Topic: Shear and Moment in Beams

Algebraic method
Step 1) compute the reactions at the supports
Step 2) cut the beam [pass a section] for every change of load [applied force]
Step 3) draw the FBD of the cut beam [the portion left of the cutting plane], applying the cut one-at-a-
time; be sure to identify all the variables in the FBD; it is customary to draw the forces acting on a beam
as a "push" [the arrowheads touch the beam, so upward forces are drawn below the beam and
downward forces are drawn above the beam]
Step 4) write the shear equation for the FBD following ΣFV = 0
Step 5) take the moment of all the forces present in the section [FBD] about the cutting plane [CP] to
write the moment equation for the FBD following ΣMCP = 0
Repeat steps 3 to 5 for all sections of the beam
Step 6) plot the shear diagram for each written shear equation along their corresponding portion of the
beam using 'x' as the abscissa and the values of shear as the ordinates
Step 7) plot the moment diagram for each written moment equation along their corresponding portion
of the beam using 'x' as the abscissa and the values of moment as the ordinates

Example 1: A 4-m simply-supported [simple] beam with a 20-kN concentrated load acting at the
midspan.
1st Step) for purposes of CE402 always identify the left support of a simple beam as 'A', the right support
as 'B'. so for Example 1, RA = 10kN, RB = 10 kN
2nd Step) Example 1 has a total of 3 forces {the load and 2 reactions}, upon tracing [walking through] the
entire beam from left to right, there are two changes of load/force = first is between the left reaction
and the concentrated load, 2nd is between the load and the right reaction. Calling the beam's midpoint
as 'C', the first section will be between A and C, the second section will be b/w C and B
3rd Step) your first FBD should be the portion of the beam between 'A' and the 1st cutting plane, with R A
acting upward at 'A' ; note that RA must be the only force visible in this FBD. {for purposes of CE402,
always identify the distance from the leftmost part of the beam to the cutting plane as 'x'} To satisfy
equilibrium condition, there must be a [shear] force [V1] and a moment [M1] acting beside [sa kanan]
the cutting plane
4th Step) your shear equation should be: V1 = R A, hence V1 = 10 {in kN}
5th Step) your moment equation should be: M1 = RA x, hence M1 = 10x {in kN-m}
6th Step) your second FBD should be the portion of the beam between 'A' and the 2nd cutting plane,
with RA acting upward at 'A' and the 20kN load acting downward at 'C', the cutting plane to the right of
point 'C' ; To satisfy equilibrium condition, there must be a [shear] force [V2] and a moment [M2] acting
beside [sa kanan] the cutting plane
7th Step) your shear equation should be: V2 = R A - 20, hence V2 = -10 {in kN}
8th Step) your moment equation should be: M2 = RA x - 20(x-2), hence M2 = 10x - 20x + 40, simplifying,
M2 = 40 - 10x {in kN-m}
9th Step) at x = 0, VA = 10kN, at x=2, VC = 10kN [using V1], at x = 2, VC = -10kN, at x= 4, VB = -10kN; the
plot of the shear diagram [drawn below a diagram of the given beam] should be from zero at 'A'
vertically up to 10kN, remaining 10kN from 'A' to 'C' and -10kN from 'C' to below 'B' and then vertically
upward to zero at 'B' {use the horizontal line diagram of the beam as the line of zero shear}
10th Step) at x = 0, MA = 0, at x=2, MC = 20kN-m [using M1], at x = 2, MC = 20kN-m, at x= 4, MB = 0; the
plot of the moment diagram [drawn below the shear diagram] should be zero at point 'A' going up
[straight line diagonal] to 20kN-m at [above] point 'C' then going down [straight line diagonal] to zero at
point 'B' {use the horizontal line diagram of the beam as the line of zero moment}

Example 2: A 4-m simply-supported [simple] beam with a 2-kN /m uniformly distributed load throughout
the midspan.
1st Step) RA = 4kN, RB = 4 kN
2nd Step) Example 2 has also 3 forces {the load and 2 reactions}, however, the uniform load is acting on
the entire beam, the start of which coincides with R A so, there's only one change of load/force: this is
between the two reactions. Still, it is customary to call the beam's midpoint as 'C'
3rd Step) your FBD should be the portion of the beam between 'A' and the cutting plane, with R A acting
upward at 'A' and the uniform load acting downward from 'A' to the cutting plane; the distance from the
leftmost part of the beam to the cutting plane is still 'x'. To satisfy equilibrium condition, there must be a
[shear] force [V1] and a moment [M1] acting beside [sa kanan] the cutting plane
4th Step) your shear equation should be: V1 = R A - 2x, hence V1 = 4 - 2x {in kN}
5th Step) your moment equation should be: M1 = RA x - 2x (x/2) {x/2 being the centroid of the uniform
load or the point where its resultant can be considered as acting}, hence M1 = 4x - x 2 {in kN-m}
6th Step) at x = 0, VA = 4kN, at x = 2, VC = 0kN, at x = 4, VB = -4kN; the plot of the shear diagram [drawn
below a diagram of the given beam] should be from zero at 'A' vertically up to 4kN, from there going
down [straight line diagonal] to -4kN below 'B' and then vertically upward to zero at 'B' {if you illustrate
in {relative} scale, the point of zero shear should be at the midpoint of the beam}
7th Step) at x = 0, MA = 0, at x = 1, M = 3kN-m, at x = 2, M C = 4kN-m, at x = 3, M = 3kN-m, at x = 4, M B =
0kN-m; the plot of the moment diagram [drawn below the shear diagram] should be zero at point 'A'
going up [parabolic curve] to 4kN-m at [above] point 'C' then going down [parabolic curve] to zero at
point 'B' {use the horizontal line diagram of the beam as the line of zero moment}; take note that the
exponent 2 of 'x' in the moment equation indicates a parabolic line/curve.

Assignments / exercises [due on May 6]. Write the shear and moment equations for the following:

A) a 3-m simple beam with two equally spaced concentrated load of 10kN each

B) a 4-m simple beam with 2 kN/m rectangular load throught the span and a concentrated load of 20 kN
acting at the midspan

C) a 3-m cantilever beam with a 20kN concentrated load at its free end ['A']

D) a 3-m cantilever beam [free end at point 'A'] with a 2kN/m rectangular load throughout its span

E) a 4-m overhanging beam with a 2kN/m rectangular load acting on the entire length {'A' - 'D'} of the
beam {main span = 3m from 'A' to 'B', overhanging section = 1m, from 'B' to 'D'}

F) a 6-m symmetrical overhanging beam with a 4kN/m rectangular load acting on the entire length {'E' -
'D'} of the beam and two 10kN concentrated loads acting at each of the free ends of the beam {main
span = 4m from 'A' to 'B', overhanging sections 'E' - 'A' = 'B' - 'D' = 1m}

G) a 4-m simple beam with 10 kN/m rectangular load acting at 'A' up to the midspan
H) a 4-m simple beam with 5 kN/m rectangular load starting at 1m from 'A' up to 1m before 'B'

J) a 3-m simple beam with a triangular load varying from zero at ''A' to 6kN/m at 'B'

K) a 3-m simple beam with a 10-kN concentrated load acting downward at a point 1m from 'A' and a 10-
kN concentrated load acting upward at a point 1m before 'B'.