Past exam of the physics B course of the University of Cambridge / 2022 / Paper 1 / Section B / B7

The bending moment $B(x)$ is the internal torque transmitted across a cut through an elastic beam, about the transverse bending axis. It balances the moments of the external forces on the isolated portion on one side of the cut. Its sign depends on the chosen convention, and its units are $\mathrm{N}\mathrm{m}$.

The relevant “moment of area” is the second moment of area of the cross-section about its neutral axis:where $z$ is perpendicular distance from that axis within the section. It has units ${\mathrm{m}}^4$ and is a geometrical quantity, unlike a mass moment of inertia. For a homogeneous beam under pure bending, the neutral axis passes through the section's centroid, and its longitudinal strain is zero.

Assume a slender homogeneous elastic beam obeying linear elasticity, with plane sections remaining plane and no resultant longitudinal force. A length element of its neutral axis subtending a small angle $d\varphi$ has length $Rd\varphi$. A neighbouring fibre at distance $z$ from that axis has a length change of magnitude $zd\varphi$, giving longitudinal strain $\epsilon =z/R$ with signs chosen consistently for tensile and compressed fibres. By Hooke's law, its longitudinal stress is $\sigma =E\epsilon =Ez/R$.

The torque of these longitudinal forces about the neutral axis is thereforeHere $E$ is Young's modulus and $I$ the second moment of area. The displayed relation uses a signed radius and bending moment; an unsigned geometrical radius is $|R|=EI/|B|$. For consistency with the negative bending moments in the later parts, take the deflection $y$ positive downward and the signed curvature as $1/R\simeq y^{\prime \prime }$. Then the small-slope Euler-Bernoulli beam equation reads $EI{y}^{\prime \prime }=B$. Reversing the vertical coordinate reverses the corresponding sign relation but leaves the physical deflection unchanged.

By vertical force balance and reflection symmetry, each support exerts an upward force $W/2$. Use the paper's convention in which the sagging bending moment is negative. For a cut at $0<x<L/2$, the left support's moment about that cut givesFor $L/2<x<L$, include the central downward force when taking moments of all loads to the left:ThusThe bending moment is continuous at the load, with $B(L/2)=-WL/4$, and vanishes at both freely rotating supports. The jump is in its first derivative, reflecting the concentrated transverse force.

The uniform weight per unit length is $q=\rho abg$, where $\rho$ is the mass density and $g$ the gravitational acceleration. The total weight is $qL$, so each support provides an upward force $qL/2$. The weight on the portion from $0$ to $x$ is $qx$ acting at that portion's midpoint, a distance $x/2$ from the cut. In the same bending moment convention as part (c),The units are $(\mathrm{N}{\mathrm{m}}^{-1}){\mathrm{m}}^2=\mathrm{N}\mathrm{m}$. Its greatest magnitude occurs at $x=L/2$, where $B=-q{L}^2/8$.

Take downward deflection $y(x)$ positive, with the support level $y=0$. The rectangular section second moment of area about the horizontal neutral axis isFor small slopes the curvature relation from part (b), with the stated sign convention, isIntegrating twice givesThe support boundary conditions $y(0)=y(L)=0$ give $C_2=0$ and $C_1=q{L}^3/24$. HenceThis is a downward displacement; its upward component is $-y(x)$. As checks, reflection symmetry gives $y^{\prime }(L/2)=0$, and the maximum downward deflection isThe units are length: $\rho g/(E{b}^2)$ has units ${\mathrm{m}}^{-3}$. The width $a$ cancels because both weight and bending resistance scale with it. The small-slope approximation requires $\rho g{L}^3/(E{b}^2)\ll 1$; shear strain is also neglected, as appropriate for a slender elastic beam.