To determine the moment/curvature relation, the normal stresses due to bend-ing, and the shear stresses within a composite beam, we proceed through the pure bending analysis all over again, … Force towards a joint is compression and away from a joint is tension. Picture the arrow compressing or pulling the member respectively.

A simple no math method to determine whether a beam / member within a truss is under tension or compression. Constraints are defined at single points along the beam, and the boundary condition at that point determines the nature of the constraint. The boundary condition indicates whether the beam is fixed …