OVERVIEW

Module 7 Moment of inertia plays a role in rotational kinetics that

mass (inertia) plays in linear kinetics—both characterize the
resistance of a body to changes in its motion. The moment of
inertia depends on how mass is distributed around an axis of
MOMENTS rotation, and will vary depending on the chosen axis. The
design of a structural member, such as a beam or column,
OF INERTIA requires the calculation of its cross-sectional moment of inertia.
In this module, we will discuss how this is done.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES
At the end of this chapter, you should be able to:
1. determine the moment of inertia for an area.
2. understand the concept of the product of inertia
3. determine the maximum and minimum moments of inertia for an area.
4. understand the concept of the mass moment of inertia

INTRODUCTION

Before we proceed with our topic, let us first define some important terms so that you
will better understand the lesson well.

Moment of Inertia. A quantity expressing a body's tendency to resist angular

acceleration. It is the sum of the products of the mass of each particle in the body with
the square of its distance from the axis of rotation.

The polar moment of inertia, also known as the second polar moment of area, is
a quantity used to describe resistance to torsional deformation (deflection), in
cylindrical objects (or segments of the cylindrical object) with an invariant cross-section
and no significant warping or out-of-plane deformation.

The radius of gyration or gyradius of a body about an axis of rotation is defined as

the radial distance to the point that would have a moment of inertia the same as the
body's actual distribution of mass if the total mass of the body were concentrated there.

LESSON 1: MOMENT OF INERTIA OF A PLANE AREA

Consider a plane area, whose moment of inertia is required to be found out.

Split up the whole area into a number of small elements.

Let a1, a2, a3, … = Areas of small elements, and

r1, r2, r3, … = Corresponding distances of the elements from the line about
which the moment of inertia is required to be found out.
Now, the moment of inertia of the area,
I = a1 r12 + a2 r22 + a3 r32 + …
= Σ a r2

Units of Moment of Inertia

As a matter of fact, the units of the moment of inertia of a plane area depend
upon the units of the area and the length. e.g.,
1. If the area is in m2 and the length is also in m, the moment of inertia is expressed
in m4.
2. If the area is in mm2 and the length is also in mm, then the moment of inertia is
expressed in mm4.

Moments of Inertia by Integration

The moment of inertia of an area may also be found out by the method of
integration as discussed below:
Consider a plane figure, whose moment of inertia
is required to be found out about the X-X axis the and Y-
Y axis as shown in the figure. Let us divide the whole
area into a number of strips. Consider one of these
strips.
Let dA = Area of the strip
x = Distance of the center of gravity of the strip
on the X-X axis and
y = Distance of the center of gravity of the strip on the Y-Y axis
We know that the moment of inertia of the strip about Y-Y axis = dA ∙ x2
Now, the moment of inertia of the whole area may be found out by integrating above
equation, i.e.,
IYY = Σ dA ∙ x2
Similarly,
IXX = Σ dA ∙ y2
Moments of Inertia of a Rectangular Section

Consider a rectangular section ABCD as shown in Fig. 7.2 whose moment of

inertia is required to be found out.

Example: Find the moment of inertia of a rectangular section 30 mm wide and

40 mm deep about X-X axis and Y-Y axis.

Solution.

Given: Width of the section (b) = 30 mm and depth of the section (d) = 40 mm. We
know that moment of inertia of the section about an axis passing through its center of
gravity and parallel to X-X axis,

Moments of Inertia of a Hollow Rectangular Section

Consider a hollow rectangular section, in which ABCD is the main section and
EFGH is the cut out section as shown in Fig 7.3
Example: Find the moment of inertia of a hollow rectangular section about its centre
of gravity if the external dimensions are breadth 60 mm, depth 80 mm and internal
dimensions are breadth 30 mm and depth 40 mm respectively.

Solution.

Given: External breadth (b) = 60 mm; External depth (d) = 80 mm ; Internal breadth
(b1) = 30 mm and internal depth (d1) = 40 mm. We know that moment of inertia of
hollow rectangular section about an axis passing through its center of gravity and
parallel to X-X axis,

Theorem of Perpendicular Axis

It states, If IXX and IYY be the moments of inertia of a plane section about two
perpendicular axis meeting at O, the moment of inertia I ZZ about the axis Z-Z,
perpendicular to the plane and passing through the intersection of X-X and Y-Y is given
by:
 Proof: Consider a small lamina (P) of area da
having co -ordinates as x and y along OX and OY
two mutually perpendicular axes on a plane section
as shown in Fig. 7.4.

Moment of Inertia of a Circular Section

Consider a circle ABCD of radius (r) with center O

and X-X' and Y-Y' be two axes of reference through
O as shown in Fig. 7.5.
 Example: Find the moment of inertia of a circular section of 50 mm diameter
about an axis passing through its center.

Solution.

Given: Diameter (d) = 50 mm

We know that moment of inertia of the circular section about an axis passing through
its center,

Moment of Inertia of a Hollow Circular Section

Consider a hollow circular section as shown in Fig.7.6, whose moment of inertia

is required to be found out.

Note : This relation holds good only if the center of the main circular section as well as
that of the cut out circular section coincide with each other

Example: A hollow circular section has an external diameter of 80 mm and

internal diameter of 60 mm. Find its moment of inertia about the horizontal axis passing
through its center.

