Deflection of Beams Objective

Area Moment & Superposition

P Use the area-moment method to
determine the deflection and slope at any
point on a beam subjected to a known
loading.
P Use the superposition method to
determine the deflection and slope at any
point on a beam subjected to a known
loading.

Prof. V.E. Buchanan

School of Engineering

Introduction Theorem 1 From the bending theory

M
I

E
R
P In applications where the slope or deflection where R is the radius of curvature; E is
of beams or cantilevers is required at only the modulus of elasticity; I is the moment
of inertia; and M is the bending moment.
one position the determination of the
complete equation by the intergration method From diagram: R  d  dx (1)
dx M
is rather laborious.  d   dx (2)
R EI
P In such cases, and in particular where The change in slope (angle) between
loading systems are relatively simple, the any two points, say C & D, can now
be obtained by integrating Eq. (2).
area-moment method provides a rapid D xD M
 d  
solution. C xC EI
dx

M
 D  C 
xD

P Solution using the area-moment is based on OR  xC EI

dx

two theorems developed by Christian Otto The difference in slope between any two points on the elastic
Mohr in 1868. curve equals the area of the bending moment diagram
between the same points divided by EI.

Theorem 2
Tc
au
nr
g emt
e aec
n
t
s t
t
o af
t
h dng
e gh
e
l
ai
s
t
i
cr

Rules of Sign for θA/B and tA/B

v
t l

n
t
e
cn
et
p
th
ae
d
t
sv
ee
gr
n
oh
l
e
t
hC
o

P P’
i
a
t
r
o
u

M
dt  xd  x dx
EI
Integrating between any two
points, say C and D: P Areas under positive bending moments are
xC M considered positive.
t C/ D   x dx
x D EI P The tangential deviation at a point A is positive if the
The vertical distance (tangential deviation) of point point lies above the tangent drawn from the other
C with respect to the tangent drawn from another point B, and negative if the point is below the tangent
point D equals to the first moment of the area P Similarly, the angle is positive when measured
under the bending moment diagram between these anticlockwise from tangent A to tangent B.
points divided by EI.
 Drawing area-moment diagrams Area
P Sketch the loaded beam, the M/EI diagrams, and the
elastic curve. Determining the change of slope and the moment by
tangential deviation is simplified if the the M/EI due to
each load or reaction is drawn separately.
parts
P Draw each moment diagram from the load to an
arbitrarily selected section called the reference section,
preferably the end of a beam or the end of a u.d.l.
P Visualize which tangent lines may be most helpful, and
draw such lines on the elastic curve, particularly where
a point of zero slope is known.
P The composite moment diagram can be obtained,
where necessary, by superposition of the component
diagrams.
P From the geometry, solve for the deflection or slope.

Solution 1 To find the slope, θA

Problem 1 M Areaabc Areadef
xA
 A  B    
A beam is loaded and supported as shown. xBEI EI EI
Use the area-moment method to determine the 1 3000 1 2000
   15.    1
slope and deflection at the free end, and also 2 2  106 3 2  106
the deflection 0.5 m from the free end. EI = 2  000146
. rad  0084
. o
MNm2.   A  0084
. o (Since  B  0)

To find the deflection, yA

xA M
y A  t A/B   x dx
x B EI

1 3000 1 2000
 1   15.   125
.  
2 2  106 3 2  106
 00154
. m or  154 . mm

Solution 1, contd.
Problem 2
To find the An aluminium cantilever beam 1.6 m long is
deflection, yD. loaded with a10 kN force applied 0.4 m from the
xD M
free end. Find the slope and deflection at the free
y D  t D/B   x dx end. Neglect the weight of the beam. IAB and
xB EI
1  1000 IBD = 5×10-4 Nm2 and 1×10-4 Nm2, respectively.
 0.5  E = 70 GPa.
2  10 6
2 0.5  1  2000
 
3 2  10 6
1 / 3  1  2000
 0.75 
2  10 6
 0.000833 m or - 0.833 mm
 Solution 2 Solution 2,
IAB = 5×10-4 Nm2
contd.
IBD = 1×10-4 Nm2 To find the slope, θD
xD M
D   A  xA EI
BM diagram = Area aec + Area fcg
Note: fc.bc, as <ace
is very small.
ˆ <cfg . 90o
M/EI diagram 1 1.2  24  10 6 1 0.6  48  10 6
D   A      
2 70  10 9
2 70  10 9
  0.411  10  3 rad
But A  0
  D   0.411  10  3 rad

