TITLE: BENDING MOMENT

OBJECTIVE

1. To determine how bending moment varies with increasing point load

2. To determine how bending moment varies at the cut position of the beam for various
loading condition.

THEORY

The bending moment at any point along the beam is equal to the area under the shear force
diagram up to that point. (Note: For a simply-supported beam, the bending moment at the
ends will always be equal to zero.)

The bending moment M(x) at any point x along the beam can be found by using the
following equations:

(𝑙−𝑎)
Bending Moment, M(x) = 𝑊𝑎 where,
𝑙

W = Applied load on the beam

a = The distance between the pivot point and point of force application.

l = Total length of the beam

Lx L2
W1
L1 X

RA X RB
 Bending moment at section x-x is :
B.M x-x = W1 (Lx-L1 ) – RA Lx

OR B.M x-x = RB L2

When the load is to the right of x-x :

B.M x-x = RA Lx

Bending moment diagrams are simply plots of the bending moment (on the y-axis) versus the
position of various points along the beam (on the x-axis).

EQUIPMENT AND APPARATUS

1. A pair of simple supports.

2. Special beam with a cut section.
3. A set of weights with several load hangers.

PROCEDURES

Part 1,

1. Check the Digital Force Display Meter read zero with no load.
2. Place a hanger with a 100g mass to the left of the ‘cut’. Record the Digital Force
Display reading Table 1, repeat using any mass masses between 200g and 500g.
3. Convert the mass into a load in Newton (multiply by 9.81) and the force reading into
a bending moment (Nm) using the following expression:
Bending moment at a cut (Nm) = Displayed Force x 0.125
4. Calculate the theoretical bending moment at the cut and complete.

Part 2,

1. Check the Digital Force Display Meter read zero with no load.
 2. Carefully load the beam with the hanger in any positions and loads as example in
figure.
3. Convert the force reading into the bending moment (Nm) using:
Bending moment at a cut (Nm) = Display Force x 0.125

RESULT

Length, L = 220 mm

Mass (g) Load (N) Force (N) Bending Moment at x-x

Experimental (Nm) Theory (Nm)

(F x 0.125)

100

200

300

400

500