Transformed-section method

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Chapter 6:
6.2 Composite Beams.
Strain-curvature relationship: x = - y
Stress-curvature relationship: x = - E y
Using the condition of pure moment to locate the neutral axis: Fx = 0;
x1dA + x 2dA = 0, and E1 ydA +E 2 ydA = 0.
1

Moment-curvature relationship: M = (E1I1 + E2I2)

MyE1
Normal stress: x1 =
E1I1 + E 2 I 2
6.3 Transformed-section method.
An alternative procedure for analysing the bending stresses in a composite
beam.
Briefly, the method consists of transforming the cross section of a composite
beam into an equivalent cross section of an imaginary beam that is composed
of only one material.
For the equivalent cross section, the neutral axis must be located in the same
place and its moment-resisting capacity must be the same.
Modular ratio: n = E2/E1
The neutral axis is unchanged if each element of area dA in material 2 is
multiplied by the factor n, provided that the y coordinate for each such
element of are is not changed.

Worked example 6-1

A composite beam (Fig. 6-7) is constructed from a wood beam (100 mm 150 mm)
and a steel reinforcing plate (100 mm wide and 12 mm thick). The wood and steel are
securely fastened to act as a single beam. The beam is subjected to a positive bending
moment M = 6 kN.m. Calculate the largest tensile and compressive stresses in the
wood (material 1) and the maximum and minimum stresses in the steel (material 2) if
E1 = 10.5 GPa and E2 = 210 GPa.
Worked example 6-2
A sandwich beam having aluminium-alloy faces enclosing a plastic core(Fig 6-8) is
subjected to a bending moment M = 3.0 kN.m. The thickness of the faces is t = 5 mm
and their modulus of elasticity is E1 = 72 GPa. The height of the plastic core is hc =
150 mm and its modulus of elasticity is E2 = 800 MPa. The overall dimensions of the
beams are h = 160 mm and b = 200 mm. Determine the maximum tensile and
compressive stresses in the faces and the core using: (a) the general theory for
composite and (b) the approximate theory for sandwich beams.