Week 3 Group Discussion Questions

Group discussion questions are designed to help students understand the basic concepts in this
subject. They do not cover all the lecture contents.

1. The ‘stress element’ is widely used to describe the state of stress on three orthotropic
cross sections. Which of the following statements are correct?
1) The dimensions of a stress element are assumed to be infinitesimally small, but for clarity
we draw the element to a large scale.
2) Only normal stresses can be drawn on the stress element, shear stresses cannot be drawn
on the stress element.
3) If the stress element is rotated, the stresses on the element do not change.
4) A three-dimensional element has six faces.

2. Figs. 1(a) and 1(b) show a simply supported beam and a simply supported beam with an
overhang respectively. The dashed lines represent schematically the geometries of the
beams after loading. The support at Point A is called a ‘pin support’. Which of the
following statements are true for the pin support?

Figure 1 Simply supported beams

1) There is a force reaction along the horizontal direction (HA) at the pin support.
2) There is a force reaction along the vertical direction (VA) at the pin support.
3) There is a moment reaction (MA) at the pin support.
3. The support at Point B of Fig. 1 is called a ‘roller support’. Which of the
following statements are true for the roller support?

1) There is a force reaction along the horizontal direction (HB) at the roller support.
2) There is a force reaction along the vertical direction (VB) at the roller support.
3) There is a moment reaction (MB) at the roller support.

4. Fig. 2 shows a cantilever beam, which is fixed at one end (Point A) and free at the other
(Point B). The support at the fixed end (Point A) is called the fixed support. Which
following statements are correct for the fixed support?

Figure 2 Cantilever beam

1) There is a force reaction along the horizontal direction (HA) at the fixed support.
2) There is a force reaction along the vertical direction (VA) at the fixed support.
3) There is a moment reaction (MA) at the fixed support.

5. A simple beam is loaded by a uniformly distributed load of intensity q, as shown in Fig. 3.

A resultant (equivalent) force (F0) can be used to represent the uniformly distributed load
q in the equilibrium equations (force equilibrium equations and moment equilibrium
equations). The magnitude of F0 and its location are

Figure 3 Simply supported beam with uniformly distributed load over a part of its length
a) F0 = q, its location is shown in Fig. 3(a).
b) F0 = q×L, its location is shown in Fig. 3(b).
c) F0 = q×c, its location is shown in Fig. 3(a).
 d) F0 = q×c, its location is shown in Fig. 3(b).
6. A simple beam is loaded by a ‘increasing triangular’ load of peak intensity q, as shown in
Fig. 4. A resultant (equivalent) force (F0) can be used to represent the distributed load q in the
force equilibrium and moment equilibrium equations. The magnitude of F0 and its location
are

Figure 4 Simply supported beam with a 'triangular' distributed load over part of its length

a) F0=q×c, its location is shown in Fig. 4(a).

b) F0=q×c, its location is shown in Fig. 4(c).
c) F0=q×c/2, its location is shown in Fig. 4(a).
d) F0=q×c/2, its location is shown in Fig. 4(b).

Note: The resultant force of a triangular load has its magnitude equal to the triangle area and is
located at a distance one third the width of the triangle as measured from the base of the
triangle.
 7. A simple beam is loaded by a ‘decreasing’ triangular load of peak intensity q, as shown in
Fig. 6. The resultant force of this triangular load is F0. The magnitude of F0 and its
location are

Figure 5 Simply supported beam with a 'decreasing triangular distributed load over part of its length

a) F0=q×c, its location is shown in Fig. 5(a).

b) F0=q×c, its location is shown in Fig. 5(c).
c) F0=q×c/2, its location is shown in Fig. 5(a).
d) F0=q×c/2, its location is shown in Fig. 5(b)

8. A simple beam is loaded by a ‘trapezoidal’ load of intensity that varies from q1 to q2, as
shown in Fig. 6. The trapezoid can be divided into two triangles as shown by the dashed
line in Fig. 6. F1 and F2 are the resultants of the lower triangular load and upper
triangular load respectively.

Figure 6 Simply supported beam with a 'trapezoidal' distributed load over part of its length
 The magnitudes and locations of the resultants F1 and F2 are :

a) F1=F2=(q1+q2)*c/2, their locations are shown in Fig. (a).

b) F1=F2=(q1+q2)*c/2, their locations are shown in Fig. (c).
c) F1=q1×c/2, F2=q2×c/2, their locations are shown in Fig. (a).
d) F1=q1×c/2, F2=q2×c/2, their locations are shown in Fig. (b).

