Deflection of Beams

(Credit for many illustrations is given to

McGraw Hill publishers
and an array of internet search results)

Parallel Reading

Chapter 7
Section 7.1
Section 7.2
Section 7.3
Section 7.6
(Do Chapter 7 Reading Assignment Work)

Previously on Engr 350

Bending moments deflect beams

along the arc of a circle.

The degree of curvature depends on

the magnitude of the Bending Moment,
Youngs Modulus, and the beams
Moment of Inertia

But as the Stomach Turns We Recently Learned

that Bending Moments Vary over the Length of
Beams

We learned how to do bending moment

Diagrams.
But if the bending moment changes
Over the length x, then the degree of
Beam curvature must also be changing!

How Can We Get the Deflection of

a Beam Under These Conditions?
That curvature is the
second derivative of
vertical displacement
at a distance x down
the beam
Time for some algebraic substitution!

By algebra

By substitution

Let Me See
y

And I want this.

If I have this

Oh Yes! How about integrating twice

(Oh Gosh no not calculus please)

Ok it May Suck But Lets Get to It

If we integrate once

We get the angle on the deflection

curve.

Or with substitution

If We Integrate Twice

We can get the displacement of the beam

Dare We Try This?

This is a cantilever beam with
a simple end load.

Value of x

Our Moment Diagram

L

L
M=-P*x

Lets Integrate Once

= -P*x

dy
1
2
EI
P x c1
dx
2

Houston We Have a Problem

dy
1
2
EI
P x c1
dx
2

I dont see what c1 is

The first integration gives us the bend angle

Off the Wall Boundary Conditions

The angle of bend at the
wall is 0.

EI

dy
1
2
P x c1
dx
2
So when x = L

1
2
0 P L c1
2

1
2
c1 2 P L
Anyone going to give
me genius credit for
this?

Integrate Twice
EI

dy
1
1
2
2
Px PL
dx
2
2

Slope
Angle

Integrate

1
1
3
2
EIy P x P L x c2
6
2
I get the equation for the elastic curve
We have another unknown c
(I feel a boundary condition
coming on).

Checking Out the Wall

L
x

1
1
3
2
EIy P x P L x c2
6
2
What is the displacement at the Wall
We better hope y=0 at x=L

1
1
3
3
0 P L P L c2
6
2

1
3

P
c2 3 L

Finishing Up Our Answer

1
1
1
3
2
3
EIy P x P L X P L
6
2
3
Get y by itself

P
3
2
3
y
( x 3 L x 2 L )
6 EI
And when x = 0

PL
y0 6 EI

y0

Assignment 23

Do Problem 7.3.5
Do Problem 7.3.16
Remember Show and explain your work step by step. Scribbles with a circled
Answer at the end even if the answer is right, will be marked wrong.

We Can Well Imagine Some of the Loadings and

Bending Moments We Might Face Could be
Unpleasant

Are We Always Going to Face

Double Integrations with Boundary
Conditions?

Not Necessarily

As with most
common integrals
there is always
someone making
a standard table.

Lets Try Doing One With a Table

Once upon a time there was a
Uniformly loaded Cantilever Beam

100 lbs/ft
5.5 in

12 ft

5.5 in

(6X6 wood
Beam)

We want the deflection distance

We Look Up the Solution On a

Table

The displacement at the end

Of the beam.

Plug In Time
Load = 100 lbs/ft = 8.33 lbs/inch
Length 12 ft = 144 inches

3.35 in =

Ib
12
Youngs Modulus for
Wood 1,750,000 psi
(From Table F.2 in your
Book)

76.26

But Lets Face It

You Cant Make a Table of Everything
There are ways of extending basic tables
to complex situations using the method
of superposition. (Linear functions can be
added one atop another to make some
pretty complex stuff.

How would
you find the
answer if you
could?

The Need for Method of

Superposition
What are the chances I will find
This situation in a table?

Ive got a bad feeling about that.

I Did See Some Stuff in the Tables

that Relates

Here is a set for a uniformly loaded beam

Here is a point loaded

beam

The Method of Superposition

Lets Try a Cantilever Beam With A

Uniform Load Only Over the Outer Half

Tables Give Me a Uniformly

Loaded Cantilever

So How Do I Get a Half Loaded

Cantilever?

We apply superposition

Of Course There Is a Problem

If the tables dont have

half loaded cantilevers, how
do I get a half loaded cantilever?

The Bending Moment Diagram

Gives Us a Clue
M

6 ft
12 ft

How much of a bending moment

did the maid in the parlor put on
the outer end of that beam?
You say None!
So that outer part of the beam is
not bent at all and only the inner
nalf has anything to do with the
problem.

Therefore We Can Start to Get One of Our

Superposition Components from a half
length cantilever.

Displacement halfway out to the beam end is

w( L

2)

8 EI

wL

128 EI

Now for the Rest of the Story

Because there is no bending the
remaining half of the beam just
keeps going straight up.

But remember we got the slope

Angle from our first integration so
That is bound to be in the table.

Going up for a distance

Of L/2

We Are Now Able to Give the Displacement

for the cantilever with loading on the inner
half

Now Back to Applying

Superposition

How Might the FE Test Our Mastery

of Beam Deflections?

What is going to happen with this load?

A- That eccentric 50N load is going to twist
the main rod
We need to recognize that with
Superposition we can solve each
problem separately without
interference from the other.

B- The shear diagram will show that the 50N

load will transfer and become a 50 N point
load on the main rod which will act as
a cantilever.

This is Just a Cantilever with a

Point Load at the End
50 N

2 meters
From a deflection table
(or double integration like we did in class)

Going for a Quick Plug

50 N

2M

We just need I for a

Circular rod
3 cm
Get Youngs Modulus
From the problem

Moment of Inertia for a Circular

Rod

From tables such as those at the back of your

Book.

r
I
4

4
=3.976X10-8

And Finishing

And Pick D!

Assignment 24

Do problems
7.3-18
7.3-21
Remember to explain and show step by step how you are solving these
Problems. Putting down and answer with some scribbled steps does not
Cut it and will get you marked wrong even if you chosen number or
Expression is correct.