STRUCTURAL MECHANICS 2
Tutorial 4: Shear Force and Bending Moment Diagrams
Solutions
For each of the structures shown below, perform the following steps, marking key values on all diagrams:
a) Calculate the support reactions; b) Draw the shear force diagram: c) Draw the bending moment diagram, and d) where
appropriate, draw the axial force diagram.
1) Point loaded cantilever
Calculate the support reactions: VA = 9 kN, MA = 97 = 63 kNm
Sketch the structure
9kN
9kN
7m
13m
Sketch the shear force diagram SFD:
+
A
Sketch the bending moment diagram BMD
-63kNm
2) Cantilever with two loads
Calculate the support reactions: VA = 110 50 = 60 N, MA = 11015 + 5021 = 600 Nmm
Sketch the structure
110N
B
50N
15mm
21mm
Sketch the shear force diagram SFD:
60N
A
-50N
Sketch the bending moment diagram BMD
300Nmm
-600Nmm
3) Cantilever with distributed load
Calculate the support reactions: VA = 92 + 5 = 23 kN, MA = 924.5 512 = 141 kNm
Sketch the structure
2kN/m
5kN
B
9m
12m
Sketch the shear force diagram SFD:
23kN
5kN
A
Sketch the bending moment diagram BMD
slope continuous
B
linear
parabolic
-141kNm
15kNm
4) symmetrically loaded SS beam
Calculate the support reactions: VA = 8 kN, VB = 8 kN
Sketch the structure
8kN
8kN
7m
7m
19m
Sketch the shear force diagram SFD:
8kN
+
A
-8kN
Sketch the bending moment diagram BMD
56kNm
5) SS beam with cantilever
Calculate the support reactions: VA = 57/11 = 3.18 kN, VB = +8.18 kN
Sketch the structure
5kN
11m
7m
Sketch the shear force diagram SFD:
8.18kN
-3.18kN
Sketch the bending moment diagram BMD
-35.0kNm
6) antisymmetrically loaded SS beam
Calculate the support reactions: VA = (-1217 - 129)/8 = -39.0 kN, VB = +39.0 kN
Sketch the structure
9m
12kN
12kN
9m
26m
Sketch the shear force diagram SFD:
12kN 12kN
+
A
-27kN
Sketch the bending moment diagram BMD
108kNm
-108kNm
7) beam with distributed load
Calculate the support reactions: VA = (874 472)/8 = 21.0 kN, VB = 127 21.0 = 63.0 kN
Sketch the structure
7kN/m
8m
4m
Sketch the shear force diagram SFD:
A 21kN
28kN
-35kN
Sketch the bending moment diagram BMD
31.5kNm
+
A
Max moment
aligned with
zero in SFD
-56.0kNm
Peak moment occurs when z = 21/7 = 3.0m
2
Peak moment value is Mmax = 213.0 (7/2)(3.0) = 31.5 kNm
8) beam with partial distributed load
Calculate the support reactions: VB = (54(3+5/2))/14 = 7.857 kN, VA = 45 7.857 = 12.143 kN
Sketch the structure
4kN/m
A
3m
5m
14m
Sketch the shear force diagram SFD:
12.14kN
Slope = -4kN/m
-7.86kN
Sketch the bending moment diagram BMD
54.9kNm
47.1kNm
36.4kNm
A
Max moment
aligned with
zero in SFD
Peak moment occurs when z = 3 + 12.14 / 4 = 6.036m
2
Peak moment value is Mmax = 12.146.036 (4/2)( 6.036-3) = 54.86 kNm
9) beam with inclined loads
Resolve the loads: vertical 21sin60 = 18.19 kN, 12 sin30 = 6.0kN; horizontal 21cos60 = 10.50 kN, 12 cos30 = 10.39 kN
Calculate the support reactions: VA = (18.1916 + 610)/23 = 15.26 kN, VB = 18.19 + 6 15.26 = 8.93 kN
HA + 10.50 10.39 = 0 so HA = 0.11 kN
Calculate the axial forces: T1 = HA = +0.11 kN; T2 = T1 10.50 = 10.39 kN; ; T3 = T2 + 10.39 = 0 kN
Sketch the structure
21kN
A
12kN
60
30
7m
6m
23m
Sketch the shear force diagram SFD:
15.3kN
-2.93kN
B
-8.9kN
Sketch the bending moment diagram BMD
106.8kNm
A
89.3kNm
Sketch the axial force diagram AFD
0.11kN
A
-10.39kN
10) tower with linearly increasing wind
Distributed load = o z /L where = 8kN/m and L = 27m
Differential equation: dV/dz = = o
so V = o + C1
Boundary condition: V = 0 when z = L so 0 = o + C1 or C1 = + o
Then Shear is given by: V = + o
Max value at z=0 is VA = 8 27 / 2 = 108 kN
Differential equation: dM/dz = V = + o
so M = + o + C2
Boundary condition: M = 0 when z = L so 0 = + o + C2
or C2 = o = o
whence M = + o
Max value at z=0 is MA = 8 27 / 3 = 1944 kNm
8 kN/m
at top
27m
Sketch the shear force diagram SFD:
8kN/m
108kN
Sketch the bending moment diagram BMD
1944kNm
A
108kN
11) tower with realistic wind load
Distributed load = a z
