C.

RameshBabu/AP/Civil/MSEC
1
Solved Problems (Rayleigh Ritz method)
U1.Rayleigh Ritz method applied to Beams

U#1) Find the deflection at the centre using Rayleigh Ritz method for the simply supported
beam subjected to Concentrated load at the centre

Solution:
Take y =
=
k
n
n
l
x n
a
1
sin
t
.
According to Rayleigh Ritz method
[
= U W and 0 =
c
c
[
n
C
where = Potential
energy U = Strain energy and W is the external work done.

c
py dx
x d
y d
EI =
}
[
2
2
2
) (
2
1
where y
c
is the deflection at the centre.

=
=
k
n
n
l
x n
Cos
l
n
a
dx
dy
1
t t

=
=
|
|
.
|

\
|
k
n
n
l
x n
l
n
a
dx
y d
1
2
2 2
2
2
sin
t t

=
=
|
|
.
|

\
|
k
n
n
l
x n
l
n
a
dx
y d
1
2
4
4 4
2
2
2
2
sin
t t


}
[
= =
=
K
n
n
k
n
n
l
n
a P dx
l
x n
l
n
a EI
0 1
2
4
4 4
2
0
2
sin sin
2
1 t t t
--------(1.a)
We Know that
0 sin sin
0
=
}
dx
l
x m
l
x n
l
t t
when m is not equal to n .
2
sin sin
0
l
dx
l
x m
l
x n
l
=
}
t t
when m = n Hence equation 1.a becomes,

C.RameshBabu/AP/Civil/MSEC
2
2 2
2
2
1
4
4
4
t t
t
n
PSin
l
l
a EI
a
n
n
=
c
c
[
--------------(1b)

From 1 b eqn,
2
sin
1 2
4 4
3
t
t
n
n EI
pl
a
n
=
There fore

=
=
k
n
l
x n
Sin
n
Sin
n EI
pl
y
... 5 , 3 , 1
4 4
3
2
1 2 t t
t
------------(1c)
To find out y
c
substitute x = l/2. in above equation (1.c)

=
=
k
n
c
n EI
pl
y
... 5 , 3 , 1
4 4
3
1 2
t

Hence we have
|
.
|

\
|
+ + =
4 4 4
3
5
1
3
1
1
2
EI
pl
y
c
t
which is the deflection at the centre.


U#2) Find the maximum deflection of a simply supported beam subjected to central
concentrated load P at the centre and uniformly distributed load P
0
/m through out the beam








P
0
/m








Let
l
x
a
l
x
a y
t t 3
sin sin
2 1
+ =
dx
dx
y d EI
U
L
} |
|
.
|

\
|
=
0
2
2
2
2


P
P
0
/m
L

C.RameshBabu/AP/Civil/MSEC
3
L
x
Cos
L
a
L
x
Cos a
L dx
dy t t t t 3 3
2 1
+ =

L
x
Sin
L
a
L
x
Sin a
L dx
y d t t t t 3 9
2
2
2 1
2
2
2
2
=


dx
dx
y d EI
U
L
} |
|
.
|

\
|
=
0
2
2
2
2
= dx
L
x
Sin
L
a
L
x
Sin
L
a EI
L
} |
|
.
|

\
|

0
2
2
2
2
2
1
4
3 9
2
t t t t
which yields
U = ) 81 (
2
2
2
1
4
4
a a
L
EI
+
t

Now W =
max
0
0
Py ydx P
L
+
}

y
max
= a
1
a
2

Hence W = ) (
3
2 1
0
2 1 0
a a P dx
L
x
Sin a
L
x
Sin a P
L
+
(

|
.
|

\
|
+
}
t t

W =
(
(
(

+
3
2
2
1 0
a
a
L
P
t
+ P(a
1
a
2
)
[
= U W
[
= ) ( )
3
(
2
) 81 (
4
2 1
2
1
0
2
2
2
1
3
4
a a P
a
a
L P
a a
L
EI
+ +
t
t

0
1
=
c
[ c
a
and 0
2
=
c
[ c
a
which gives the following equations:


From the above equations we get )
3
2
(
2
0
4
3
1
P
L P
EI
L
a + =
t t
and
)
3
2
(
81
2
0
4
3
2
P
L P
EI
L
a =
t t

y
max
= a
1
-a
2


y
max
=
EI
L P
EI
PL
82 . 76 48
4
0
3
+




0
3
2
2
81
0
2
2
0
3
2
4
0
1
3
4
= +
=
P
L P
L
a EI
P
L P
a
L
EI
t
t
t
t

C.RameshBabu/AP/Civil/MSEC
4


U2.Rayleigh Ritz Method applied to Columns:

U#3) A Uniform Column is fixed at the bottom and free at the top. It carries a compressive load
at the free end. Investigate the critical load of the column by assuming a second degree
polynomial as
y = a
0
+a
1
x + a
2
x
2
.

