3. Shear Force and Bending Moment Diagram.

A structural member which is long when compared with its lateral dimensions, subjected to transverse forces so
applied as to induce bending of the member in an axial plane, is called a [Link] are usually described by the
manner in which they are supported. A beam with a pin support at one end and a roller support at the other is called a
simply supported beam or a simple beam.

A cantilever beams one that is fixed at one end and is free at the other. The free end is free to translate and rotate
unlike the fixed end that can do neither.

The third example is a beam with an overhangThe beam is simply supported at points A and B but it also projects
beyond the support at B. The overhanging segment is similar to a cantilever beam except that the beam axis may
rotate at point B.

A load can be classified as:

(i) Concentrated: which is regarded as acting wholly at one. Examples are loads P, P 2, P3 and P4 in Figure of simple
beam.
(ii) Distributed Load: A load that is spread along the axis of the beam, such as q in Figure of simple beam.
Distributed loads are measured by their intensity, which is expressed in force per unit distance e.g. kN/m.
A uniformly distributed load, or uniform load has constant intensity, q per unit distance.
(iii) Uniformlyvarying loadshown in fig of cantilever has an intensity which changes with distance.
(iv) Couple: This is illustrated by the couple of moment M acting on the overhanging beam.
Shear force
Consider a cantilever beam AB with fixed end A and point load w is applied at free end B. In equilibrium of A fixed
support A will provide equal and opposite reaction at A
W
A
D

A B
A

In equilibrium

Now consider section D there is possibility of failure. This failure is because of shear force acting on right
side and left side of beam as shown in figure. The force acing on right side of D is downward and on left part of D is
upward i.e section D is subjected to shear force of magnitude equal to force on any one side of beam from that
section.

Thus the resultant force acting normal to axis on any one side of the member is called shear force at that section.
Or it is resultant force to the right of section or left of section acing normal to the axis of beam is known as shear
force at that section.

Sign convention of shear force: Shear force tends slide one portion of beam upward or downward with
respect to other. Shear force is positive when left portion tend to slide upward and right portion tend to slide
downward i.e. left upward and right downward shear force is positive.

Positive Negative

Bending moment
Now consider another effect of load on beam. Due to load beam is subjected to moment (beam bends). Load at B
develops the moment in clockwise direction about A. In equilibrium fixed support provides resisting / balancing
moment about B.

A D B
Now consider the section D at L/3 distance from A. Load on part DB will cause clockwise moment of magnitude

. For equilibrium DA should provide anticlockwise moment of same magnitude. Moment at D because of

load and moment at A is given by anticlockwise from these two moments it is seen that section D is

subjected to clockwise moment and anticlockwise moment that moment is known as bending
moment at D.

Bending moment at any section is defined as the resultant moment of all forces acting on any one side of the
member. Or it is resultant moment to the right of section or left of section of beam is known as bending moment
at that section.

Sign convention: Effect of bending moment to bend the beam in concave shape is taken as positive bending moment
i.e. anticlockwise moment to the right of section and clockwise moment to the left of section and this type of
bending moment is known as Sagging bending moment.

Effect of bending moment to bend the beam in convex shape is taken as negative bending moment i.e. clockwise
moment to the right of section and anticlockwise moment to the left of section and this type of bending moment is
known as Hogging bending moment.

Shear force diagram and Bending moment diagram

SFD and BMD give the variation of shear force and bending moment over the length of beam. In SFD and BMD
magnitudes of shear forces and bending moments are calculated numerically at different sections and these values
are plotted to get variation of shear force and bending moment. In these diagrams values of shear forces and bending
moments at different sections are taken as ordinate and sections are taken as abscissa. Following points are taken in
to consideration for SFD and BMD

i. Values of shear force and bending moments are calculated at all important points i.e. maximum, minimum
values and points where nature of SFD and BMD changes.
ii. Variation of shear force and bending moment between these points is necessary for drawing SFD and BMD
iii. Locate the point of contra flexure (the point where bending moment changes the sign or is equal to zero).
[Link] force changes suddenly due to point load. It varies linearly due to UDL. Variation of shear
force in case of UVL is quadratic in nature, it follows parabolic path. Shear force because of couple
is zero.
v. Bending moment varies linearly due to point load. It varies with square of distance due to UDL.
Variation of bending moment in case of UVL is cubic in nature. Bending moment because of couple
suddenly changes.
Cantilever
1. SFD and BMD for Cantilever subjected to point load at free end.
Consider cantilever AB of span L carrying point load W at free end B

