Section modulus (Z)
Another property used in beam design is section modulus (Z).
The section modulus of the cross-sectional shape is of significant importance in designing beams. It is a direct measure of the strength of the beam. A beam that has a larger section modulus than another will be stronger and capable of supporting greater loads.
It includes the idea that most of the work in bending is being done by the extreme fibres of the beam, ie the top and bottom fibres of the section. The distance of the fibres from top to bottom is therefore built into the calculation.
The elastic modulus is denoted by Z. To calculate Z, the distance (y) to the extreme fibres from the centroid (or neutral axis) must be found as that is where the maximum stress could cause failure.
