There is considerable lack of information regarding shear stresses in tapered beams. In this brief report these stresses are examined by a simple extension of the conventional engineering method for uniform beams, and where possible the results are compared with those of classical theory.

Complete agreement is obtained with the few existing classical solutions. The use of the engineering method is illustrated by its application to various types of beam, and curves are drawn illustrating the general nature of the influence of taper on shear stresses.

In a previous paper (Aircraft Engineering, November and December, 1938) the writer gave an account of proposed methods of calculating the stresses in tapered girders of a special type. The beam was assumed to have a web of constant thickness which could be dealt with as a two-dimensional stress system, while the booms were assumed to be concentrated lines of material having no flexural rigidity.

It was this latter assumption which appeared to represent one of the main limitations of the theory, so an attempt has been made to remove this limitation; a solution has been found, for the case of tapering booms at any rate, which puts the theory at least on the same level of rigour as the well known theory for parallel beams.