1

1.0 OBJECTIVE
1.1 To examine how shear force varies with an increasing point load.
1.2 To examine how shear force varies at the cut position of the beam for various
loading condition.

2.0 LEARNING OUTCOME
2.1 The application the engineering knowledge in practical application.
2.2 To enhance technical competency in structural engineering through laboratory
application.
2.3 To communicate effectively in group.
2.4 To identify problem, solving and finding out appropriate solution through
laboratory application.

3.0 THEORY
Part 1 :

Figure 1

Shear force at the left of the section, |
.
|

\
|
=
L
a L W
Sc
) (
............... equation 1

Shear force at the right of the cut section , |
.
|

\
|
=
L
Wa
Sc ............... equation 2
Part 2 :

Use this statement :
The shear force at the cut is equal to the algebraic sum of the force acting to the
left or right of the cut.
2

4.0 APPARATUS


Structure Equipment

Digital Force Display

Structure Test Beam




3

5.0 PROCEDURE
Part 1 :
i. Digital Force Display meter reads zero with no load is checking.
ii. Hanger with a 100g mass was placed to the left of the cut.
iii. The Digital Force Display reading was recorded in Table 1.
Shear Force at the cut (N) = Displayed Force.
The step was repeated with any mass range between 200g to 500g. The
mass was converted in a load in Newton (multiply by 9.81)
iv. The theoretical Shear Force at the cut was calculated and the Table 1
also completed.

Part 2 :
i. Digital Force Display meter reads zero with no load is checking.
ii. Three load hangers with 100g 500g mass respectively placed at any
position between the supports (as example in Figure 2, Figure 3, and
Figure 4).
iii. The digital force display reading was recorded in Table 2 where :
Shear Force at the cut (N) = Display Force
iv. The support reaction (R
A
and R
B
) was calculated and the theoretical
Shear Force at the cut was calculated too.

Figure 2






4


Figure 3


Figure 4













5

6.0 RESULT


Mass (g)

Load (N)

Force (N)
Experimental Shear
Force (N)
Theoretical Shear
Force (N)
0 0 0 0 0
100 0.981 0.5 0.5 0.446
200 1.962 1.0 1.0 0.892
300 2.943 1.5 1.5 1.338
400 3.924 2.0 2.0 1.784
500 4.905 2.5 2.5 2.230
Table 1

No W
1

(N)
W
2

(N)
Force
(N)
Experimental
Shear Force (N)
R
A
(N) R
B
(N) Theoretical Shear
Force (N)
1 1.962 0 -0.6 -0.6 2.586 -0.624 1.488
2 1.962 1.962 2.0 2.0 1.784 2.140 1.784
3 1.962 1.962 0.7 0.7 1.159 2.765 -0.803
Table 2









6

7.0 CALCULATION
7.1 Part 1 :
For mass = 100g
Load = Mass 9.81
= (100/1000) 9.81
= 0.981N

Theoretical Shear Force,
|
.
|

\
|
=
L
a L W
Sc
) (

440
) 240 440 ( 981 . 0
=
=0.446N
For mass = 200g
Load = Mass 9.81
= (200/1000) 9.81
= 1.962N

Theoretical Shear Force, |
.
|

\
|
=
L
a L W
Sc
) (

440
) 240 440 ( 962 . 1
=
=0.892N

For mass = 300g
Load = Mass 9.81
= (300/1000) 9.81
= 12.943N

Theoretical Shear Force, |
.
|

\
|
=
L
a L W
Sc
) (

440
) 240 440 ( 943 . 2
=
=1.338N

7


For mass = 400g
Load = Mass 9.81
= (400/1000) 9.81
= 3.924N

Theoretical Shear Force,
|
.
|

\
|
=
L
a L W
Sc
) (

440
) 240 440 ( 924 . 3
=
=1.784N

For mass = 500g
Load = Mass 9.81
= (500/1000) 9.81
= 4.905N

Theoretical Shear Force, |
.
|

\
|
=
L
a L W
Sc
) (

440
) 240 440 ( 905 . 4
=
=2.230N












8

7.2 Part 2 :
For Figure 2 :

Mass = 200g
W
1
= Mass 9.81
= (200/1000) 9.81
= 1.962N

M
B
= 0
R
A
(440) = (1.962)(440 + 140)
R
A
= 2.586N

F
Y
= 0
R
A
+ R
B
W
1
= 0
2.586 + R
B
1.962 = 0
R
B
= -0.624N

Theoretical Shear Force, |
.
|

\
|
=
L
a L W
Sc
) (

580
) 140 580 ( 962 . 1
=
=1.488N






9


For Figure 3 :

