Shear-force and bending-moment diagrams can be constructed graphically by following several basic construction rules. The graphical method is a much faster means of constructing these diagrams since it eliminates the need to derive shear-force and bending-moment equations for each segment of the diagram. In the graphical method, only the key points are determined for each diagram.

This movie lists the six rules for graphically constructing shear-force and bending-moment diagrams and provides interactive exercises pertinent to each rule. After mastering each of these six rules, you will be equipped to confidently draw shear-force and bending-moment diagrams for any beam and loading configuration.