W SFD FX =+W

A D B

-BM

BMD
-WL
Shear force
Take any section X-X at a distance x from B
SF at X-X Fx=W
It is not depend on length x i.e. it constant for length L
Now shear force just right of B FBR=0
Shear force just left of A FAL=W-R=0 (..R=support reaction =W)
Bending moment
Bending moment at section X-X

From above equation bending moment changes with distance, since

B.M. at x=0 i.e. at B MB=0
At fixed end x=L B.M. is maximum MA= -WL.
2. SFD and BMD for Cantilever subjected to point load at a distance ‘a’ form fixed
support.
Shear force at any section between B and C=0
Shear force at any section between C and A is constant and equal to W.
Bending moment at any section between B and C= 0
Bending moment at any section at a distance X from C is

From above equation bending moment varies with distance

B.M. at C Mc=0
B.M. at A
Problem 1. Draw the SFD and BMD for beam as shown in figure.

25KN 15KN 20KN

SHEAR FORCE
A B C D i. SF at section just right of D
FDR = 0KN
0.6m
60KN 0.6m 0.6m ii. SF at section just left of D
FDL=20KN
35KN iii. SF at section just right of C
FCR= 20KN
20KN iv. SF at section just left of C
FCL=20+15=35KN
+ v. SF at section just right of B
FBR=20+15 =35KN
vi. SF at section just left of B
Shear force diagram FBL=20+15+25=60KN
vii. SF at section just right of A
FAR=20+15+25=60KN
viii. SF at section just left of A
FAL=0KN
-ve
BENDING MOMENT
12KNm
i. At free end D
MD=0
ii. BM at C
33KNm

iii. BM at B
69KNm
Bending moment diagram

iii. BM at A
 3. SFD and BMD for Cantilever subjected to U.D.L. for whole span.

Consider a cantilever beam AB of length L carrying u.d.l. w/unit length over the entire
span AB, as shown in figure. Consider any section

Problem 3. Calculate shear force and bending moment diagram for a beam as shown in figure
 SHEAR FORCE
i. SF at section just right of D
FDR = 0KN
ii. SF at section just left of D
FDL = 10 KN
iii. SF at section C
FC= 10N
Shear force varies linearly from C to B
iv. SF at section just right of B
FBR=10+40X0.6=50KN
vii. SF at section just left of B
FBL=10+40X0.6+20=70KN
viii. SF at section A
FA=70KN

BENDING MOMENT
i. At free end D
MD=0
ii. BM at C

iii. BM at B

iii. BM at A
 4. SFD and BMD for Cantilever subjected to U.V.L. for whole span.

Consider a cantilever beam AB of length L carrying U.V.L. length over the entire span AB, as
shown in figure. Consider any section
Problem. Draw SFD and BMD for abeam as shown in fig.

SHEAR FORCE
i. SF at section just right of E
FER = 0KN
ii. SF at section just left of E
FEL = 20 KN
iii. SF at section D
FD= 20KN
 Shear force varies linearly from D to C
iv. SF at section just right of C
FC=20+20X1=40KN
Shear force from C to B is constant
vii. SF at section B
FB=20+20X1=40KN
viii. SF at section A
Shear force diagram follows second degree curve from B to A

BENDING MOMENT
i. At free end E
ME=0
ii. BM at D

iii. BM at C

iii. BM at B

iii. BM at A
Bending moment from B to A follows cubic curve
 Problem. Simply supported beam as shown in figure draw SFD and BMD

Support reactions

Taking moment about A

Addition of all vertical forces

 Shear Force
i. SF just right of E FER=0

ii. SF just left of E

iii. SF just right of D

iv. SF just left of D

v. SF just right of C

vi. SF just left of C

vii. SF just right of B

viii. SF just left of B

ix. SF just right of A

x. SF just left of A

Bending Moment
i. BM. at E ME=0

ii. BM. at D

iii. BM. at C

iv. BM. at B

v. BM. at A
Problem. A simply supported beam of length 10m carries UDL and two point loads as shown in figure draw
SFD and BMD

