$5.

10

Slope and Defection of Beams

113

60, =deflection at A with load at B

8bo

=deflection at

with load a t A

Fig. 5.24. Maxwell's theorem of reciprocal displacements.

Similarly, if the loads were applied in reverse order and the load W Aat A produced an additional deflection 6 b , at B, then total work done
=

3WBb + 3 W Aa + WB&,

It should be clear that, regardless of the order in which the loads are applied, the total work done must be the same. Inspection of the above equations thus shows that
wA

60, =

wB

6ba

If the two loads are now made equal, then

= 6bo

(5.22)

i.e. the dejection at A produced by a load at B equals the dejection at Bproduced by the same load at A . This is Maxwell's theorem of reciprocal displacements. As a typical example of the application of this theorem to beams consider the case of a simply supported beam carrying a single concentrated load off-set from the centre (Fig. 5.25).

IW

7-1

------,;i 8 : ,
8,(above)

Fig. 5.25.