Curved Beams

If I understand your question correctly, you're asking why an arch is stronger than a flat beam.

An arch will transmit some of the load to the end supports via compression loading along its length while the straight beam has to support the entire load via bending stress. An arch exists between a flat beam and a column (in terms of how the load is carried). Obviously, the tighter the arch, the more like a column. The flatter the arch, the more like a beam.

Does that answer your question, or did I miss the boat entirely?

Now, if you're asking about pre-stressed curved beams, that's an entirely different chapter.

Not quite sure what you're asking, but to keep it simple, the radius of curvature tells you how much a beam is bent. It's an inverse measure, the smaller the radius, the greater the degree of bending. A straight beam has infinite radius of curvature.

If the degree of bending is higher, "naturally" so are the applied forces and stresses in the beam. BTW, I'm not aware of the neutral axis shifting when a beam is bent. I think it stays put, and in the case of pure bending (no direct tension or compression) the tensile and compressive stresses are symmetrical about the neutral axis.

Hope this helps....Codey

Thanks for the replies, but not quite what I'm looking for. Have a look at:

www.roymech.co.uk/Useful_Tables/Beams/Curved_beams.html

www.ae.msstate.edu/~masoud/Teaching/SA2/chA13.11_text.html

www.mech.uwa.edu.au/DANotes/MST/thick/thick.html

Thanks

Original Poster