3.

SHEAR STRESSES AND SHEAR CENTRE

3.1 Introduction
Shear stresses are associated with the problems of beams subject to lateral loads. Until now
only pure bending of beams (symmetric and unsymmetric sections) was considered. Now
consider the effect of lateral loads that produce shear force and shear stresses in addition to
bending moment and bending stresses.

Mz

S
y

Figure 3.1: Beams subject to Lateral Load

Two Stress Resultants in beam problems are:

Shear force Vy = Resultant of shear stresses
Bending moment Mz = Resultant of normal stresses
The distribution of normal stresses also determines the distribution of shear stresses. We
know the distribution of bending stresses in beams. This section is about determining the
shear stress distribution in beams.

3.2 Shear Stresses in Beams of Thin-Walled Open Cross-Sections

The distribution of shear stresses in rectangular beams and the webs of beams with flanges is
given by the following equation provided the shear stresses are distributed uniformly across
b (see Figure 3.2).
Q

VQ
Ib
where Q = First moment of area
I = Second moment of area
b = Beam width and V = Shear force

Figure 3.2: Calculation of Shear Stress in Rectangular Beams

The same method can be used for a special class of beams, known as beams of thin-walled
open cross-section. For these beams,
(1) thickness is small compared to overall height or width
(2) cross-section is open, for example I section

S
t

C
S
P

Figure 3.3: Shear Stresses in a Beam of Thin-walled Open Cross-section

In Figure 3.3, y and z axes are principal centroidal axes. Therefore the shear stress is given
by the following equation with beam width b being replaced with thickness t. The lateral load
is assumed to be acting at the shear centre (to be defined later in another chapter).
Shear stress =

V y Qz
Iz t

Shear stresses are directed along the median line of the cross section, parallel to the edges of
the section, and are assumed to be of constant intensity across thickness. The thickness t need
not be a constant.
Shear Flow, f = t =

V y Qz
Iz

It must be noted that shear flow f and shear stress are proportional to the first moment of area
of the relevant axis (in this case Qz).
At the top and bottom edges, Qz = 0

f = 0

Shear flow f is a maximum at the neutral axis when Qz is a maximum.

If the lateral load acts through the shear centre and parallel to the z axis,

Vz Q y
Iy t

f = t =

Vz Q y
Iy

If the shear force is inclined to the principal centroidal axes y and z, it can be resolved into
components parallel to the two principal axes. Two separate analysis are then required and the
stress results can be superimposed.

3.3 Shear Stresses in a Mono-symmetric I-section

In this section, shear stresses in a mono-symmetric (singly symmetric) I-section are
determined using the equation (VQ/Ib) in the last section. All the calculations are based on
centre-line dimensions.
t
1

h1

h2

z
b1

b2

z
y

V2
V1
y

z z gives zero stress

t2

Figure 3.4: Shear Stresses and Shear Centre in a Mono-symmetric I-section

b s
V s t
2 2 = V s (b s )
Shear stress =
It
2I

Nara remove z-z above

Maximum shear stress occurs at the neutral axis, ie. s = b/2

max =

V b b V b2
=
4I 2
8I

V = t ds
Shear force in Flange 1 is given by
b s
V s t t ds
b2
b2
I
2V
Vt s 2 b s 3
Vtb 3
2 2

V1 =
=
t s (b s )ds =
=
=V 1
It
2I 0
I 2
3 0
12 I
I
Similarly, force in Flange 2, V2 = V

V1 I 1
=
V2 I 2

I2
I

3.4 Shear Centre

The point through which the line of action of the resultant force of the shear stresses passes is
known as the shear centre S ( C, it is not the centroid of the section). If the lateral load does
not act through the shear centre, it will produce twisting of the section in addition to bending.
To determine the shear centre of the singly symmetric I-beam considered above, take
moments about the shear centre S as the resultant V will act at that point.

V1 h1 = V2 h2
h1 V2 I 2 b23t 2 12 b23 t 2
=
=
=
=
h2 V1 I 1 b13t1 12 b13t1
h1 =

b23 t 2
h2
b13 t1

h2 =

b13t1
h1
b23 t 2

h = h1 + h2 = h1 +

b23t 2 + b13 t1
b13t1

h
=
h
1
1
3
b23t 2
b2 t 2

b 3t
h1 = h 3 2 2 3
b1 t1 + b2 t 2

The above equation gives the location of the shear centre on the web of I-section. Since the
beam is singly symmetric, both the shear centre S and the centroid C lie on the axis of
symmetry.
Figures 3.5 and 3.6 illustrate the effect of loads not acting at the shear centre.
Stresses and deflections can be found for the
two components of P in y and z directions.
S
P

Figure 3.5: Lateral/Transverse load P acting at the Shear Centre S

S
P

T = Pe

Stresses due to he above +

additional stresses due to
Twisting couple T

C
P

Figure 3.6: Lateral/Transverse load P not acting at Shear Centre S

Locating the shear centre for singly symmetric or unsymmetric cross-section is not always an
easy task. For SOLID sections and closed hollow sections, it is always located near the
centroid. Such sections have high torsional rigidities and hence the effects of twisting can be
ignored if the load is applied at or near the centroid. But beams with thin-walled open crosssections (
) are torsionally very weak (low J values). Therefore it is important to locate
the shear centre and to take into account the effect of twisting.

