Engineering & mechanics
Elastic bending stress
Calculate outer-fibre normal stress from bending moment and elastic section modulus.
A clear answer. Here’s how.
Uses the elementary elastic relation stress=M/Z, converting N·m to N·mm to report N/mm² (MPa). The supplied section modulus must refer to the same bending axis as the moment. Assumes linear elastic bending and an appropriate neutral axis. Does not infer yield, plastic redistribution, shear, buckling or combined-load capacity.
See a worked example
Worked example
A fixed demonstration, separate from the values you enter above.
- Bending moment magnitude (N·m)
- 1000
- Elastic section modulus (mm³)
- 20000
Example result
- Maximum elastic normal stress (MPa)
- 50
- Applied bending moment (N·m)
- 1,000