure
equation of equilibrium in horizontal direction

 Fx = 0 HA - P1 cos  = 0
HA = P1 cos 

 MB = 0 - RA L + (P1 sin ) (L - a) + P2 (L - b) + q c2 / 2 = 0

(P1 sin ) (L - a) P2 (L - b) q c2
RA = CCCCCCC + CCCC + CC
L L 2L

(P1 sin ) a P2 b q c2
RB = CCCCC + CC + CC
L L 2L

for the cantilever beam

 Fx = 0 HA = 5 P3 / 13

12 P3 (q1 + q2) b
 Fy = 0 RA = CC + CCCCC
13 2

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12 P3 q1 b q1 b
 MA = 0 MA = CC + CC (L – 2b/3) + CC (L – b/3)
13 2 2

for the overhanging beam

 MB = 0 - RA L + P4 (L– a) + M1 = 0
 MA = 0 - P4 a + RB L + M1 = 0
P4 (L– a) + M1 P4 a - M1
RA = CCCCCC RB = CCCC
L L

4.3 Shear Forces and Bending Moments

Consider a cantilever beam with a

concentrated load P applied at the end
A, at the cross section mn, the shear
force and bending moment are found

 Fy = 0 V = P
M = 0 M = Px

sign conventions (deformation sign conventions)

the shear force tends to rotate the

material clockwise is defined as positive

the bending moment tends to compress

the upper part of the beam and elongate the
lower part is defined as positive

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Example 4-1
a simple beam AB supports a force P
and a couple M0, find the shear V and
bending moment M at
(a) at x = (L/2)_ (b) at x = (L/2)+

3P M0 P M0
RA = C - C RB = C + C
4 L 4 L

(a) at x = (L/2)_
 Fy = 0 RA - P - V = 0
V = RA - P = -P/4 - M0 / L
M = 0 - RA (L/2) + P (L/4) + M = 0
M = RA (L/2) + P (L/4) = P L / 8 - M0 / 2

(b) at x = (L/2)+ [similarly as (a)]

V = - P / 4 - M0 / L
M = P L / 8 + M0 / 2

Example 4-2
a cantilever beam AB subjected to a
linearly varying distributed load as shown, find
the shear force V and the bending moment M
q = q0 x / L
 Fy = 0 - V - 2 (q0 x / L) (x) = 0
V = - q0 x2 / (2 L)
Vmax = - q0 L / 2

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M = 0 M + 2 (q0 x / L) (x) (x / 3) = 0
M = - q0 x3 / (6 L)
Mmax = - q0 L 2 / 6

Example 4-3
an overhanging beam ABC is
supported to an uniform load of intensity
q and a concentrated load P, calculate
the shear force V and the bending
moment M at D

from equations of equilibrium, it is found

RA = 40 kN RB = 48 kN

at section D

 Fy = 0 40 - 28 - 6 x 5 - V = 0
V = - 18 kN
M = 0
- 40 x 5 + 28 x 2 + 6 x 5 x 2.5 + M = 0
M = 69 kN-m
from the free body diagram of the right-hand part, same results can be
obtained

4.4 Relationships Between Loads, Shear Forces, and Bending Moments

consider an element of a beam of length
dx subjected to distributed loads q
equilibrium of forces in vertical direction

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 Fy = 0 V - q dx - (V + dV) = 0
or dV / dx = -q

integrate between two points A and B

B B
∫ dV = -∫ q dx
A A

i.e. B
VB - VA = -∫ q dx
A

= - (area of the loading diagram between A and B)

the area of loading diagram may be positive or negative

moment equilibrium of the element

M = 0 - M - q dx (dx/2) - (V + dV) dx + M + dM = 0
or dM / dx = V

maximum (or minimum) bending-moment occurs at dM / dx = 0,

i.e. at the point of shear force V = 0
integrate between two points A and B

B B
∫ dM = ∫ V dx
A A

i.e. B
MB - MA = ∫ V dx
A

= (area of the shear-force diagram between A and B)

this equation is valid even when concentrated loads act on the beam
between A and B, but it is not valid if a couple acts between A
and B

