Fundamentals of Beam Bending

Elastic Bending of Beams

The basic differential equation used for most of the bean bending problems is -

d2y
EI =M
dx 2
and
dy M
=∫ dx + A
dx EI

⎡M ⎤
y = ∫∫ ⎢ dx ⎥dx + Ax + B
⎣ EI ⎦
Where, A and B are constants of integration evaluated from known conditions of slope and
deflection for particular values of x.

Case I: Cantilever with concentrated load at the end

M W

x
L

d2y
M = EI 2 = −Wx
dx
dy Wx 2
EI =− +A
dx 2
Wx 3
EIy = − + Ax + B
6
Now when
dy WL2
x = L, = 0 ⇒ A =
dx 2
WL3 WL2 WL3
x = L, y = 0 ⇒ B = − L=−
6 2 3
1 ⎡ Wx WL x WL ⎤
3 2 3
y= ⎢− + − ⎥
EI ⎣ 6 2 3 ⎦

This gives the deflection at all values of x and produces a maximum value at the tip of the
cantilever when x = 0,
WL3
ymax = −
3EI

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Fundamentals of Beam Bending

The negative sign indicated that the deflection is in the negative y direction, i.e. downwards.

Similarly,
dy 1 ⎡ Wx 2 WL2 ⎤
= ⎢− + ⎥
dx EI ⎣ 2 2 ⎦

and produces a maximum value again when x = 0.

maximum slope is given by

⎛ dy ⎞ WL2
⎜ ⎟ =
⎝ dx ⎠ max 2 EI
which is positive.

Case II: Cantilever with uniformly distributed load

w/ unit length
M
x
L

d2y wx 2
M = EI = −
dx 2 2
3
dy wx
EI =− +A
dx 6
wx 4
EIy = + Ax + B
24
dy wL3
x = L, = 0, A =
dx 6
wL4 wL4 wL4
x = L, y = 0, B = − =−
24 6 8
1 ⎡ wx 4
wL x wL ⎤
3 4
y= ⎢− + − ⎥
EI ⎣ 24 6 8 ⎦
wL4 ⎛ dy ⎞ wL3
at ⋅ x = 0, ymax =− and ⎜ ⎟ =
8EI ⎝ dx ⎠ max 6 EI

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Fundamentals of Beam Bending
Case III: Four Point bending
P/2 P/2
a

x
L
P/2
P/2
From James M. Gere (Mechanics of Materials, 2001, page 895) one can find that the
deflection at any point between the inner loading points is given by –

Pa ⎡⎣3Lx − 3 x 2 − a 2 ⎤⎦
y=−
12 EI

Putting, x = L/2 for maximum deflection and replacing y by δ (taking modulus only), we get

Pa ⎡⎣3L2 − 4a 2 ⎤⎦
δ=
48 EI

Replacing E by the stress-strain relation, we get –

Pa ⎡⎣3L2 − 4a 2 ⎤⎦ ε
δ=
Mc
48I
I

Moment at a section along the centre of the beam is given by –

Pa
M=
2

Taking c = h/2, we get –

Pa ⎡⎣3L2 − 4a 2 ⎤⎦ ε
δ=
P h
48 ×
2 2
[3L − 4a 2 ]ε
2
δ=
12h
12δ h
ε=
⎡⎣3L2 − 4a 2 ⎤⎦

sp367@cam.ac.uk
Fundamentals of Beam Bending

The relation in the previous page is the general equation of strain at the surface (at the centre
of the beam) of the flexural specimen under four point bending. Conventional four point bend
test is done with two loading geometry, namely, a = L/3 and L/4. Thus, we have two
geometrical situations.

Situation I. a = L/3

12δ h
ε=
4 L2
3L2 −
9
108δ h
ε=
23L2
4.7δ h
ε∼ 2
L
Situation II. a = L/4

12δ h
ε=
4 L2
3L −
2

16
192δ h
ε=
48L2 − 4 L2
192δ h
ε=
44 L2
4.36δ h
ε∼
L2

Case IV: Simply supported beam with uniformly distributed load

w/ unit length

x
L

wL/2 wL/2

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Fundamentals of Beam Bending

d 2 y wLx wx 2
M = EI = −
dx 2 2 2
2 3
dy wLx wx
EI = − +A
dx 4 6
wLx 3 wx 3
EIy = − + Ax + B
12 24
at ⋅ x = 0, y = 0 ⇒ B = 0
wL4 wL4
at ⋅ x = L, y = 0 ⇒ + + AL
12 24
wL4
∴A= −
24
1 ⎡ wLx 3 wx 4 wL3 x ⎤
⇒y= ⎢ − − ⎥
EI ⎣ 12 24 24 ⎦

In this case the maximum deflection occurs at the centre of the beam where x = L/2.

1 ⎡ wL ⎛ L3 ⎞ w ⎛ L4 ⎞ wL3 ⎛ L ⎞ ⎤
∴ ymax = ⎢ ⎜ ⎟− ⎜ ⎟− ⎜ ⎟⎥
EI ⎣ 12 ⎝ 8 ⎠ 24 ⎝ 16 ⎠ 24 ⎝ 2 ⎠ ⎦

thus

5wL4
ymax = −
384 EI

For a beam of rectangular cross section I =1/12bh3

5wL4
ymax =
32 Ebh3

Thus strain in the beam can be obtained form the above equation by using the relation
between stress and strain.
σ = Eε
σ
E=
ε

sp367@cam.ac.uk
Fundamentals of Beam Bending

Putting the value of E in the previous relation, we get (taking the modulus of deflection only
and putting ymax = δ) –

5wL4ε
δ=
384σ I
5wL4ε Mc
δ= ∵σ =
Mc I
384 I
I
5wL4ε h
δ= ∵ c = at.the.surface
384 M
h 2
2

Moment at x = L/2 is given by –

wL wL2
M= −
2 8

Therefore, the deflection equation transforms to –

5wL3ε
δ=
⎡ wL ⎤
96 ⎢ w − h
⎣ 4 ⎥⎦
5 L3ε
δ=
⎡ L⎤
96 ⎢1 − ⎥ h
⎣ 4⎦
⎡ L⎤
96 ⎢1 − ⎥ hδ
4
ε= ⎣ 3⎦
5L

This expression gives the strain in the simply supported beam with uniformly distributed
load.

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