Useful Moment of Inertia Formulas
Note: In the table below, the overbar indicates the moment of inertia is taken about an axis that passes
through the centroid, denoted as C. Parallel axis theorems are:
I x I x Ad 2 I y I y Ad 2 I xy I xy Ax y
Here, A is the area of the shape, d is the distance from the centroidal axis to the desired parallel axis, and
x y are the x and y distances of the centroid from the origin of the desired coordinate frame.
Rectangle: y y`
I x 1 bh 3 I x 1 bh 3 b/2
12 3
I y 1 b 3 h I y 1 b3h
12 3 h C x`
I xy 0 Area = bh
h/2
x
b
Triangle:
s
I x 1 bh 3 I x 1 bh 3
36 12
b(b 2 s ) h 2 1 h
I xy Area bh C x`
72 2
h/3
x
b
Circle:
y
I x I y 1 r 4
4
I xy 0 r x
C
Area r 2
Semi-circle:
y
I x I y 1 r 4 I x ' 8 r 4 4r/3
8 8 9 r C x`
I xy 0 r 2 x
Area
2
Ellipse:
y
I x 1 ab 3 I y 1 a 3b
4 4
I xy 0 r C x
Area ab b
a
Solid Square Cross Section
The Area Moment of Inertia for a solid square
section can be calculated as
Ix = a4 / 12 (2) The Area Moment of Inertia for a solid cylindrical
section can be calculated as
where
I x = r4 / 4
a = side (mm, m, in..)
= d4 / 64 (4)
where
Iy = a4 / 12 (2b)
r = radius
Solid Rectangular Cross Section
d = diameter
I y = r4 / 4
= d4 / 64 (4b)
Hollow Cylindrical Cross Section
The Area Moment of Ineria for a rectangular
section can be calculated as
Ix = b h3 / 12 (3) The Area Moment of Inertia for a hollow
cylindrical section can be calculated as
where
Ix = (do4 - di4) / 64 (5)
b = width
where
h = height
do = cylinder outside diameter
di = cylinder inside diameter
Iy = b3 h / 12 (3b)
Iy = (do4 - di4) / 64 (5b)
Solid Circular Cross Section Square Section - Diagonal Moments
The diagonal Area Moments of Inertia for a square Area Moment of Inertia for a nonsymmetrical
section can be calculated as shaped section can be calculated as
Ix = Iy = a4 / 12 (6) Ix = (1 / 3) (B yb3 - B1 hb3 + b yt3 - b1 ht3)
(9)
Rectangular Section - Area Moments on any
line through Center of Gravity Angle with Equal Legs
The Area Moment of Inertia for an angle with
equal legs can be calculated as
Ix = 1/3 [2c4 - 2 (c - t)4 + t (h - 2 c + 1/2 t)3]
(1a)
Rectangular section and Area of Moment on line
through Center of Gravity can be calculated as where
Ix = (b h / 12) (h2 cos a + b2 sin2 a) (7) c = yt cos 45o (1b)
and
Symmetrical Shape
yt = (h2 + ht + t2) / [2 (2 h - t ) cos 45o]
(1c)
Angle with Unequal Legs
Area Moment of Inertia for a symmetrical shaped
section can be calculated as
Ix = (a h3 / 12) + (b / 12) (H3 - h3) (8)
3 3
Iy = (a h / 12) + (b / 12) (H - h)
(8b) The Area Moment of Inertia for an angle with
unequal legs can be calculated as
Nonsymmetrical Shape
Ix = 1/3 [t (h - yd)3 + b yd3 - b1 (yd - t)3]
(2a)
Iy = 1/3 [t (b - xd)3 + h xd3 - h1 (xd - t)3]
(2b)
where
xd = (b2 + h1 t) / (2 (b + h1))
(2c)
yd = (h2 + b1 t) / (2 (h + b1))
Triangle
The Area Moment of Inertia for a triangle can be
calculated as
Ix = b h3 / 36 (3a)
2
Iy = h b (b - ba bc) / 36 (3b)
Rectangular Triangle
The Area Moment of Inertia for a rectangular
triangle can be calculated as
Ix = b h3 / 36 (4a)
3
Iy = h b / 36 (4b)
