10

Moments of Inertia

CHAPTER OBJECTIVES

To develop a method for determining the moment of inertia for

an area.

To introduce the product of inertia and show how to determine the

maximum and minimum moments of inertia for an area.

To discuss the mass moment of inertia.

10.1 Definition of Moments of Inertia

for Areas

Whenever a distributed loading acts perpendicular to an area and its

intensity varies linearly, the computation of the moment of the loading
distribution about an axis will involve a quantity called the moment of
inertia of the area. For example, consider the plate in Fig. 101, which is
subjected to a fluid pressure p. As discussed in Sec. 9.5, this pressure p
varies linearly with depth, such that p = gy , where g is the specific
weight of the fluid. Thus, the force acting on the differential area dA of
the plate is dF = p dA = (g y)dA. The moment of this force about the
x axis is therefore dM = y dF = gy 2dA, and so integrating dM over the
entire area of the plate yields M = g 1 y 2dA. The integral 1 y 2dA is called
the moment of inertia Ix of the area about the x axis. Integrals of this
form often arise in formulas used in fluid mechanics, mechanics of
materials, structural mechanics, and mechanical design, and so the
engineer needs to be familiar with the methods used for their
computation.

p ! gy

dA

dF

Fig. 101

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Moment of Inertia. By definition, the moments of inertia of a

differential area dA about the x and y axes are dIx = y2 dA and
dIy = x2 dA, respectively, Fig. 102. For the entire area A the moments
of inertia are determined by integration; i.e.,
Ix =

y dA
LA

Iy =

LA

(101)

x dA

We can also formulate this quantity for dA about the pole O or

z axis, Fig. 102. This is referred to as the polar moment of inertia. It is
defined as dJO = r2 dA, where r is the perpendicular distance from the
pole (z axis) to the element dA. For the entire area the polar moment of
inertia is

dA

JO =

Fig. 102

LA

r2 dA = Ix + Iy

(102)

This relation between JO and Ix, Iy is possible since r2 = x2 + y2,

Fig. 102.
From the above formulations it is seen that Ix, Iy, and JO will always
be positive since they involve the product of distance squared and area.
Furthermore, the units for moment of inertia involve length raised to the
fourth power, e.g., m4, mm4, or ft4, in4.

10.2 Parallel-Axis Theorem for an Area

y"

dA
y

10

dx

dy
x

Fig. 103

The parallel-axis theorem can be used to find the moment of inertia of an

area about any axis that is parallel to an axis passing through the centroid
and about which the moment of inertia is known.To develop this theorem,
we will consider finding the moment of inertia of the shaded area shown
in Fig. 103 about the x axis. To start, we choose a differential element dA
located at an arbitrary distance y from the centroidal x axis. If the
distance between the parallel x and x axes is dy, then the moment of
inertia of dA about the x axis is dIx = 1y + dy22 dA. For the entire area,
Ix =
=

1y + dy22 dA
LA
LA

y 2 dA + 2dy

LA

y dA + d2y

dA
LA

10.3

RADIUS OF GYRATION OF AN AREA

513

The first integral represents the moment of inertia of the area about the
centroidal axis, Ix. The second integral is zero since the x axis passes
through the areas centroid C; i.e., 1 y dA = y 1 dA = 0 since y = 0.
Since the third integral represents the total area A, the final result is
therefore
Ix = Ix + Ad2y

(103)

A similar expression can be written for Iy; i.e.,

Iy = Iy + Ad2x

(104)

And finally, for the polar moment of inertia, since JC = Ix + Iy and

d2 = d2x + d2y, we have
JO = JC + Ad2

(105)

The form of each of these three equations states that the moment of
inertia for an area about an axis is equal to its moment of inertia about a
parallel axis passing through the areas centroid plus the product of the
area and the square of the perpendicular distance between the axes.

In order to predict the strength and

deflection of this beam, it is necessary to
calculate the moment of inertia of the
beams cross-sectional area.

10.3 Radius of Gyration of an Area

The radius of gyration of an area about an axis has units of length and is
a quantity that is often used for the design of columns in structural
mechanics. Provided the areas and moments of inertia are known, the radii
of gyration are determined from the formulas
kx =

ky =

kO =

Ix
DA
Iy
DA

(106)

JO
DA

The form of these equations is easily remembered since it is similar to

that for finding the moment of inertia for a differential area about
an axis. For example, Ix = k2xA; whereas for a differential area,
dIx = y2 dA.

