TOPIC 3: SHEAR FORCE OF A BEAM

1. INTRODUCTION

This guides describes how to set up and perform Shear Force in a Beam
experiments. It clearly demonstrates the principles involved and gives practical
support to your studies. Figure 1 shows the Shear Force in a Beam experiment. It
consists of a beam which is “cut”. To stop the beam collapsing a mechanism,
(which allows movement in the shear direction only) bridges the cut on to a load
cell thus reacting (and measuring) the shear force. A digital display shows the force
from the load cell. A diagram on the left-hand support of the beam shows the beam
geometry and hanger positions. Hanger supports are 20mm apart, and have a central
groove which positions the hangers.
2.0 OBJECTIVES
1. To comprehend the action of shear on a beam.
2. To measure the shearing force at a normal section of a loaded beam and to
check its agreement with theory.

3.0 LEARNING OUTCOMES

At the end of this experiment, students should be able to:

1. Conduct experiment and identify the dependent and independent variables

2. Record, tabulate and analyze the raw data.
3. To draw shear diagram.
4. Compare the theoretical and experimental result.
5. Produce good conclusion from the experiment conducted.

4.0 THEORY

Beams are defined as structural members supporting loads at various points

along the member. Transverse loading are classified as concentrated loads or
distributed loads. One of the main concerns that should be put into consideration
when designing beams for strength is how the material and the cross section of the
beam of a given selected span should be selected if the beam is not to fail under a
given loading.

Applied loads result in internal forces consisting of a shear force (from the
shear stress distribution) and a bending moment (from normal stress distribution).
For prismatic beam, that is straight beam with a uniform cross section: their design
depends primarily upon the determination of the largest value of the bending
moment and shear force created in the beam by a given loading. The determination
of these values and of the critical sections of the beam in which they occur is greatly
facilitated by drawing a shear force diagram and bending moment diagram. The
variation of the shear force V (N) and the bending moment M (Nm) along the beam
may be investigated from these diagrams. The values of V and M at various points
may be obtained either by drawing free body diagram of successive portions of the
beam or from relationship that involves the applied load, shear force and bending
moment.

Determination of the maximum normal stress and maximum shearing stress

requires identification of maximum internal shear force and bending moment. Shear
force and bending moment at a point are determined by passing a section through
the beam and applying an equilibrium analysis on the beam portions.
5.0 ADDITIONAL THEORY

Shear influence line is defined as a line representing the changes in a shear

force at a section of a beam when a unit load moves on the beam. The experiments
that have performed as outlined in the lab manual provided is to explore the
relationships between various loading scenarios of beams and the behavior of
certain internal forces (shear force and bending moment) within the beam. In beam
designing shear force is one which is perpendicular to the longitudinal x axis of
beam. Shear force is more important that axial force in beam designing.

Shear force through the experiment is the internal resistance created in the
beam of cross sections in order to balance transverse external load acting on the
beam. It usually acts as unaligned force that will balanced the load that pushing in
one direction and another part of the body will react the opposite direction. When
both of the forces are aligned into each other, they usually know know as
compression forces. The shear force (F) at any section (X) is taken as positive if the
right-hand side tends to slide downwards relative to the left hand portion. The
negative force tends to cause the right-hand portion to slide upwards relative to the
left. If the shearing force pushed in opposite direction at random position into the
beam, the unequal forces that acts between them will results in shearing
deformation.
 According to the image shown above, apparatus consist of a beam which is
being supported at two points called pivot point of a team. The apparatus has a
mechanism which is used to apply force on the beam and it is the mechanism which
also prevents the overloading on beam which can collapse the beam. During this
experiment a series of forces with increasing magnitude will be applied on beam
and for each can beam shear stress value will be calculated.

As this experiment is about calculating or observing the shear for on beam due to
the externally applied forces on beam so following the formula for this beam
needed to calculate the shear force produce in beam by the external force.

Shear force = (W(a))/l

W is a the applied load on beam

a is the distance between the pivot point and point of force application.
l is the total length of the beam

For 0 < X < a shear line is given by :

Sy = - x / L …………. (1)
For 0 < X < b shear line is given by :
Sy = 1- x L …………. (2)
Shear force at a cut section :

6.0 APPARATUS
7.0 PROCEDURES

7.1 Experiments 1: Shear Force Variation with an Increasing Point Load

7.2 Experiment 2: Shear Force Variation for Various Loading Conditions
8.0 RESULTS
Table 2 for part 1 experiment and Table 3 for part 2 experiment.

