Hawassa University, Civil Engineering Department

Chapter Sex
Area Moment of Inertia

 Introduction
 Definitions
 Composite Areas
 Products of Inertia and Rotation of Axes
Introduction
When you try to find a moment that is done by distributed forces over an area, the moment involves
2 2
an integral of the form ∫ ( distance ) d ( area )=∫ L dA this integral is called the moment of inertia or
second moment of the area. The integral is a function of the geometry of the area and occurs frequently in
the application of mechanics, so its important deal with its properties.

Definitions
Rectangular and Polar Moment of Inertia

The moment of inertia of the element dA about the x and y axes are,

by definition, dI X=y2dA and dIY=x2dA, respectively.

I x =∫ y 2 dA
I y =∫ x 2 dA } … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … .1

The moment of inertia of dA about the pole O (z-axis) is, by similar definition, dI Z=r2dA. The moment
of inertia of the entire area about O is

I z =∫ r 2 dA … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … …2

Equation 1 is rectangular moments of inertia, whereas equation 2 is Polar moment of inertia. Form the
figure x2+y2=r2 so
I z =I x + I y … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … ….3

Inertia has a unit m4 in SI unit or ft4, in4 in other units

Rectangular coordinates should be used for shapes whose boundaries are most easily expressed in this
coordinates. Polar coordinates will usually simplify problems involving boundaries which are easily
described in r and θ. The choice of element for integration is discussed in chapter 5 for calculation of
centroids.

Radius of Gyration

Consider area A in figure a, which has rectangular moment of inertia I X and Iy and polar moment of
inertia IZ about O. visualize this area is changed in to a long narrow strip of area A with distance K X form
x-axis Fig. b. By definition the moment of inertia of the two area are equal then, K X 2A=IX. the distance
KX is called the radius of gyration.

Lecture note by Surafel T. 1|Page

 Hawassa University, Civil Engineering Department

Also you can concentrate the area in the vertical direction and in ring shape with radius K Z, shown in
Fig. c and d generally the equations will be.

Ix
√
}
K x=
A
I x =K x 2 A
2

} I
√
I y =K y A ∨ K y = y … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … .4
2
I z =K z A
A
Iz
Kz=
A √
Transfer of Axes

The moment of inertia of an area about a noncentroidal axis may be easily expressed in terms of the
moment of inertia a bout a parallel centroidal axis.

By definition, the moment of inertia of the element dA about the x-axis is

d I x =( y 0+ d x )2 dA Integrating both sides

∫ d I x =∫ ( y 0 +d x )2 dA=∫ y 02 dA +2 d x ∫ y 0 dA +d x 2∫ dA
I x =∫ y 02 dA+ 2d x ∫ y 0 dA+ d x 2∫ dA

The first term of the expression∫ y 02 dA is the moment of inertia Í x about the centroidal x 0 axis.

The second term of the expression∫ y 0 dA=ý 0 A=0 because ý 0=0 with thecentroid on x 0 axis .

The third term of the expression d x 2∫ dA= Ad x 2 . then we get

I x = Í x + A d x2
}
I y = Í y + A d y2
…………………………………………………………………………………5

the ∑ of the above two equations gives I z= Í z + A d 2 … … … … … … … … … … … …6

Equations 5 and 6 are called parallel-axis theorems.

Note:-

 The axes between in which the transfer is made must be parallel.

 One of the axes must pass through the Centroid of the area

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 If a transfer is desired between two parallel axes neither of which passes through the Centroid, it
is first necessary to transfer form one axis to the parallel centroidal axis and the then to transfer
from the centroidal axis to the second axis

Parallel-axis theorems also hold true for radii of gyration.

k 2=ḱ 2 +d 2 … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … ….. .7

Where ḱ is the radius of gyration about a centroidal axis∥¿the axis about which k applies
¿ d isthe distance between thetwo axes .
Composite Areas

When you have an area composite of distinct part of simple and calculable geometric shape, then by
using parallel axis theorem we can find simply the inertia of the area. If the number of area (part) are
many it’s advised to do the problem by using table as shown below. I =∑ Í +∑ A d 2

From the sums of the four columns, then, the moment of inertia for the composite area about the x and
y axis become

I x =∑ Í x + ∑ A d x 2

I x =∑ Í x + ∑ A d x 2

I
The radius of gyration for the composite area about the axis in question is k =
√ A
, where I is the total
moment of inertia and A is the total area of the composite figure. Similarly, the radius of gyration k about
Iz
a polar axis through some point equals
√ A
, where I z=I x + I y for xy axes through that point .

