The example below includes a point load, a distributed load, and an applied moment.

For a horizontal beam one way to perform this is at any point to 'chop off' the right end of the beam. With the loading diagram drawn the next step is to find the value of the shear force and moment at any given point along the element. Calculating shear force and bending moment Additionally, placing the moment on the tension side of the member shows the general shape of the deformation and indicates on which side of a concrete member rebar should be placed, as concrete is weak in tension. A convention of placing moment diagram on the tension side allows for frames to be dealt with more easily and clearly. This convention puts the positive moment below the beam described above. In structural engineering and in particular concrete design the positive moment is drawn on the tension side of the member. The positive bending convention was chosen such that a positive shear force would tend to create a positive moment. Since a horizontal member is usually analyzed from left to right and positive in the vertical direction is normally taken to be up, the positive shear convention was chosen to be up from the left, and to make all drawings consistent down from the right. This convention was selected to simplify the analysis of beams.

Normal positive shear force convention (left) and normal bending moment convention (right). Another way to remember this is if the moment is bending the beam into a 'smile' then the moment is positive, with compression at the top of the beam and tension on the bottom. Likewise the normal convention for a positive bending moment is to warp the element in a 'u' shape manner (Clockwise on the left, and counterclockwise on the right).

The normal convention used in most engineering applications is to label a positive shear force - one that spins an element clockwise (up on the left, and down on the right). Another application of shear and moment diagrams is that the deflection of a beam can be easily determined using either the moment area method or the conjugate beam method.Īlthough these conventions are relative and any convention can be used if stated explicitly, practicing engineers have adopted a standard convention used in design practices. These diagrams can be used to easily determine the type, size, and material of a member in a structure so that a given set of loads can be supported without structural failure. Shear force and bending moment diagrams are analytical tools used in conjunction with structural analysis to help perform structural design by determining the value of shear forces and bending moments at a given point of a structural element such as a beam. Shear and Bending moment diagram for a simply supported beam with a concentrated load at mid-span.

Shear and bending moment diagrams