9. Following Question 8, the reactions at Point A and B are shown in Fig. 9. F1 and F2 are the
resultants of the lower triangular load and upper triangular load respectively. The
moment equilibrium e q u a t i o n is often used to determine the reaction at the support.

Figure 7 Simply supported beam with a 'trapezoidal' distributed load over part of its length with reactions at the supports

Moment equilibrium about Point A can be written as:

a) −𝑞1 (𝐿 − 𝑐) − 𝑞2 𝐿 = 0
b) 𝑅𝐵 𝐿 − 𝑞1 (𝐿 − 𝑐) − 𝑞2 𝐿 = 0
2𝑐 𝑐
c) −𝐹1 (𝐿 − 3
)− 𝐹2 (𝐿 − 3) = 0
2𝑐 𝑐
d) 𝑅𝐵 𝐿 − 𝐹1 (𝐿 − 3
)− 𝐹2 (𝐿 − 3) = 0

Note: Counter-clockwise moments are considered positive.

10. A beam with an overhang is loaded by a vertical force P and a ‘concentrated’ moment
M0, as shown in Fig 8.

Figure 8 Simply supported beam with an overhang and isolated couple

Moment equilibrium about Point B can is expressed as:

a) -𝑅A𝐿+ 𝑃(𝐿- 𝑎) = 0
b) -𝑅A𝐿+ 𝑃(𝐿- 𝑎) + 𝑀O = 0
c) -𝑅A 𝐿- 𝑃(𝐿- 𝑎) + 𝑀O = 0
d) -𝑅A𝐿+ 𝑃(𝐿- 𝑎) - 𝑀O = 0

11. If the beam is loaded by forces transverse to the axis of the beam or couples, a shear force
V and a bending moment M exist at the cross section of the beam. Fig. 9 shows a simple
beam with a concentrated load P. The origin of the coordinate system is set at Point A. The
x direction is shown in the figure.

Figure 9 Simply supported beam with concentrated load

If we cut through the beam at a cross section mn located at a distance of x from Point A,
there is a shear force (V) and a bending moment (M) at this cross section.
The free body diagram for the left-hand part of the beam is
 12. Corresponding to the answer to Question 11, the free body diagram for the right-hand
part of the beam is

13. Which diagram represents positive shear stress and positive bending moment?

(a)

(b)

(c)

(d)

Note: We usually draw positive shear force and positive bending moment in the free-body diagram.

14. For the simple beam shown in Fig. 9, the vertical reactions at Points A and B are

𝑃 𝑃
a) 𝑅𝐴 = 2
𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑅𝐵 = 2
𝑃𝐿 𝑃𝐿
b) 𝑅𝐴 = 𝑎
𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑅𝐵 = (𝐿−𝑎)
𝑃 (𝐿−𝑎) 𝑃𝑎
c) 𝑅𝐴 = 𝐿
𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑅𝐵 = 𝐿
𝑃𝑎 𝑃 (𝐿−𝑎)
d) 𝑅𝐴 = 𝐿
𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑅𝐵 = 𝐿
15. Following Question 14, if we cut through the beam at any point between A and C located
at a distance of x from A (as shown in Fig. 12), the shear stress (V) and bending moment
(M) as functions of x can be expressed as

a) 𝑉 = 𝑃; 𝑀= 𝑃𝑥
𝑃 (𝐿−𝑎)
b) 𝑉 = 𝐿
; 𝑀= 0
𝑃 (𝐿−𝑎) 𝑃 (𝐿−𝑎)
c) 𝑉 = 𝐿
; 𝑀= 𝐿
𝑥

17 Following Question 15, if we cut through the beam at any point between C and B, located
at a distance of x from A (Fig. below), the shear stress (V) and bending moment (M) as
functions of x can be expressed as

𝑃𝑎 𝑃 𝑎 (𝐿−𝑥)
a) 𝑉 = − 𝐿
; 𝑀= 𝐿
𝑃𝑎 𝑃 𝑎 (𝐿−𝑥)
b) 𝑉 = 𝐿
; 𝑀= 𝐿
𝑃𝑎 𝑃𝑎𝑥
c) 𝑉 = − 𝐿
; 𝑀= 𝐿
𝑃𝑎 𝑃𝑎𝑥
d) 𝑉 = 𝐿
; 𝑀= 𝐿