Products of Inertia and Rotation of Axes

Definition

In certain problem involving unsymmetrical cross section and in the calculation of moment of
inertia about rotated axes, an expression dIXY=xydA occurs which has the integrated form

I xy =∫ xy dA … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … 8

Where x and y are the coordinates of the element of area dA=dxdy the quantity I XY is called the
product of inertia of the area A with respect to the xy axes.

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 Hawassa University, Civil Engineering Department

The product of inertia is zero whenever either of the reference axes is an axis of symmetry as shown
in the figure.

Transfer of Axes

By definition the product of inertia of the area shown with respect to the x and y in terms of coordinates
x0 , y0 to the centroidal axes is

I xy =∫ ( x 0+ d y )( y 0+ d x ) dA

¿ ∫ x 0 y 0 dA +d x ∫ x0 dA +d y ∫ y 0 dA +d x d y ∫ dA

The first integral is by definition the product of inertia about the centroidal axes, Í xy . the middle
integrals are both zero because the first moment of area about its own Centroid is necessarily zero. The
above equation become

I xy =Í xy +d x d y A … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … 9

Rotation of Axes

The product of inertia is useful when we need to calculate the moment of inertia of an area about
inclined axes. This leads to a very important problem of determining the axes about which the moment of
inertia is maximum and minimum.

The moment of inertia of the area about the x’ and y’ axes are

I x ' =∫ y ' 2 dA=∫ ( y cos θ + x sin θ )2 dA

I y ' =∫ x ' 2 dA=∫ ( y sin θ+ x cos θ )2 dA

Expanding and substituting the trigonometric identities

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1−cos 2θ 1+cos 2 θ
sin2 θ= cos2 θ=
2 2
And the defining relations for IX, Iy, Ixy give us

I x + I y I x −I y
I x '=

I y' =
2
+
2
I x + I y I x −I y
2
−
2
}
cos 2θ−I xy sin 2θ

cos 2 θ+ I xy sin 2 θ
… … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … …..1 0

In a similar manner we write the product of inertia about the inclined axes

I x ' y' =∫ x ' y' dA=∫ ( y sin θ¿+ x cos θ) ( y cos θ−x sin θ ) dA ¿

Expanding and substituting the trigonometric identities, also the defining relation for I x, Iy, Ixy give us

1
sin θ cos θ= sin 2θ cos 2 θ−sin 2 θ=cos 2θ
2
I x −I y
I x ' y' = sin 2 θ+ I xy cos 2 θ … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … . … … ..11
2
Adding equation 10 gives I x ' + I y ' =I x + I y =I z , the polar moment of inertia about O. the angle which
makes I x ' ∧I y' either maximum or minimum may be determined by setting the derivative of either
I x ' ∨I y' with respect to θ equal to zero.

d I x'
=( I y −I x ) sin 2θ−2 I xy cos 2θ=0
dθ
Denoting this critical angle by α gives

2 I xy
tan2 α = … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … …..1 2
I y −I x

The two solution to the above equation for 2α which differ by Π, since tan 2α=tan(2α+Π). α will
differ by Π/2 one is the maximum and the other is the minimum. These two rectangular axes are called
the principal axes of inertia. When we substitute equation 11 for critical value of 2θ in equation 11 we see
that the product of inertia is zero for the principal axis of inertia. Substitution of sin 2α and cos2α,
obtained from equation 12, for sin2θ and cos2θ in equation 11 gives the expressions for the principal
moments of inertia as

Ix+I y 1

}
2
I max = + ( I x −I y ) +4 I 2xy
√
2 2 … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … .13
Ix+I y 1 2 2
I min=
2 √
− ( I x −I y ) +4 I xy
2

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