Experiments 1

Table 2: Results for Experiment 1

Mass (g) Load (N) Experimental shear Theoretical shear

force (N) force (N)
0 0 0 0
100 0.98 0.50 -0.58
200 1.96 1.10 -1.16
300 2.94 1.70 -1.74
400 3.92 2.20 -2.32
500 4.90 2.70 -2.90

Figures below shows shear force graph when different loads is attached.

Figure 1: 0.98N loads Figure 2: 1.96N loads

Figure 3: 2.94N loads Figure 4: 3.92N loads

 Figure 5: 4.90N loads
Experiments 2

Table 3: Results for Experiment 2

W₁ W₂ Experimental RA RB Theoretical
Figure (N) (N) shear force (N) (N) shear force
(N) (N)
6 3.92 0 -1.40 5.17 -1.25 1.25
7 1.96 3.92 2.90 2.59 3.30 -3.30
8 4.91 3.92 2.10 2.59 6.24 -2.32

Figures below shows shear force graph when W₁ and W₂ is attached.

Figure 6: W₁ = 3.92N and W₂ = 0N

Figure 7: W₁ = 1.96N and W₂ = 3.92N

9.0 OBSERVATION

From the Experiment 1, loads is attached 40mm from a cut. Mass of 100g, 200g,
300g, 400g and 500g is needed to convert into loads (N) and used to determined
shear force of a beam. Based on the experiment, experimental shear force is directly
proportional with loads and increasing when loads increased. This experiment
examines how shear force varies with an increasing point load. Reading is recorded
by using Digital Force Display Meter.

Besides, from the Experiment 2, this experiment examines how shear forces
varies at the cut position of the beams for various loading condition. Loads W₁ and
W₂ is attached based on figure 6, figure 7 and figure 8. Support reactions, RA and
RB is calculated and recorded to complete the Table 3.
 11.0 DISCUSSION

Based from the data obtained from this experiment shear force on the beam, the
first is between load and the shear force with load is on y axis and shear force is on
x axis. The graph trend show that the relationship between load and shear force is
directly proportional mean that with increase in load there is an increase in shear
force and with decrease in load there is a decrease in shear force. Second graph also
between load and shear force with load is on y axis and shear force is on x axis but
this graph is actually comparison between the experimental shear force and
theoretical shear force. This comparison shows that there is great difference
between the experimental shear force and theoretical shear force. Actual difference
is in experimental values as they don’t show the linear relationship between loads
and shear force. This error is due to many reasons like personal error due to
inexperienced when handling the machine or faulty apparatus such as systematic
error.

QUESTIONS

1. Comment on the shape of the graph. What does it tell us about shear force varies
due to the increased load? Does the equations we used accurately predict the
behavior of the beam.

From the graph and data collected above, the graph produce is a linear graph
type. From the graph given, it conclude that every single of load will affect the
value of the shear force. The more load increased, the more value of shear force
will increase. So, this is almost same with the experimental value. The equations
used is accurately predict the behavior of the beam. Yes, from the graph, we
know that the equation was accurately helped to find the behaviors of the beam
with different loads was apply on it. The result that obtained from the calculation
was correctly same with the reaction of the beam through the application data that
connect with the simulation data.
2. Comment on how the result of experiments compare with those calculated using
the theoretical

The result that was obtained from the table is quite different. The result of
experimental shear force was originally taken while doing the experiment
compare with theoretical shear force obtained from the calculation.Therefore,
perhaps during the experiment being carried out, there are some errors due to
equipment experiment such as systematic error and environmental interference
such as the table use to run the equipment is shaking which caused to effect the
data collected.

12.0 CONCLUSION

The aim of this experiment was to study the effect of different force magnitude
on shear forces produce in beam due to the force. It was also seen how shear force
varies at the cut position of the beam for various loading conditions. From this lab
experiment, it can be concluded that when the load were placed at the beam is
increasing, the shear force will also increase. As well it was proved that shear force
at the cut section is equal to the forces acting both right and left side of the cut on
the beam. Theoretical calculation of shear force show that there is a direct relation
between load and shear force but the experimental shear force show some errors
which can be due to personal error or faulty apparatus. Error can never be ignored
when it comes to laboratory work. The aim is to reduce the error as much as
possible to obtain accuracy in work. Ways to reduce the error are by repeating the
experiment for several times and then taking the average readings, by being extra
cautious during the experiment, by asking more than one person to record the
readings and carry out the experiment.
14.0 APPENDIX