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concentrated loads
equilibrium of force

V - P - (V + V1) = 0
or V1 = -P

i.e. an abrupt change in the shear force occurs

at any point where a concentrated load acts
equilibrium of moment

- M - P (dx/2) - (V + V1) dx + M + M1 = 0
or M1 = P (dx/2) + V dx + V1 dx j 0

since the length dx of the element is infinitesimally small, i.e. M1

is also infinitesimally small, thus, the bending moment does not change as
we pass through the point of application of a concentrated load

loads in the form of couples

equilibrium of force V1 = 0

i.e. no change in shear force at the point of

application of a couple
equilibrium of moment

- M + M0 - (V + V1) dx + M + M1 = 0
or M1 = - M0

the bending moment changes abruptly at a point of application of a

couple

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4.5 Shear-Force and Bending-Moment Diagrams

concentrated loads
consider a simply support beam AB
with a concentrated load P

RA = Pb/L RB = Pa/L
for 0 < x < a
V = RA = Pb/L
M = RA x = Pbx/L
note that dM / dx = Pb/L = V

for a < x < L

V = RA - P = -Pa/L
M = RA x - P (x - a) = P a (L - x) / L
note that dM / dx = -Pa/L = V

with Mmax = Pab/L

uniform load
consider a simple beam AB with a
uniformly distributed load of constant
intensity q

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RA = RB = qL/2
V = RA - q x = qL/2 -qx
M = RA x - q x (x/2) = q L x / 2 - q x2 / 2

note that dM / dx = q L / 2 - q x / 2 = V

Mmax = q L2 / 8 at x = L/2

several concentrated loads

for 0 < x < a1 V = RA M = RA x

M1 = RA a 1
for a1 < x < a2 V = RA - P1
M = RA x - P1 (x - a1)
M2 - M1 = (RA - P1 )(a2 - a1)

similarly for others

M2 = Mmax because V = 0 at that point

Example 4-4
construct the shear-force and bending
-moment diagrams for the simple beam
AB

RA = q b (b + 2c) / 2L
RB = q b (b + 2a) / 2L

for 0 < x < a

V = RA M = RA x

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for a < x < a + b

V = RA - q (x - a)
M = RA x - q (x - a)2 / 2

for a + b < x < L

V = - RB M = RB (L - x)

maximum moment occurs where V = 0

i.e. x1 = a + b (b + 2c) / 2L
Mmax = q b (b + 2c) (4 a L + 2 b c + b2) / 8L2

for a = c, x1 = L/2

Mmax = q b (2L - b) / 8

for b = L, a=c=0 (uniform loading over the entire span)

Mmax = q L2 / 8

Example 4-5
construct the V- and M-dia for the
cantilever beam supported to P1 and P2

RB = P1 + P2 MB = P1 L + P2 b

for 0 < x < a

V = - P1 M = - P1 x

for a < x < L

V = - P1 - P2 M
= - P1 x - P2 (x - a)

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Example 4-6
construct the V- and M-dia for the
cantilever beam supporting to a constant uniform
load of intensity q

RB = qL MB = q L2 / 2
then V = -qx M = - q x2 / 2
Vmax = - q L Mmax = - q L2 / 2

alternative method

x
V - VA = V-0 = V = -∫ q dx = -qx
0

x
M - MA = M - 0 = M = -∫ V dx = - q x2 / 2
0

Example 4-7
an overhanging beam is subjected to a
uniform load of q = 1 kN/m on AB
and a couple M0 = 12 kN-m on midpoint
of BC, construct the V- and M-dia for
the beam

RB = 5.25 kN RC = 1.25 kN

shear force diagram

V = -qx on AB
V = constant on BC

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bending moment diagram

MB = - q b2 / 2 = - 1 x 42 / 2 = - 8 kN-m

the slope of M on BC is constant (1.25 kN), the bending moment

just to the left of M0 is

M = - 8 + 1.25 x 8 = 2 kN-m

the bending moment just to the right of M0 is

M = 2 - 12 = - 10 kN-m

and the bending moment at point C is

MC = - 10 + 1.25 x 8 = 0 as expected

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