Subject: Machine Design -I

Topic: Curved beams and Thin cylinder

Difficulty: High

• In straight beams, the neutral axis of the section coincides with its centroidal axis and the stress distribution in the beam is linear.
• But, in case of curved beams, the neutral axis of the cross-section is shifted towards the Centre of curvature of the beam causing a non-linear (hyperbolic) distribution of stress.

• From the above diagram we can observe that the neutral axis lies between the centroidal axis and the Centre of curvature and always occurs within the curved beams.
• The application of curved beam principle is used in crane hooks, chain links and frames of punches, presses, planers etc.