1.

0 OBJECTIVE

-To examine how bending moment varies with an increasing point load
-To examine how bending moment varies at the cut position of the beam for various loading
condition

2.0 LEARNING OUTCOME

-To learn how to apply the application of engineering knowledge in practical application
-To improve technical competency in structural engineering through laboratory application.
-To enhance communication between group members.
-Learn how to identify problem, solving and finding out appropriate solution through laboratory
application

3.0 INTRODUCTION
The bending moment at any point along the beam is equal to the area under the shear force diagram
up to that point. (Note: For a simply-supported beam, the bending momentat the ends will always
be equal to zero.)

To calculate the bending moment the beam must be broken up into two sections:
(a) one from x = 0 to x = L/2 and
(b) the other from x = L/2 to x = L.

The bending moment M(x) at any point x along the beam can be found by using the following
equations :
Bending moment diagrams are simply plots of the bending moment (on the y-axis) versusthe
position of various points along the beam (on the x-axis). Thus, the following is thegeneralized
bending moment diagram for the beam shown above.Bending moment diagrams are simply plots
of the bending moment (on the y-axis) versusthe position of various points along the beam (on the
x-axis). Thus, the following is thegeneralized bending moment diagram for the beam shown above.

4.0 THEORY

𝑊𝑎(𝐿−𝑎)
Moment at the cut section, Mc = ………….Equation 1
𝐿
Part 2
 Use This Statement :
“The bending moment at the “cut” is equal to the algebraic sum of the moment of
force acting to the left or right of the cut”

5.0 EQUIPMENTS

RA
RB

CUT SECTION

Figure 1: Apparatus for bending moment experiment

Figure 2 : Digital Force Display Figure 3 : The Loader ( 1piece = 10 gram)

Part 1
-The digital force display meter was checked and the meter reads zero with no load.
-Hanger is placed with a 100g mass to the left of the ‘cut’. The digital force display was recorded
in Table 1. The process is repeated using different masses between 100g and 500g.
-Mass converted into a load in Newton(N) multiply by 9.81. The force reading is converted into
bending moment (Nm) using following expression:
Bending Moment at the cut (N) = Displayed Force x 0.125

-Theoretical Bending Moment calculated at the cut and complete Table 1.

Figure 5: Hanger With A 100g Mass

Part 2
-Digital force display is checked meter zero with no load.
-The hangers carefully load the beam in any positions and loads according to Figure 2, Figure 3,
and Figure 4 and Table 2 is completed.
-The force reading converted into bending moment (Nm) using:
Bending moment at a cut (Nm) = Displayed Force x 0.125

-The support reaction (RA and RB) is calculate and the theoretical bending moment at the cut also
calculated.
DIAGRAM 4 : W1 is 1.962N and W2 is 2.943N

DIAGRAM 3: W1 is 1.962N and W2 is 2.943N

DIAGRAM 2 : W1 is 3.92N
7.0 RESULTS

Mass Load Force Experimental Theoretical

(g) (N) (N) Bending Bending Moment
Moment (Nm) (Nm)
0 0 0 0 0
100 0.981 0.8 0.100 0.0935
200 1.962 1.5 0.1875 0.1871
300 2.943 2.0 0.2500 0.2806
400 3.924 2.7 0.3375 0.3742
500 4.905 3.1 0.3875 0.4677
Table 1

No W1 W2 Force Experimental Bending RA RB Theoretical Bending

(N) (N) (N) Moment (Nm) (N) (N) Moment (Nm)
1. 3.92 0 1.3 0.1625 5.17 -1.25 0.1738
2. 3.92 0.98 2.8 0.3500 2.36 2.54 0.3552
3. 3.92 0.98 1.8 0.225 1.87 3.03 0.3258
Table 2
8.0 ANALYSIS DATA

Calculation for Theoretical Bending Moment value

Part 1

𝑊𝑎 (𝐿−𝑎)
Moment at the cut section , Mc =
𝐿
Example:

