698 tools
All

Bending Stress Calculator

Estimate extreme-fibre bending stress from moment, distance to the extreme fibre, and second moment of area.

 

 

 

Stress (MPa)

About this calculator

Use this calculator for σ = My/I on a beam. Enter the bending moment in N·m, the distance from the neutral axis to the extreme fibre, and I in cm⁴.

Stress (MPa) = (M × c) / I / 1e6, with c converted from millimetres to metres and I from cm⁴ to m⁴ (× 1e-8). The distance c can be entered in millimetres (mm) or inches (in). Moment stays in N·m; I stays in cm⁴.

This is elastic flexure only. It does not apply a section modulus table lookup or a plastic modulus.

Moment (N·m): Bending moment in newton-metres.

c: Distance from the neutral axis to the extreme fibre, in mm or in.

I (cm⁴): Second moment of area in cm⁴.

Stress (MPa): Extreme-fibre stress in megapascals.