10

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INERTIA
y

y
x
(x, y)

y ! f(x)
dy

dA

y ! f(x)

(x, y)
y

dA

y
x

x
dx

(a)

(b)

Fig. 104

Procedure for Analysis

In most cases the moment of inertia can be determined using a
single integration. The following procedure shows two ways in
which this can be done.
If the curve defining the boundary of the area is expressed as
y = f(x), then select a rectangular differential element such that
it has a finite length and differential width.
The element should be located so that it intersects the curve at
the arbitrary point (x, y).
Case 1
Orient the element so that its length is parallel to the axis about
which the moment of inertia is computed.This situation occurs when
the rectangular element shown in Fig. 104a is used to determine Ix
for the area. Here the entire element is at a distance y from the x axis
2
since it has a thickness dy.Thus Ix = 1 y dA.To find Iy, the element
is oriented as shown in Fig. 104b. This element lies at the same
2
distance x from the y axis so that Iy = 1 x dA.

10

Case 2
The length of the element can be oriented perpendicular to the axis
about which the moment of inertia is computed; however, Eq. 101
does not apply since all points on the element will not lie at the same
moment-arm distance from the axis. For example, if the rectangular
element in Fig. 104a is used to determine Iy, it will first be
necessary to calculate the moment of inertia of the element about
an axis parallel to the y axis that passes through the elements
centroid, and then determine the moment of inertia of the element
about the y axis using the parallel-axis theorem. Integration of this
result will yield Iy. See Examples 10.2 and 10.3.

10.3

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RADIUS OF GYRATION OF AN AREA

EXAMPLE 10.1
Determine the moment of inertia for the rectangular area shown in
Fig. 105 with respect to (a) the centroidal x axis, (b) the axis xb
passing through the base of the rectangle, and (c) the pole or z axis
perpendicular to the x y plane and passing through the centroid C.

dy
h
2
y

SOLUTION (CASE 1)
Part (a). The differential element shown in Fig. 105 is chosen for
integration. Because of its location and orientation, the entire element
is at a distance y from the x axis. Here it is necessary to integrate
from y = - h>2 to y = h>2. Since dA = b dy, then

C
h
2

xb
h>2

Ix =

Ix

h>2

b
2

y2 dA =
y21b dy2 = b
y2 dy
LA
L-h>2
L-h>2

1
bh3
=
12

b
2

Fig. 105

Ans.

Part (b). The moment of inertia about an axis passing through the
base of the rectangle can be obtained by using the above result of part
(a) and applying the parallel-axis theorem, Eq. 103.
Ixb = Ix + Ad2y
=

1
h 2
1
bh3 + bh a b = bh3
12
2
3

Ans.

Part (c). To obtain the polar moment of inertia about point C, we

must first obtain Iy, which may be found by interchanging the
dimensions b and h in the result of part (a), i.e.,

Iy =

1
hb3
12

10

Using Eq. 102, the polar moment of inertia about C is therefore

JC = Ix + Iy =

1
bh1h2 + b22
12

Ans.

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CHAPTER 10

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INERTIA

EXAMPLE 10.2
y

Determine the moment of inertia for the shaded area shown in

Fig. 106a about the x axis.

y2 ! 400x

(100 x)

SOLUTION I (CASE 1)
A differential element of area that is parallel to the x axis, as shown in
Fig. 106a, is chosen for integration. Since this element has a thickness
dy and intersects the curve at the arbitrary point (x, y), its area is
dA = 1100 - x2 dy. Furthermore, the element lies at the same
distance y from the x axis. Hence, integrating with respect to y, from
y = 0 to y = 200 mm, yields

dy

200 mm

x
100 mm

Ix =

(a)

LA

y2 dA =

L0

L0

y2 ! 400x

200 mm
y

x
y
y~ !
2
x
x

10

dx
100 mm
(b)

y21100 - x2 dy

200 mm

y2 a100 -

= 10711062 mm4
y

200 mm

200 mm
y2
y4
a100y2 b dy =
bdy
400
400
L0

Ans.

SOLUTION II (CASE 2)
A differential element parallel to the y axis, as shown in Fig. 106b, is
chosen for integration. It intersects the curve at the arbitrary point (x, y).
In this case, all points of the element do not lie at the same distance
from the x axis, and therefore the parallel-axis theorem must be used
to determine the moment of inertia of the element with respect to this
axis. For a rectangle having a base b and height h, the moment of
inertia about its centroidal axis has been determined in part (a) of
1
Example 10.1. There it was found that Ix = 12
bh3. For the differential
element shown in Fig. 106b, b = dx and h = y, and thus
'
1
dIx = 12
dx y3. Since the centroid of the element is y = y>2 from the
x axis, the moment of inertia of the element about this axis is
y 2
1
1
'
dIx = dIx + dA y2 =
dx y3 + y dx a b = y3 dx
12
2
3

(This result can also be concluded from part (b) of Example 10.1.)
Integrating with respect to x, from x = 0 to x = 100 mm, yields

Fig. 106

Ix =

dIx =
6

L0

100 mm

= 107110 2 mm4

1 3
y dx =
3
L0

100 mm

1
1400x23>2 dx
3

Ans.

