- The normal stress distribution in a curved beam is hyperbolic and determined using specialized formulas, as the neutral axis does not pass through the centroid due to curvature. - To analyze a curved beam, one must first determine the cross-sectional properties and location of the neutral axis, then calculate the normal stress distribution using the appropriate formula. - For a rectangular steel bar bent into a circular arc, the maximum moment that can be applied before exceeding the allowable stress is 0.174 kN-m, with maximum stress at the bottom of the bar. If the bar was straight, the maximum moment would be 0.187 kN-m.