Support reactions. Taking moment about A

Addition of all vertical forces

Shear Force
i. SF just right of D FDR=0

ii. SF just left of D

iii. SF just right of C

iv. SF just left of C

 v. SF just right of B

vi. SF just left of B

vii. SF just right of A

vii. SF just left of A

Bending Moment
i. BM. at D MD=0

ii. BM. at C

iii. BM. at B

iv. BM. at A

Maximum Bending Moment

Bending moment is maximum at section where the shear force changes the sign i.e shear force is zero. For given
beam shear changes the sign between B and C. Let that section is at a distance x from C towards left [Link]=0

From figure SF at x 50K 40K

N 10KN/ Nx
m
2m 4 4m
m
i.e. shear force is zero at 1m from C towards right and bending moment is maximum
80KN

30KN
+

-
-
10KN
Shear force diagram
-
205KNm 50KN
200KN
m
160KNm

Bending moment
Problem .A simply supported beam 6m long is loaded as shown in fig construct SFD and BMD for the beam
and find the position and value of maximum bending moment.

5KN
4KN/m 2KN/m

1.5m 1.5m
1.5m 1.5m
m

Support reactions

Taking moment about A

Addition of all vertical forces

Shear Force
i. SF just right of E FER=0

ii. SF just left of E

iii. SF just right of D

iv. SF just left of D

v. SF at C

vi. SF at B
 vii. SF just right of A

viii. SF just left of A

Bending Moment
i. BM. at E ME=0

ii. BM. at D

iii. BM. at C

iv. BM. at B

v. BM. at A MA=0

Maximum Bending Moment

Bending moment is maximum at section where the shear force changes the sign i.e shear force is zero. For
given beam shear force changes the sign between D and C. Let that section is at a distance x from D towards
left [Link]=0

From figure SF at x

5KN
4KN/m 2KN/m
i.e. shear force is zero at 0.5m from D towards right and bending moment is maximum

1.5 1.5
1.5m 1.5m
m m
8KN

2KN

-1KN

Shear force diagram -6KN

-
10.5KN 11.5KN 9KN
11.25KNm
m m
7.5KNm

Bending moment
SIMPLY SUPPORTED BEAM SUBJECTED TO UNIFORMLY VARYING LOAD

Consider simply supported beam of length L as shown in figure subjected to uniformly varying load whose
intensity varies from zero at one end and W per unit length at other. Consider a section X-X at a distance x
from right support.

Load at section X-X.

Let P unit/length be the load at X-X thus from two similar triangles

Support Reactions

Taking moment @ A

Summation of all vertical forces is equal to zero

Shear Force

Shear force at section X-X

 -------------1.

From above equation it is seen that shear force varies with x2 i.e. it follows second degree curve or parabolic
path.

Shear force at B (at x=0) -------------2.

Shear force at A (at x=L)

-------------3.

Bending Moment

Bending moment at section X-X

----------------4.

From above equation it is seen that bending moment varies with x3 i.e. it follows cubic curve.

Bending moment at B (at x=0) Bending moment at A (at x=L)

Maximum Bending Moment : BM. is maximum at the section where shear force changes the sign or SF=0.
Suppose SF= 0 at distance x from support B thus

-----------5. Thus the SF is zero

at distance from B and BM is maximum.

For maximum bending moment

put this value of x in equation 4.

 ----------6.

Problem. Draw SFD and BMD for a beam as shown in fig.

8KN/m 12KN
4KNm
X 10KN/m

2m
1.5m 1m 1m 2m

Support Reactions

Taking moment @ F

Addition of all vertical forces is zero

RF=26.31KN

Shear Force

i. SF just right of F FFR=0

ii SF just left of F FFL=-26.31KN

iii. SF at E

iv SF at just right of D

v. SF at just left of D

vi. SF at C

vii. SF at B

viii SF just right of A

ix. SF just left of A

BENDING MOMENT

i. BM at F

ii. BM just right of E

iii. BM just left of E

iv. BM at D m

ii. BM at C

ii. BM at B

ii. BM at A