10.3

517

RADIUS OF GYRATION OF AN AREA

EXAMPLE 10.3
Determine the moment of inertia with respect to the x axis for the
circular area shown in Fig. 107a.
y
x

#x
(#x, y)

(x, y)

dy

y
x

O
a

x2 $ y2 ! a2
(a)

SOLUTION I (CASE 1)
Using the differential element shown in Fig. 107a, since dA = 2x dy,
we have
Ix =

y2 dA =
y 212x2 dy
LA
LA
a

L-a

y2 A 2 2a2 - y2 B dy =

pa4
4

Ans.

SOLUTION II (CASE 2)
When the differential element shown in Fig. 107b is chosen, the
centroid for the element happens to lie on the x axis, and since
1
Ix = 12
bh3 for a rectangle, we have

y
x2 $ y2 ! a2

1
dx12y23
12
2
= y3 dx
3

(x, y)

dIx =

y
~ y)
~
(x,
O

Integrating with respect to x yields

a

#y

pa
2 2
Ix =
1a - x223>2 dx =
3
4
L-a

Ans.

By comparison, Solution I requires much less computation.

Therefore, if an integral using a particular element appears difficult to
evaluate, try solving the problem using an element oriented in the
other direction.

NOTE:

dx
(b)

Fig. 107

(x, #y)

10

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MOMENTS

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INERTIA

FUNDAMENTAL PROBLEMS
F101. Determine the moment of inertia of the shaded
area about the x axis.

F103. Determine the moment of inertia of the shaded

area about the y axis.

y3 ! x2

y3 ! x2
1m

1m

1m

1m

F101

F103

F102. Determine the moment of inertia of the shaded

area about the x axis.

F104. Determine the moment of inertia of the shaded

area about the y axis.

1m

1m

y 3 ! x2

y3 ! x2

10
x
1m

F102

x
1m

F104

10.3

519

RADIUS OF GYRATION OF AN AREA

PROBLEMS
101. Determine the moment of inertia of the area about
the x axis.

105. Determine the moment of inertia of the area about

the x axis.

102. Determine the moment of inertia of the area about

the y axis.

106. Determine the moment of inertia of the area about

the y axis.
y

y2 ! 2x
y ! 0.25 x3

2m

2m

2m
2m

Probs. 101/2

Probs. 105/6

103. Determine the moment of inertia of the area about

the x axis.

107. Determine the moment of inertia of the area about

the x axis.

*104. Determine the moment of inertia of the area about

the y axis.

*108. Determine the moment of inertia of the area about

the y axis.
109. Determine the polar moment of inertia of the area
about the z axis passing through point O.

1m

y2 ! x3
y ! 2x4

2m

10

x
1m
O

Probs. 103/4

x
1m

Probs. 107/8/9

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1010. Determine the moment of inertia of the area about

the x axis.
1011. Determine the moment of inertia of the area about
the y axis.

1014. Determine the moment of inertia of the area about

the x axis. Solve the problem in two ways, using rectangular
differential elements: (a) having a thickness of dx, and
(b) having a thickness of dy.
1015. Determine the moment of inertia of the area about
the y axis. Solve the problem in two ways, using rectangular
differential elements: (a) having a thickness of dx, and
(b) having a thickness of dy.

y ! x3

8 in.

y ! 4 4x 2
4 in.

x
x

2 in.
1 in. 1 in.

Probs. 1010/11

Probs. 1014/15 k

*1012. Determine the moment of inertia of the area

about the x axis.

*1016. Determine the moment of inertia of the triangular

area about the x axis.
1017. Determine the moment of inertia of the triangular
area about the y axis.

1013. Determine the moment of inertia of the area

about the y axis.

y ! 2 2x 3

2 in.

h (b # x)
y !
b
h

10

1 in.

Probs. 1012/13

x
b

Probs. 1016/17

10.3

521

RADIUS OF GYRATION OF AN AREA

1018. Determine the moment of inertia of the area about

the x axis.

1022. Determine the moment of inertia of the area about

the x axis.

1019. Determine the moment of inertia of the area about

the y axis.

1023. Determine the moment of inertia of the area about

the y axis.

x)
y ! 2 cos (
8
h

2 in.
x

h x2
y !
b2

4 in.

4 in.

Probs. 1018/19

Probs. 1022/23

*1020. Determine the moment of inertia of the area

about the x axis.

*1024. Determine the moment of inertia of the area

about the x axis.

1021. Determine the moment of inertia of the area

about the y axis.

1025. Determine the moment of inertia of the area

about the y axis.
1026. Determine the polar moment of inertia of the area
about the z axis passing through point O.

y
x2 $ y2 ! r02

2 in.

r0

y3 ! x

x
x
8 in.