Solution.
Given : External diameter (D) = 80 mm and internal diameter (d) = 60 mm.
We know that moment of inertia of the hollow circular section about the
horizontal axis passing through its center,
Theorem of Parallel Axis

It states, If the moment of inertia of a plane area about an axis through its center
of gravity is denoted by IG, then the moment of inertia of the area about any other axis
AB, parallel to the first, and at a distance h from the center of gravity is given by:

Proof: Consider a strip of a circle, whose moment of inertia is required to be found out
about a line AB as shown in Fig. 7.7.

Moment of Inertia of a Triangular Section

Consider a triangular section ABC whose moment of inertia is required to be

found out.
 Example: An isosceles triangular section ABC has base width 80 mm and
height 60 mm. Determine the moment of inertia of the section about the center of
gravity of the section and the base BC.

Solution.

Given : Base width (b) = 80 mm and height (h) = 60 mm.

Moment of inertia about the center of gravity of the section

We know that moment of inertia of triangular section about its center of

gravity,

Moment of inertia about the base BC

We also know that moment of inertia of triangular section about the base BC,

Example: A hollow triangular section shown in Fig. 7.9 is symmetrical about its
vertical axis. Find the moment of inertia of the section about the base BC.

Solution.

Given : Base width of main triangle (B) = 180 mm; Base width of cut out triangle (b) =
120 mm; Height of main triangle (H) = 100 mm and height of cut out triangle (h) = 60
mm.

We know that moment of inertia of the triangular, section about the base BC,
Moment of Inertia of a Semicircular Section

Consider a semicircular section ABC whose moment of inertia is required to be

found out as shown in Fig. 7.10.

Example 1: Determine the moment of inertia of a semicircular section of 100

mm diameter about its center of gravity and parallel to X-X and Y-Y axes.

Solution.

Given : Diameter of the section (d) = 100 mm or radius (r) = 50 mm

Moment of inertia of the section about its center of gravity and parallel to X-X axis. We
know that moment of inertia of the semicircular section about its center of gravity and
parallel to X-X axis,

Moment of inertia of the section about its center of gravity and parallel to Y-Y axis We
also know that moment of inertia of the semicircular section about its center of gravity
and parallel to Y-Y axis.
 Example 2: A hollow semicircular section has its outer and inner diameter of
200 mm and 120 mm respectively as shown in Fig. 7.11. What is its moment of inertia
about the base AB?

Solution.

Given: Outer diameter (D) = 200 mm or Outer Radius (R) = 100 mm and inner diameter
(d) = 120 mm or inner radius (r) = 60 mm.

We know that moment of inertia of the hollow semicircular section about the base AB,

LESSON 2: MOMENT OF INERTIA OF A COMPOSITE SECTION

The moment of inertia of a composite section may be found out by the following steps:

1. First of all, split up the given section into plane areas (i.e., rectangular, triangular,
circular etc., and find the center of gravity of the section).
2. Find the moments of inertia of these areas about their respective centers of gravity.
3. Now transfer these moment of inertia about the required axis (AB) by the Theorem
of Parallel Axis, i.e.,

4. The moments of inertia of the given section may now be obtained by the algebraic
sum of the moment of inertia about the required axis.

Example 1: Figure 7.12 shows an area ABCDEF. Compute the moment of

inertia of the above area about axis K-K.
Solution.

As the moment of inertia is required to be found out about the axis K-K, therefore there
is no need of finding out the center of gravity of the area.

Let us split up the area into two rectangles 1 and 2 as shown in Fig. 7.13.

Example 2: Find the moment of inertia of a T-section with flange as 150 mm × 50 mm

and web as 150 mm × 50 mm about X-X and Y-Y axes through the center of gravity
of the section.

Solution.

The given T-section is shown in Fig. 7.14. First of all, let us

find out center of gravity of the section. As the section is
symmetrical about Y-Y axis, therefore its center of gravity will
lie on this axis. Split up the whole section into two rectangles
viz., 1 and 2 as shown in figure. Let bottom of the web be the
axis of reference.
Example 3:
Example 4: Determine the moments of inertia for
the cross-sectional area of the member shown in
Fig. 10–9a about the x and y centroidal axes.

Solution.

Composite Parts. The cross section can be

subdivided into the three rectangular areas A, B,
and D shown in Fig. 10–9b. For the calculation,
the centroid of each of these rectangles is located
in the figure.

Parallel-Axis Theorem. The moment of inertia of a rectangle about its centroidal axis
is
. Hence, using the parallel-axis theorem for rectangles A and D, the
calculations are as follows:
Exercises

1. Figure shows the cross-section of a cast iron beam. Determine the moments of
inertia of the section about horizontal and vertical axes passing through the
centroid of the section.

2. A rectangular hole is made in a triangular section as shown. Determine the moment

of inertia of the section about X-X axis passing through its center of gravity and the
base BC.

3. Determine the moment of inertia of the composite area about the x axis.
4. Determine the moment of inertia of the composite area about the y axis.
5. Determine the location y of the centroid of the
channel’s cross-sectional area and then
calculate the moment of inertia of the area
about this axis.

6. Determine the moment of inertia Ix of

the shaded area about the x axis.
7. Determine the moment of inertia Ix of
the shaded area about the y axis.

8. Determine the moment of inertia of

the shaded area about the x axis.
9. Determine the moment of inertia of
the shaded area about the y axis.

10. Determine the moment of inertia for the

shaded area about the x & y axis.
Summary

References:
• Hibbeler, R.C., Engineering Mechanics, Statics, 14th Edition, 2016
• Khurmi, R.S., A Textbook of Engineering Mechanics
• Singer, Ferdinand L., Engineering Mechanics, Statics and Dynamics, 3rd Edition