The GATE Grind

GATE 2026 AE – Question 17

Structures · Flight vehicle structures: torsion, bending and shear of thin-walled sections, loads on aircraft · 1 mark · Multiple choice

A cantilever beam with an unsymmetric cross-section is subjected to a transverse shear force (P) at its free end. P acts at the shear center of the beam cross-section.

Which one of the following statements is TRUE about the deformation of this beam?

  1. The beam undergoes only torsion
  2. The beam undergoes only bending
  3. The beam undergoes both torsion and bending
  4. The beam undergoes neither torsion nor bending

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Show answer and explanation

Correct answer: (B) The beam undergoes only bending

Explanation

The shear center is the point through which a transverse load causes bending without twist. A load applied there bends the beam but produces no torsion.