ABSTRACT
A beam is a structural element in which the dimension of length is much larger than the width and depth. When viewed in three dimensions, there are six components of internal beam forces: axial load, two bending moments, two shears, and a torque. The most frequent application is that of plane deformation, where only three components exist. Bending is thought to be a typical mode of deformation, which is especially true for small deections. The shearing stress, particularly near the ends, or near the point-load application, can be quite important, even more so in dynamics than under static loading. The circumstances where the axial load is of primary concern are quantied in Chapter 11.