Mass = 200g
W
1
= Mass 9.81
= (200/1000) 9.81
= 1.962N

M
A
= 0
R
B
(440) 1.962(260) 1.962(220) = 0
R
B
= 2.140N

F
Y
= 0
R
A
+ R
B
W
1
W
2
= 0
R
A
+ 2.140 1.962 1.962 = 0
R
A
= 1.784N

Theoretical Shear Force, |
.
|

\
|
=
L
a L W
Sc
) (
|
.
|

\
|
+
L
a L W ) (

|
.
|

\
|
=
440
) 220 440 ( 962 . 1
|
.
|

\
|
+
440
) 260 440 ( 962 . 1

=1.784N




10


For Figure 4 :

Mass = 200g
W
1
= Mass 9.81
= (200/1000) 9.81
= 1.962N

M
A
= 0
R
B
(440) 1.962(400) 1.962(220) = 0
R
B
= 2.765N

F
Y
= 0
R
A
+ R
B
W
1
W
2
= 0
R
A
+ 2.765 1.962 1.962 = 0
R
A
= 1.159N

Theoretical Shear Force, |
.
|

\
|
=
L
Wa
Sc
|
.
|

\
|
+
L
a L W ) (

= |
.
|

\
|
440
) 400 ( 962 . 1
|
.
|

\
|
+
440
) 220 440 ( 962 . 1

= -0.803N




11

8.0 DISCUSSION
8.1 Part 1 :
i. Derive equation 1

Shear Force at left of the section, |
.
|

\
|
=
L
a L W
Sc
) (


M
B
= 0
R
A
.L W.(L a) = 0
R
A
=
|
.
|

\
|
L
a L W ) (


ii. Plot a graph, which compare your experimental result to those you
calculated using theory.

0
0.5
1
1.5
2
2.5
3
0 0.981 1.962 2.943 3.924 4.905
Experimental Value Theoretical Value
Shear
(N)
Load
(N)

12

iii. Comment on the shape of the graph. What does it tell you about
how Shear Force varies due to an increased load?
From the graph that has been plotted, it can conclude that the both of
the graph are positive linear graph. Its shown that the increasing of
shear force is depends on the increasing of loads. When the loads
increase, the shear force will increase too. So, it shows that the
increasing of loads will affected the increasing of shear force.

iv. Does the equation you used accurately predict the behaviours of
the beam?
Yes. This equation that we used accurately predicts the behaviours of
the beam. It shows that the result of experimental value only have a
small different if compare to theoretical shear force. The experimental
result is higher that the theoretical result.

8.2 Part 2
i. Comment on how the results of the experiments compare with
those calculated using the theory.
From the calculation, the experimental result and theoretical result
shows a totally different result. For Figure 2, the theoretical value is
bigger than the experimental value. But for Figure 3 and Figure 4, the
experimental value of shear force is much smaller than the theoretical
value. This may be happened due to some errors such as this sensitive
apparatus easily affected by surrounding. However, errors can be
eliminating by repeated test at least few times in order to gain average
readings.








13


ii. Does the experiment proof that the shear force at the cut is equal
to the algebraic sum of the force acting to the left or right of the
cut. If not, why?
Yes, the shear force at the cut is equal to the algebraic sum of the force
acting to the left or right of the cut. The shear force can be calculate
based on data distance. Proof by our experiment, distance effect the
shear force.

iii. Plot the shear force diagram for load cases in Figure 2, Figure 3
and Figure 4.
Refer to next page

iv. Comment on the shape of the graph. What does it tell you about
how Shear Force varies due to various loading condition?
We know that the increasing of load will affect the shear force. When
the large load applied, the shear force will increase. But, in this test, we
use the same load at this experiment which is 1.962N. From the graph,
we can know that the shear force will increase at the cut section.
















14




9.0 CONCLUSION
Part 1 :
From the experiment, it shows that the value of experimental shear force only have
small different with the value of theoretical shear force. From the calculated value, we
know that the increasing shear force will affected the increasing of shear force.

Part 2 :
From this experiment, we know that the result of theoretical and experimental value is
totally different. Most of the experimental result is higher than the theoretical value.
The indicated that there were some errors occur during the experiment:
i. The readings maybe were affected by the surrounding environment because
the digital force display is very sensitive.
ii. This error also may caused by rounded error or significant error.

Shear force is the force in the beam acting perpendicular to its longitudinal (x) axis.
For design purposes, the beam's ability to resist shear force is more important than its
ability to resist an axial force. Axial force is the force in the beam acting parallel to
the longitudinal axis.

Normally a beam is analyzed to obtain the maximum stress and this is compared to
the material strength to determine the design safety margin. It is also normally
required to calculate the deflection on the beam under a maximum expected load. The
determination of the maximum stress results from producing the Shear Force Diagram
and Bending Moment Diagram. To facilitate this work, the first stage is normally to
determine all of the external loads.

From this experiment, shear force varies with an increasing point load was proven.
The objectives of the experiment were achieved.