Probs. 1020/21

Probs. 1024/25/26

10

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10.4 Moments of Inertia for

Composite Areas

A composite area consists of a series of connected simpler parts or

shapes, such as rectangles, triangles, and circles. Provided the moment of
inertia of each of these parts is known or can be determined about a
common axis, then the moment of inertia for the composite area about
this axis equals the algebraic sum of the moments of inertia of all its parts.

Procedure for Analysis

The moment of inertia for a composite area about a reference axis
can be determined using the following procedure.
Composite Parts.

Using a sketch, divide the area into its composite parts and
indicate the perpendicular distance from the centroid of each
part to the reference axis.
Parallel-Axis Theorem.
If the centroidal axis for each part does not coincide with the
reference axis, the parallel-axis theorem, I = I + Ad2, should be
used to determine the moment of inertia of the part about the
reference axis. For the calculation of I, use the table on the inside
back cover.
Summation.
The moment of inertia of the entire area about the reference axis
is determined by summing the results of its composite parts
about this axis.
If a composite part has a hole, its moment of inertia is found
by subtracting the moment of inertia of the hole from the
moment of inertia of the entire part including the hole.

10

For design or analysis of this Tee beam,

engineers must be able to locate the
centroid of its cross-sectional area, and
then find the moment of inertia of this
area about the centroidal axis.

10.4

MOMENTS OF INERTIA FOR COMPOSITE AREAS

523

EXAMPLE 10.4
Determine the moment of inertia of the area shown in Fig. 108a
about the x axis.

100 mm

100 mm

25 mm

75 mm

25 mm

75 mm

75 mm

75 mm

(a)

(b)

Fig. 108

SOLUTION
Composite Parts. The area can be obtained by subtracting the
circle from the rectangle shown in Fig. 108b. The centroid of each
area is located in the figure.
Parallel-Axis Theorem. The moments of inertia about the x axis
are determined using the parallel-axis theorem and the data in the
table on the inside back cover.

Circle
Ix = Ix + Ad2y
=

Rectangle

1
p12524 + p1252217522 = 11.411062 mm4
4

Ix = Ix + Ad2y
=

1
11002115023 + 110021150217522 = 112.511062 mm4
12

Summation.

The moment of inertia for the area is therefore

Ix = - 11.411062 + 112.511062
= 10111062 mm4

Ans.

10

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CHAPTER 10

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EXAMPLE 10.5
Determine the moments of inertia for the cross-sectional area of the
member shown in Fig. 109a about the x and y centroidal axes.

y
100 mm
400 mm

SOLUTION

Composite Parts. The cross section can be subdivided into the three
rectangular areas A, B, and D shown in Fig. 109b. For the calculation,
the centroid of each of these rectangles is located in the figure.

400 mm

100 mm

100 mm
600 mm

Parallel-Axis Theorem. From the table on the inside back cover, or

Example 10.1, the moment of inertia of a rectangle about its
1
centroidal axis is I = 12
bh3. Hence, using the parallel-axis theorem
for rectangles A and D, the calculations are as follows:

(a)

100 mm

Rectangles A and D

200 mm
300 mm

Ix = Ix + Ad2y =

A
250 mm
x

B
250 mm
200 mm D

= 1.42511092 mm4

Iy = Iy + Ad2x =

300 mm
100 mm

Rectangle B
Ix =

Fig. 109

Iy =

Summation.
are thus

1
13002110023 + 1100213002125022
12

= 1.9011092 mm4

(b)

10

1
11002130023 + 1100213002120022
12

1
16002110023 = 0.0511092 mm4
12

1
11002160023 = 1.8011092 mm4
12

The moments of inertia for the entire cross section

Ix = 2[1.42511092] + 0.0511092
= 2.9011092 mm4

Ans.

Iy = 2[1.9011092] + 1.8011092
= 5.6011092 mm4

Ans.

10.4

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MOMENTS OF INERTIA FOR COMPOSITE AREAS

FUNDAMENTAL PROBLEMS
F105. Determine the moment of inertia of the beams
cross-sectional area about the centroidal x and y axes.

F107. Determine the moment of inertia of the crosssectional area of the channel with respect to the y axis.

50 mm

200 mm

50 mm

50 mm

300 mm

200 mm

50 mm

150 mm

150 mm

50 mm

200 mm

F105

F107

F106. Determine the moment of inertia of the beams

cross-sectional area about the centroidal x and y axes.

F108. Determine the moment of inertia of the crosssectional area of the T-beam with respect to the x axis
passing through the centroid of the cross section.

30 mm
30 mm
x

200 mm

30 mm

30 mm

300 mm

150 mm

x
y

30 mm

30 mm
150 mm

F106

F108

10