where a = 8kN/m, b = 0.60 and L = 18m
b
Differential equation: dV/dz = = a z
so V = z
b+1
Boundary condition: V = 0 when z = L so 0 = L
Then Shear is given by: V = + (L
b+1
b+1
Differential equation: dM/dz = V = + (L
b+1
b+1
+ C1
+ C1 or C1 = + L
b+1
1.6
Max value at z=0 is VA = (8/1.6) 18
b+1
b+1
Boundary condition: M = 0 when z = L so 0 = + (L
so M = + (zL
b+2
b+2
b+2
= 509.8 kN
) + C2
) + C2
b+2
or C2 = L
whence M = + (zL
b+1
b+2
b+2
) L
2.6
Max value at z=0 is MA = 18
= 5647 kNm
= azb kN/m
with a = 8 kN/m and b = 0.6
18m
Sketch the shear force diagram SFD:
510kN
Sketch the bending moment diagram BMD
5647kNm
A
12) elevated walkway support structure
Calculate the support reactions: upwards VA = 8.0 kN, to right HA = 112 = 12.0 kN
Moments about A MA = 8(2311) + 11212/2 = 96 + 72 = 168 kNm
23m
MA
HA
B
1kN/m
11m
VA
D
8kN
MA
12m
HA
23m
HA
1kN/m z
T
8kN
BC:
A
VA
A
VA
AB:
MA
CD:
Shear force diagram:
AB no distributed load, so constant shear V = VA = 8.0 kN
BC U/D load, so linearly varying shear: V = HA 1z, so V varies from +12.0 kN at B to zero at C
CD no dist load so constant shear: clock positive V = 8 kN
Axial force diagram:
AB no internal axial load, so constant force T = HA = 12.0 kN;
BC no internal axial load, so constant force T = VA = 8.0 kN
CD no internal axial load, so constant force T = 0 kN
Bending moment diagram:
AB constant shear V=8 gives linear BM from M = 168 kNm at A to M = 168 + 823 = +16 kNm at B
BC linear shear gives parabolic BM from M = +16 kNm at B to
M = MA + HA12 + VA23 11212/2 = 168 + 12.012 + 8.023 72 = +88 kNm at C,
peaking just as it reaches C because the shear force reaches zero at that point
CD constant shear V= 8 gives linear BM from M = 0 kNm at D to M = 811 = 88 kNm at C
Note that sagging bending in BC gives a moment at C giving compression on the outer fibre: sagging bending in CD gives a
moment at C giving tension on the outer fibre: that is, opposite in sign. So the sagging sign convention causes a change in
direction at the corner C, but not at B.
Note that the SFD and AFD do not retain the same value as they go around a corner in the structure (actually they exchange
values at a right angle corner)
Note that the BMD has the same value as it goes around a corner (though the sign convention may change leading to a change
of sign)
Sketch the structure
23m
A
B
1kN/m
11m
12m
D
8kN
Sketch the shear force diagram SFD:
+8kN
+12kN
A
D
8kN
Sketch the axial force diagram AFD:
12kN
+ +8kN
D
0kN
Sketch the bending moment diagram BMD:
+16kNm
168 kNm
+16kNm
+
D
+88kNm
C
88kNm
13) cantilevered roof structure
Calculate the support reactions: upwards VA = 0 kN, to right HA = 8.0 kN
Moments about A MA = 8(12-8) = 32.0 kNm
B
C 8kN
45
12m
8m
30
MA
HA
VA
AB:
z
A
30
HA
HAcos30 + VAsin30
MA
VA
VAcos30 - HAsin30
BC:
B
z
45
A
HA
12m
30
M
V
T
45
HAcos45 + VAsin45
MA VA
VAcos45 - HAsin45
Shear force diagram:
AB no distributed load, so constant shear V = VAcos30 HAsin30 = +4.0 kN
BC no distributed load, so constant shear V = HAcos45 + VAsin45 = 5.657 kN
Axial force diagram:
AB no internal axial load, so constant force T = HAcos30 VAsin30 = +6.928 kN;
BC no internal axial load, so constant force T = +VAcos45 HAsin45 = +5.657 kN
Bending moment diagram:
AB constant shear V=4 gives linear BM from M = MA = 32 kNm at A (hogging) to M = 88 = +64 kNm at B (sagging)
BC constant shear gives linear BM from M = +64 kNm at B to M = 0 at free end C
Note that the SFD and AFD do not retain the same value as they go around a corner in the structure (they only exchange values
at a right angle corner, not at this corner B, where the angle is not 90).
Note that the BMD has the same value as it goes around a corner.
Sketch the structure
12m
C 8kN
45
8m
30
MA
HA
VA
Sketch the shear force diagram SFD:
B
+4kN
-5.66kN
A
Sketch the axial force diagram AFD:
+5.66kN
+6.93kN
C
A
Sketch the bending moment diagram BMD:
+64kNm
+
B
+
C
-32kNm
JMR Oct00
