Experiment – 8

BENDING MOMENT IN A PORTAL FRAME.

Aim: To determine bending moment in a portal frame and verifying the same in SAP-
2000
Apparatus: Structural frame, Strain gauges, Aluminium portal frame, Digital strain display,
Weight hanger and masses.

Figure 1. Portal frame on universal test frame

Theory: The bending moment in a portal frame can be determined by various methods such as
energy principles, slope deflection method, moment distribution method etc. Energy
principles are used to determine displacement in structures and redundant action of an
indeterminate structures. Its application is not only in elementary analysis but also in
advanced analysis and finite element methods. Energy principles and principles of
structural analysis are based on Newton’s laws of motion. Some significant concepts
about force and energy are explained here.
Work is done when a force acting on a body displaces it from its original position. It is
equal to product of the force applied and distance moved by its point of application in the
direction of force applied. When a force displaces a body. The body receives either
Kinetic Energy (if its velocity is changed) or potential energy (if its position in the
gravitational field is changed).
If the force applied results in the distortion (or deformation) of the body, the work done by
the force is stored in the body as strain energy. Strain energy is released in elastic bodies
on removal of the loads. Strain energy can be visualized as another form of potential
energy and is sometimes referred to as internal work done. It is generally assumed that
energy is converted from one form to another within a given structural system, and no
energy is dissipated in vibrations or as heat. This is ideal situation, which may not always
be realized in practice. This assumption, however, does not often leads to serious errors in
practical structures, especially when steady loads are applied. Since the total energy of a
system remains constant, the algebraic sum of external and internal work done must be
zero.
Computation of real energy can be tedious because of high order terms involved.
However, the concepts of strain energy can be applied to determine displacement in a
structure by making use of principle of minimum strain energy of a system. This was first
observed by castligliono, who postulated in 1876.
Theorem I: If the strain energy of a structure is expressed as a function of the relative
displacements of the external forces applied at its nodes, the partial derivatives of the
resulting expression with reference to those displacements yield the values of the
corresponding forces.
𝜕𝑈
𝑃𝑖 =
𝜕𝛿𝑖
 Theorem II: If the strain energy of a structure is expressed as a function of external
forces, the partial derivatives of the resulting expression with reference to these forces
yield the values of relative displacements at the corresponding points of their
application.
𝛿𝑈
𝛿=
𝛿𝑃𝑖
Castligliano’s first theorem is useful in analyzing statically indeterminate structures,
while his second theorem is extensively used in computing displacement in a structure.
U = UA + US + UB + UT
Where, U = Total strain energy stored in the structure
𝑃2 𝐿
UA = Strain Energy due to axial forces = 𝐴𝐸
𝑉2𝐿
US = Strain energy due to shear forces = 2𝐴𝐺
𝑀2 𝑑𝑥
UB = Strain energy due to bending moment = 2𝐸𝐼

𝑇 2 𝑑𝑥
UT = Strain energy due to Twisting moment = 2𝐺𝐽
𝛿𝑈
Now, 𝛿𝑅 = 0 (total strain energy should be minimum)

R is the redundant action in the beam.

𝛿𝑈 2 𝑀 𝛿𝑀 𝑑𝑥
=0= ∫ .
𝛿𝑅 2 𝐸𝐼 𝛿𝑅
Slope deflection method
The slope deflection method is a structural analysis method for beams and frame introduced in
1915 by George A. Maney. The slope deflection method was widely used for more than a
decade until the moment distribution method was developed. This method consider the
deflection as primary unknowns, while the redundant forces were used in the force method. In
this method, the relationship is established between moments at the ends of the members and
the corresponding rotations and displacement.
The basic assumption used in the slope deflection method is that a typical member can bend but
shear and axial deformation are negligible. It is no different from that used with the force
method. The basic idea of the slope deflection method is to write the equilibrium equations for
each node in terms of the deflections and rotations. Solve for the generalized displacements.
Using moment displacement relations, moments are then known. The structure is thus reduced
to a determinate structure.
 Sign Convention – All clockwise internal moments and end rotation are positive.
Fundamental Slope-Deflection Equations.

A B
A

MAB MBA
2 𝐸𝐼 3𝛿 B
𝑀𝐴𝐵 = [2𝜃𝐴 + 𝜃𝐵 − 𝐿 ]
𝐿
2𝐸𝐼 3𝛿
𝑀𝐵𝐴 = [2𝜃𝐵 + 𝜃𝐴 − ]
𝐿 𝐿

Where,

FEMAB = Fixed end moments due to external loading over span AB at joint A FEMBA
= Fixed end moments due to external loading over span BA at joint B

FEMAB A B FEMBA

4𝐸𝐼 𝜃𝐴 2𝐸𝐼
Rotation at A – 𝑀𝐴𝐵 = ; 𝑀𝐵𝐴 = 𝜃𝐴
𝐿 𝐿

2𝐸𝐼𝜃𝐵 4𝐸𝐼
Rotation at B- 𝑀𝐴𝐵 = ; 𝑀𝐵𝐴 = 𝜃𝐵
𝐿 𝐿

MAB MBA
B B

Displacement at support B-
−6𝐸𝐼𝛿 −6𝐸𝐼𝛿
𝑀𝐴𝐵 = ; 𝑀𝐵𝐴 =
𝐿2 𝐿2
Procedure:
1. Put an assembled Test Frame on a workbench. Make sure the ‘window’ of the
Test Frame is easily accessible.
2. Make sure the frame is level.
3. Fit the back panel into the Test Frame as shown, then fit the pulley and digital
indicator.

4. Make sure the Digital Strain Display is ‘off’. Connect the sixteen strain
gauge cables from behind the back panel to their sockets on the display,
matching the number on the lead to the number on the socket.
5. Switch on the Digital Strain Display and set to gauge configuration 1. Leave
the gauges for five minutes to warm up and reach a steady state.
6. Use the selector switch of the strain display to display the readings of all
gauges with no load applied. Complete the first column of the table.
7. Add a load to the centre of the frame and again record all the strain readings.
These will be the uncorrected readings. Now subtract the zero load readings
from the uncorrected readings to find the corrected readings.
8. Use the bending moment equation to find the bending moment at each
gauge.

Experiment and observations

This experiments shows the strain around the portal frame for a single central
load and are used to calculate the bending moment and drawing its bending
moment diagram.

Bending moment theory –central load

𝜎
𝐸=
𝑒

Where, E = modulus of elasticity (typically 69 GPa for aluminium)

σ = stress induced

e = strain induced

and
𝑀 𝜎
= − 𝑇ℎ𝑒 𝐵𝑒𝑛𝑑𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑒𝑞𝑢𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛
𝐼 𝑌

𝐼𝐸𝑒
Which also gives: 𝑀 =
𝑌
 where, I = Moment of inertia

Y = maximum distance from the neutral axis

Observation table

Portal frame dimensions: 19 x 3.2 mm

Second Moment of area: I = 19 x 3.23/12 = 51.88 mm4

Vertical load: p = N

Maximum distance from the neutral axis: Y =3.2/2 = 1.6 mm

Modulus of Elasticity: E = 69GN/m2

Gauge Zero Load strain Load Bending Bending

Number offset load (µe) strain Moment moment
strain (µe) (uncorrected) (µe) (experimentally) (theoretically)

3 or 4

12 or 13

16

Conclusion:
Dotted Line = Theory
Solid Line = From strain gauges