18 Based on solutions of Questions 15 and 16, the shear forces at Point A (VA), left-hand side
of Point C (VC-), right-hand side of Point C (VC+) and Point B (VB) are
(𝐿−𝑎) 𝑃 (𝐿−𝑎) 𝑃𝑎 𝑃𝑎
a) 𝑉𝐴 = 𝑃 𝐿
; 𝑉𝐶− = 𝐿
; 𝑉𝐶+ = 𝐿
; 𝑉𝐵 = 𝐿
(𝐿−𝑎) 𝑃 (𝐿−𝑎) 𝑃𝑎 𝑃𝑎
b) 𝑉𝐴 = 𝑃 𝐿
; 𝑉𝐶− = 𝐿
; 𝑉𝐶+ = − 𝐿
; 𝑉𝐵 = − 𝐿
𝑃𝑎 𝑃𝑎 𝑃 (𝐿−𝑎) 𝑃 (𝐿−𝑎)
c) 𝑉𝐴 = 𝐿
; 𝑉𝐶− = 𝐿
; 𝑉𝐶+ = − 𝐿
; 𝑉𝐵 = − 𝐿
𝑃𝑎 𝑃𝑎 𝑃 (𝐿−𝑎) 𝑃 (𝐿−𝑎)
d) 𝑉𝐴 = − 𝐿
; 𝑉𝐶− = − 𝐿
; 𝑉𝐶+ = − 𝐿
; 𝑉𝐵 = − 𝐿
19 Based on solutions of Questions 15 and 16, the bending moments at Point A (MA), left-
hand side of Point C (MC-), right-hand side of Point C (MC+) and Point B (MB) are
𝑃 (𝐿−𝑎) 𝑎 𝑃 (𝐿−𝑎) 𝑎
a) 𝑀𝐴 = 𝑃 𝑎; 𝑀𝐶− = 𝐿
; 𝑀𝐶+ = 𝐿
; 𝑀𝐵 = 0
𝑃 (𝐿−𝑎) 𝑎 𝑃 (𝐿−𝑎) 𝑎
b) 𝑀𝐴 = 0; 𝑀𝐶− = 𝐿
; 𝑀𝐶+ = − 𝐿
; 𝑀𝐵 = 0
𝑃 (𝐿−𝑎) 𝑎 𝑃 (𝐿−𝑎) 𝑎
c) 𝑀𝐴 = 0; 𝑀𝐶− = 𝐿
; 𝑀𝐶+ = 𝐿
; 𝑀𝐵 = 0
𝑃 (𝐿−𝑎) 𝑎 𝑃 (𝐿−𝑎) 𝑎
d) 𝑀𝐴 = 0; 𝑀𝐶− = 𝐿
; 𝑀𝐶+ = 𝐿
; 𝑀𝐵 = 𝑃 𝐿

20 Based on the answers to Questions 15-18, draw the shear stress diagram and bending
moment diagram.

21 A beam is loaded by a uniformly distributed load of intensity q as shown in Fig.14(a). If

we cut through the beam at any point between C and B located at a distance of x from A,
as shown in Fig. 14(b), the shear force (V) and bending moment (M) at the cutting cross
section are

𝑞 (𝑥−𝑎) (𝑥+𝑎)
a) 𝑉 = 𝑅𝐴 + 𝑞 (𝑥 − 𝑎) 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑀 = 𝑉 𝑥 + 2
𝑞 (𝑥−𝑎) (𝑥+𝑎)
b) 𝑉 = 𝑅𝐴 − 𝑞 (𝑥 − 𝑎) 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑀 = 𝑉 𝑥 + 2
𝑞 (𝑥−𝑎) 𝑥
c) 𝑉 = 𝑅𝐴 + 𝑞 (𝑥 − 𝑎) 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑀 = 𝑉 𝑥 + 2
𝑞 (𝑥−𝑎) 𝑎
d) 𝑉 = 𝑅𝐴 − 𝑞 (𝑥 − 𝑎) 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑀 = 𝑉 𝑥 + 2
 Solutions
Question Answer
1 First and fourth
2 First and second
3 Second
4 First, second and third
5 d)
6 c)
7 d)
8 c)
9 d)
10 b)
11 c)
12 b)
13 c)
14 c)
15 c)
16 a)
17 b)
18) c)
19) Shear force diagram

Bending moment diagram

20) b)