Solution 2,
Problem 3
contd.
Determine, using the area moment method,
(b) To find the
the slope and deflection at C for the steel
deflection, yD
beam below. Take E = 200(109) N/m2 and I
xD M = 17(106) mm4.
y D  t D/ A   x1 dx
xA EI
0.5  12
.  24  10 6
 12
. 
70  10 9
 0.5  0.6  48  10 6
 0.8 
70  10 9
 0.411 mm

RA = 4 kN
Solution 3 Solution 3,
xB
t B/ A   x dx
M contd.
xA EI
xA M
 
 A  C  
1
2.667   8  32000 
1  2
   xC EI
EI  1
 0.667   2  32000 1  2  8000
 2 
320000  2 9

17  10  6  200  10 9 200  10  17  106
 0.0941 m  00024
. rad
t
 A  tan  A  B / A
AB  C   A  00024
. o
0.0941
 A 
8
 0.0118 rad
 00118
. .00024  00094
. rad
 Solution 3, Deflection by Superposition
contd. P The equations for a deflected beam are linear
xC M
differential equations.
yC  y  t C / A  y   x
xA EI P Therefore, the slope and deflection of a beam
are linearly proportional to the applied loads, and
t C / A  0.667  0.0024 can be found by summing the deflections and
 0.0016 m
slopes caused by each of the individual loads.
P The superposition of the individual results is
y = 2   A  2  0.0118 valid if the deflections are small and the beam
behaves linearly elastic for the combined
 0.0236 m
loadings.
 y C  0.0236  0.0016
P The method of superposition can be applied to
statically determinate and indeterminate beams.
 0.0220 m or 22 mm

Superposition method Slope and deflection tables

= +

= +

The procedure to find the deflection or a

reaction is facilitated by tables of solutions for
typical type of loadings and supports.

Slope and deflection tables Problem 4

Determine the slope and deflection of point
D for the loaded beam below. EI = 100
MNm2.
 Solution 4: To find the slope θD, Solution 4,
and deflection yD contd.

Case 7:
Pbx 2
y D( P ) 
6 EIL
 
L  x 2  b 2 for 0  x  a

 150 000  6  2 2

6  8  100  10 6
 
8  2 2  6 2  0.009 m

 D( P)  

dy Pb L  3x  b
2 2 2

dx 6 EIL
y D  y D( P )  y D( w) and  D   D ( P )   D ( w ) 
 
150000  6  8 2  3  2 2  6 2
 0.003 rad
6  100  10 6  8

Solution 4,
contd. Solution 4, contd.
Deflection at D  yD( P )  y D( w)
Case 8:
 0.009  0.0081
y D( w) 
wx
24 EI

L3  2 Lx 2  x 3   0.0171 m or  17.1 mm
 20000  2

24  100  10 6

83  2  8  2 2  2 3 
 0.00813 m
Slope at D   D ( P )   D ( w )
 D( w) 
w
24 EL
 
L3  6 Lx 2  4 x 3  0.003  0.00293
 20 000  0.00593 rad or  0.34 o

24  100  10 6

83  6  8  2 2  4  2 3 
 0.00293 rad

Problem 5 Solution 5
Use the method of superposition to
determine the deflection and slope at the
free end of the cantilever beam shown
below, in terms of w, E, I and L.

yc  yC ( wL )  y C ( w) and c  C ( wL )  C ( w)
 Solution 5,
Solution 5, contd.
contd.
Case 3
Case 1
PL3 wL  (2 L) 3
yC ( w)  y B ( w)  L   B ( w)
y C( wL )  
3EI 3EI wL4 wL3
y B ( w)  and  B ( w ) 
8wL3 8 EI 6 EI
 wL3 wL4
3EI L   B ( w)  L  
6 EI 6 EI

PL2 wL  2 L 2wL3
2 wL3
Also C ( w )   B ( w ) 
C( wL)    6 EI
2 EI 2 EI EI  yC ( w) 
wL4

wL4

7 wL4
8 EI 6 EI 24 EI

Solution 5, contd. Bibliography

Combining both loadings: P E.J. Hearn. Mechanics of Materials, Volume
Deflection at C  y C ( wL )  y C ( w )
1 - An Introduction to the Mechanics of
Elastic and Plastic Deformation of Solids and
8wL4 7 wL4

3EI

24 EI
Structural Materials (3rd ed.). Elsevier, 1997

71wL4 P F.P. Beer and E.R. Johnston & E.R.
24 EI Eisenberg. Vector Mechanics for Engineers:
Statics, 7th ed. Solutions manual. McGraw-
Slope at C  C ( wL )  C ( w ) Hill, 2003.
wL3 wL3

2 EI

6 EI
P A. Higdon, E. Ohlsen, W. Stiles, J. Weese
2 wL3 and W. Riley. Mechanics of Materials, 4th
 ed., John Wiley & Sons, New York, 1985.
3EI