3.5 Shear Centre of Channel Sections

s

Top flange, =

Qz = s t f

V y Qz

tf

I zt

h
2

h
=

Vy s t f .h 2
I zt f

Vy h. s
2I z

tw

At s = 0, = 0
s = b, = 1 =

V y bh

2I z

y
b

Figure 3.7: Channel Section

Web
Top of Web:

Qz = b t f

h2

h h
h
1 1
+ r .t w . + r = bht f + r 2 t w
2 2
2
2 2
4

h2

h2

1
V y . bht f + r 2 t w V y bht f + r 2 t w
2
4

4

=
=
I ztw
2I z t w
Top of web, r = h/2
= 2 =

2 tf
=
1 tw

V y bht f

2I z t w

2 tw = 1 t f

max occurs at r = 0, at the Neutral Axis (N.A.).

max

h2
V y bht f + t w
4 V y h bt f h
=
=
+

2I z t w
2I z t w
4

Shear stresses in the lower web can be found using the same equation, r is negative or
consider other side.

1
2

max

2
y

1
Figure 3.8: Shear Stress Distribution in Channel Sections (C-sections)

Shear stresses in the lower flange can be found by the same method used for the top flange. It
can be found that the magnitudes are the same as in the top flange, but they have directions as
shown in figure.
It should be pointed out that all calculations are made on the basis of the centre line
dimensions of the cross-section, which gives reasonably accurate results for thin sections.
F1

F2

C
e
y
Vy

F1

Figure 3.9: Determining the Shear Centre of a Channel Section

Total shear force in either flange F1
F1 =

1 b t f
2

or

F1 =
0

Vy h

2I z

s t ds

2
Vy b h b
Vy
1 2 V y b ht f
F1 =
. .t f =
ht f b =
2I z 2
2I z
2
4I z

Total shear force in Web F2 =

F2 =

2
( max 2 )h t w + 2 h t w
3

V y h bt f h 1
V y bht f
2
h tw
+ + h tw

3
2I z t w
4 3
2I z t w

Vy 1 2
bh 2 t f V y t w h 3 bh 2 t f
h3
F2 = h b t f + t w +
+
=

I z 3
12
6 I z 12
2
t h 3 bh 2 t f
Since I z = w +
2
12
F2 = V y

F1 + F2 + F3 must be statically equivalent to Vy.

F1 h F2 e = V y 0 = 0
e=

F1 h
F2

or F1 h = V y e
e=

F1 h
Vy

both give e =

b 2 h 2t f

4I z

The shear force in the web can be obtained using a different method (preferred method)
h2

F2 = t ds = 2 t w
0

Vy

h2
2
bht f + r t w dr
2I z t w
4

h2

Vy
Vy

h2
h2
r3
2

F2 =
bht
r
t
dr
=
bht
r
+
t
r

t
+

f
w
w
f

w
Iz
4
3 0
Iz
4

2
Vy h 2
twh3 Vy
h3 Vy
h3
h
2
=
bt
+
tw =
Iz
F2 =
b
t
+
t

f
w
I z
Iz
Iz 2
8
24
2 12

F2 = V y

3.6 Shear Centre of Equal Angle Sections

t
b

F
s
x
z

C
F
Vy

Figure 3.10: Shear Stresses in Equal Angle Sections

V y Qz
I zt

V y st.(b s / 2).1 / 2
I zt

]=

Vy
2 Iz

.s (b s / 2)

At the top, s = 0, = 0

max( at s =b ) =

Vyb2

2 2I z
2

1 3
b 3t b 3t b 3t
b

2
Since I z = 2. b t sin 45 + 2.bt. sin 45 =
+
=
12
12
4
3
2

3V y
2 2 bt
b

Total shear force in each flange F = t ds

0

F=

V y t s 2b s 3
Vy
(
/
2
)
s
b

s
ds
=
=
3

6 0
b t 2
2 Iz 0
2
2
3

Vy t

Resultant of these two flange forces = Vertical Force Vy as expected

The resultant force must pass through the point where the lines of action of the two forces F
intersect.
Shear centre S of the angle section is at the junction of the two legs.
For all cross-sections consisting of two narrow intersecting rectangles, the shear stresses have
resultant forces that intersect at the junction of the rectangles. Therefore the shear centre S is
located at the junction as shown in Figure 3.11

S
S
S

Figure 3.11: Location of Shear Centre in Various Cross-sections