Superposition & Statically

Indeterminate Beams
Method of Superposition
Statically Indeterminate Beams
 Method of Superposition

If a beam has several concentrated or distributed

loads on it, it is often easier to compute the slope
and deflection caused by each load separately.
The slope and deflection can then be determined
by applying the principle of superposition and
adding the values of the slope and deflection
corresponding to the various loads.
 Method of Superposition

Assumptions
– material obeys Hooke's law
– deflections and slopes are small
– the presence of the deflections does not alter the
actions of the applied load
 Statically Indeterminate Beams

Recall, Statically indeterminate beams are ones in which

the number of reactions exceeds the number of
independent equations of equilibrium
Most of the structures we encounter in everyday life,
automobile frames, buildings, aircraft, are statically
indeterminate.

4 unknowns, 3 equilibrium equations

 Types of Indeterminate Beams

Usually identified by the beams support system

– Propped cantilever beam
– Fixed-end beam
– Continuous beam
The number of reactions in excess of the number of
equilibrium equations is called the Degree of Static
Indeterminacy
– A propped cantilever beam is statically indeterminate to the
first degree.
 Types of Indeterminate Beams

Excess reactions are called static redundants and

must be selected in each particular case.
– In the case of a propped cantilever beam, the support at the
end may be selected as the redundant reaction
– This reaction is in excess of those needed to maintain
equilibrium, so it can be removed.
– Structure that remains when redundants are released is
called the released structure or the primary structure.
 Types of Indeterminate Beams

The released structure must be stable and must be

statically determinate.
A special case: all loads action on the beam are vertical
– Horizontal reaction at A vanishes and three reactions remain
– Only two independent equations of equilibrium are available
– Beam is still statically indeterminate to the first degree.
 Analysis by the deflection curve

Statically indeterminate beams may be analyzed

by solving any one of the equations of the
deflection curve
Procedure is essentially the same as for
statically determinate beams.
Illustrated by example
 Method of Superposition

Fundamental in the analysis of statically

indeterminate bars, trusses, beams, frames, and
other structures.
First note the degree of static indeterminacy and
selecting the redundant reactions
Having identified the redundants, write equations
of equilibrium that relate the other unknown
reactions to the redundant and the loads.
 Method of Superposition

Next, assume both the original loads and the

redundants act on the released structure.
– Find the deflections in the released structure by
superposing the separate deflections due to the
loads and redundants.
– The sum of these deflections must match the
deflections in the original beam
– Since the deflections in the original beam at the
restraints are 0 or a known value
• We can write equations of compatibility (or equations of
superposition)
 Method of Superposition

The released structure is statically determinate

The relationships between loads and the
deflections of the released structure are called
Force-Displacement relations.
When these relations are substituted into the
equations of compatibility
– Unknowns are the redundants.
 Method of Superposition Procedure
Study the boundary
conditions and sketch the
expected deflection curve.
Determine the degree of
statical indeterminacy
Select and label redundant
forces and/or moments
Break problem into statically
determinate subproblems
– One for each load on the beam
and one for each of the
selected redundants.
Write compatibility equations
– One for the deflection for each
redundant force (or moment)
Write force-deflection equations
Substitute force-deflection
equations into compatibility
equations and solve for unknown
redundants.
Write superposition equations for
any additional quantities that are
required by the problem statement
Complete solution (max deflection,
etc.)