BEAM DESIGN FORMULAS

WITH SHEAR AND MOMENT

DIAGRAMS

American
Forest &
Paper
DESIGN AID No. 6 Association
 BEAM FORMULAS WITH
SHEAR AND MOMENT
DIAGRAMS
DIAGRAMS

The American Wood Council (AWC) is part of the wood products group of the
American Forest & Paper Association (AF&PA). AF&PA is the national trade
association of the forest, paper, and wood products industry, representing member
companies engaged in growing, harvesting, and processing wood and wood fiber,
manufacturing pulp, paper, and paperboard products from both virgin and recycled
fiber, and producing engineered and traditional wood products. For more information
see www.afandpa.org.

While every effort has been made to insure the accuracy

of the information presented, and special effort has been
made to assure that the information reflects the state-of-
the-art, neither the American Forest & Paper Association
nor its members assume any responsibility for any
particular design prepared from this publication. Those
using this document assume all liability from its use.

Copyright © 2007
American Forest & Paper Association, Inc.

American Wood Council

1111 19th St., NW, Suite 800
Washington, DC 20036
202-463-4713
awcinfo@afandpa.org
www.awc.org
 Notations Relative to “Shear and Moment
Diagrams”
Figures 1 through 32 provide a series of shear
and moment diagrams with accompanying formulas E = modulus of elasticity, psi
for design of beams under various static loading I = moment of inertia, in.4
conditions. L = span length of the bending member, ft.
Shear and moment diagrams and formulas are = span length of the bending member, in.
excerpted from the Western Woods Use Book, 4th M = maximum bending moment, in.-lbs.
edition, and are provided herein as a courtesy of P = total concentrated load, lbs.
. R = reaction load at bearing point, lbs.
V = shear force, lbs.
W = total uniform load, lbs.
w = load per unit length, lbs./in.
= deflection or deformation, in.
x = horizontal distance from reaction to point
on beam, in.

Figure 1 Simple Beam – Uniformly Distributed Load ................................................................................................ 4

Figure 2 Simple Beam – Uniform Load Partially Distributed..................................................................................... 4
Figure 3 Simple Beam – Uniform Load Partially Distributed at One End .................................................................. 5
Figure 4 Simple Beam – Uniform Load Partially Distributed at Each End ................................................................ 5
Figure 5 Simple Beam – Load Increasing Uniformly to One End .............................................................................. 6
Figure 6 Simple Beam – Load Increasing Uniformly to Center .................................................................................. 6
Figure 7 Simple Beam – Concentrated Load at Center ............................................................................................... 7
Figure 8 Simple Beam – Concentrated Load at Any Point.......................................................................................... 7
Figure 9 Simple Beam – Two Equal Concentrated Loads Symmetrically Placed....................................................... 8
Figure 10 Simple Beam – Two Equal Concentrated Loads Unsymmetrically Placed .................................................. 8
Figure 11 Simple Beam – Two Unequal Concentrated Loads Unsymmetrically Placed .............................................. 9
Figure 12 Cantilever Beam – Uniformly Distributed Load ........................................................................................... 9
Figure 13 Cantilever Beam – Concentrated Load at Free End .................................................................................... 10
Figure 14 Cantilever Beam – Concentrated Load at Any Point .................................................................................. 10
Figure 15 Beam Fixed at One End, Supported at Other – Uniformly Distributed Load ............................................. 11
Figure 16 Beam Fixed at One End, Supported at Other – Concentrated Load at Center ........................................... 11
Figure 17 Beam Fixed at One End, Supported at Other – Concentrated Load at Any Point ..................................... 12
Figure 18 Beam Overhanging One Support – Uniformly Distributed Load ............................................................... 12
Figure 19 Beam Overhanging One Support – Uniformly Distributed Load on Overhang ......................................... 13
Figure 20 Beam Overhanging One Support – Concentrated Load at End of Overhang ............................................. 13
Figure 21 Beam Overhanging One Support – Concentrated Load at Any Point Between Supports ........................... 14
Figure 22 Beam Overhanging Both Supports – Unequal Overhangs – Uniformly Distributed Load ......................... 14
Figure 23 Beam Fixed at Both Ends – Uniformly Distributed Load ........................................................................... 15
Figure 24 Beam Fixed at Both Ends – Concentrated Load at Center .......................................................................... 15
Figure 25 Beam Fixed at Both Ends – Concentrated Load at Any Point .................................................................... 16
Figure 26 Continuous Beam – Two Equal Spans – Uniform Load on One Span ....................................................... 16
Figure 27 Continuous Beam – Two Equal Spans – Concentrated Load at Center of One Span ................................. 17
Figure 28 Continuous Beam – Two Equal Spans – Concentrated Load at Any Point ................................................ 17
Figure 29 Continuous Beam – Two Equal Spans – Uniformly Distributed Load ....................................................... 18
Figure 30 Continuous Beam – Two Equal Spans – Two Equal Concentrated Loads Symmetrically Placed ............. 18
Figure 31 Continuous Beam – Two Unequal Spans – Uniformly Distributed Load ................................................... 19
Figure 32 Continuous Beam – Two Unequal Spans – Concentrated Load on Each Span Symmetrically Placed ..... 19
7-36 A

7-36 B
—

7-37 A

7-37 B
American FForest
orest & P aper Association
Paper
American W ood Council
Wood
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treet,
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Suite
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ashington,
Phone: 202-463-4 713
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awcinf o@afandpa.org
cinfo@afandpa.org
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.aw 11-07