W=1N

0.98𝑁(0.3𝑚)(0.44𝑚−0.3𝑚)
Mc =
0.44𝑚

Mc = 0.0935 Nm
Part 2
Example :

W1= 3.92 N & W2 = 0 N

To calculate the reaction RA, RB and Mc :

∑MA= 0 N
-3.92N(0.14m)-RB(0.44m) = 0
RB= -1.25N
∑Fy= 0
RA+RB = 3.92 N
RA= 3.92 + 1.25 =5.17 N

Mc = 5.17 ( 0.44-0.14 ) –3.92 ( 0.44)

Mc = -0.1738 Nm
9.0 DISCUSSION

Part 1

1.0 Derive equation 1

+↑∑Fy= 0 +↑∑Fy= RA+ RB – W

+∑MA= 0 +∑MA = Wa- RBL

𝑊𝑎
RB =
𝐿
𝑊𝑎
RA + –W=0
𝐿
𝑊𝑎
RA = W-
𝐿
𝑊𝐿 𝑊𝑎
RA = -
𝐿 𝐿
𝑊(𝐿−𝑎)
RA =
𝐿

Mc = RA x a
𝑊𝑎 (𝐿−𝑎)
Mc =
𝐿
2.0 Plot a graph, which compare your experimental result to those you calculatedusing theory.

Refer graph of load versus bending moment figure 1

3.0 Comment on the shape of the graph. What does it tell you about how bending moment varies
due to an increased load?

From the graph, we can get a linear graph type. When the loads increase, thebending moment
will be increase too. This is because, from the normal formula bending moment =Applied Load
(P) X Distance. Then, when P is increase,bending moment will increase too. So, this is almost
same with the experimental value.

4.0 The equation we used accurately predict the behavior of the beam because we know that the
value between experimental bending moment and theoretical bending moment is almost the
same. The different percentage is 12.24%
Different percentage when load = 2.943N

0.2806−0.2500
= x 100% = 12.24%
0.2500

Part 2
Different percentage for figure 2
0.1728−0.1625
= x 100%
0.1625
= 6.95%
Different percentage for figure 3
0.3552−0.3375
= x 100%
0.3375
= 5.24%
Different percentage for figure 4
0.3258−0.3125
= x 100%
0.3125
= 4.26%

The experimental proof that the moment at the “cut” is equal to the algebraic
sum of the moment of force acting to the left or right of the cut because the bending moment can
be calculate based on thedata distance. This can be proven by our experiment that distance effect
the bending moment, when we look at the different percentage all experiment is small.
3.0 Plot the moment force diagram for load cases in Figure 2,3 and 4

OK !
MC= 0
MA= - 3.92 (0.14) = - 0.549
MB= - 3.92(0.58) + 5.168(0.44) = 0

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 3
MA= 0
MC = 2.36 ( 0.22 ) = 0.519
MD = 2.36 ( 0.26 )– 3.92 ( 0.04 ) = 0.457
MB= 2.36 ( 0.44 )– 3.92 ( 0.22 )– 0.98 ( 0.18 ) = 0 OK
Figure 4
MA= 0
MC= 1.88 ( 0.24 ) = 0.451
MD= 1.88 ( 0.4 )– 3.92 ( 0.16 ) = 0.125
MB= 1.88 ( 0.44 )– 3.92 ( 0.2 )– 0.98 ( 0.04 ) = 0 OK

4.0 Comment on the shape of the graph. What does it tell you about how bending moment varies
due to an increased load?

From the bending moment diagram we sketch, for the figure 2 (the value bending moment that
we can get at the cut is 0.1625Nm), for figure 3 (the value bending moment that we can get at the
cut is 0.3375Nm) and for figure 4 (the value bending moment that we can get at the cut is
0.3125Nm). So, we can tell that whenthe same load applies at the different distance will affect the
bending moment value. The value of load is depending to the distance of beam.

10.0 CONCLUSION

In conclusion, we can conclude, this experiment proves that the theory of bending moments can be
proved by an experiment conducted in the laboratory. Things that affect the value of the bending
moment can also be identified.