Which internal force is experienced at the top of a loaded beam?

At the top of a loaded beam, the internal force experienced is compression. This occurs when a beam is subjected to a downward load, causing the top fibers of the beam to push inward as the material tries to resist the load.

As the load applies a bending moment to the beam, the material at the top experiences compressive stress while the material at the bottom undergoes tensile stress. The phenomenon results from the distortion of the beam's shape due to bending, where the top part of the beam attempts to shorten while the bottom elongates under the tension. Therefore, understanding how these forces distribute across the beam is critical for effective structural analysis and design, ensuring that the beam can safely carry the applied loads without failure.