Take the origin at the fixed end.
At x = 0, y = 0
At x = 0, dy/dx = 0

The above conditions give a
0
= a
1
= 0 and hence
y = a
2
x
2

When x = L, y = q
q =a
2
L
2
and so we have a
2
= q/L
2


Hence y = qx
2
/L
2


dx
dx
dy P
dx
x d
y d
EI
L L
2
0
2
2
2
0
) (
2
) (
2
1
} }
[
=
2
2
l
qx
dx
dy
= and
2 2
2
2
) (
l
q
dx
y d
=
dx
L
qx P
dx
L
q
EI
L L
2
2
0
2
2
0
)
2
(
2
)
2
(
2
1
} }
[
= which gives
L
pq
L
EIq
3
2 2
2
3
2
= H
L
pq
L
EIq
q 3
4 4
0
3
= =
c
[ c
and this equation yields P =
2
3
L
EI



URepeat the above problem by using
3
3
2
2 1 0
x a x a x a a y + + + = and satisfying the bending
moment condition at the top

When x = 0 , y = 0
Hence a
0
= 0.
When x = 0 dy/dx = 0 and we get a
1
= 0
When x = l, 0
2
2
=
dx
y d
.
2
3 2 1
3 2 x a x a a
dx
dy
+ + = and x a a
dx
y d
3 2
2
2
6 2 + =
x
y
Load P

C.RameshBabu/AP/Civil/MSEC
5

At x = l, 0
2
2
=
dx
y d
. Hence x a a
dx
y d
3 2
2
2
6 2 + = =0 and a
2
= -3a
3
l
So y = ) 3 ( 3
2 3
3
3
3
2
3
lx x a x a lx a = +
At x = l,y = q
There fore q= ) 3 (
3 3
3
l l a which gives
3
3
2l
q
a =
Hence y = ) 3 (
2
2 3
3
lx x
l
q
and ) 3 6 (
2
2
3
x lx
l
q
dx
dy
= ; ) 6 6 (
2
3 2
2
x l
l
q
dx
y d
=

dx
dx
dy P
dx
x d
y d
EI
l l
2
0
2
2
2
0
) (
2
) (
2
1
} }
[
=
dx x lx
l
q P
dx x l
l
q EI
l l
2 2
0 0
6
2
2
6
2
) 3 6 (
4 2
) 6 6 (
4 2
= H
} }
On simplifying
l
pq
l
EIq
5
3
2
3
2
3
2
= H .
0
5
6 3
3
= =
c
H c
l
pq
l
EIq
q
From this equation we get P=
2 2
5 . 2
6
15
l
EI
l
EI
=

U#4) A uniform column hinged at both ends is subjected to a compressive load P at the two
ends. Find the critical load using Rayleigh Ritz method if the trial function is
i)
2
) ( 4
l
x l hx
y

=
ii)
l
x
aSin y
t
=
USolving (i)
dx
dx
dy P
dx
x d
y d
EI
L L
2
0
2
2
2
0
) (
2
) (
2
1
} }
[
=
2
) ( 4
l
x l hx
y

= and so we have ) 2 (
4
2
x l
l
h
dx
dy
= ;
2 2
2
8
l
h
dx
y d
=

} }
+ = H
l l
dx lx x l
l
h P
l
dx h EI
0 0
2 2
4
2
4
2
) 4 4 (
16
2
64
2

0
3
16 64
3
= =
c
H c
l
ph
l
EIh
h
. This equation gives the critical load.P
cr
=
2
12
l
EI







C.RameshBabu/AP/Civil/MSEC
6
USolving (ii)
l
x
aSin y
t
= . This provides
l
x
Cos
l
a
dx
dy t t
= and
l
x
Sin
l
a
dx
y d t t
2
2
2
2

=
dx
dx
dy P
dx
x d
y d
EI
L L
2
0
2
2
2
0
) (
2
) (
2
1
} }
[
=
} }
= H
l l
dx
l
x
Cos
l
a P
dx
l
x
Sin
l
a EI
0 0
2
2
2 2
2
4
4 2
2 2
t t t t
------------------------------------------------A
2 2
2
1
0
2
l
dx
l
x
Cos
dx
l
x
Sin
l l
=

=
} }
0
t
t

} }
=
+
=
l l
o
l
dx
l
x
Cos
dx
l
x
Cos
0
2
2 2
2
1
t
t


Substituting the above results in the equation A and finding 0
2
.
2
.
2 2
.
2
2
2
2
4
4
= =
c
H c l
l
a P l
l
a EI
a
t t

The above expression yields critical Load Pcr=
2
2
l
EI t




U#5) A uniform column is fixed at one end and is kept on rollers at the other end. In other
words one end is fixed and other end is hinged. The length is 1m. Find the critical load.

At x = 0, y=0; -------(1)
At x = 1, y = 0 ; -----(2)
At x = 1, 0 =
dx
dy
-----(3)
Let y =
4
4
3
3
2
2 1 0
x A x A x A x A A + + + + . On applying (1), A
0
= 0
When x = 1, y = 0. This implies that A
1
+A
2
+A
3
+A
4
= 0-----(4)
When x = 1, 0 =
dx
dy

Hence 0 4 3 2
4 3 2 1
= + + + = A A A A
dx
dy
---------------------------(5)
(4) (5) Implies that A
2
2A
3
3A
4
=0 And so A
2
= - (2A
3
+3A
4
).-----(6)
Substitute (6) in (4) so that we get A
1
=A
3
+ 2A
4
------------------------------(7)
Hence y = (A
3
+ 2A
4
)x - (2A
3
+3A
4
)x
2
+A
3
x
3
+ A
4
x
4

y = ) 3 2 ( ) 2 (
4 2
4
3 2
3
x x x A x x x A + + + Put A
3
= a and A
4
= b
y= ) 3 2 ( ) 2 (
4 2 3 2
x x x b x x x a + + +
x

C.RameshBabu/AP/Civil/MSEC
7
) 4 6 2 ( ( ) 3 4 1 (
3 2
x x b x x a
dx
dy
+ + + = and ) 12 6 ( ) 6 4 (
2
2
2
x b x a
dx
y d
+ + + = -------(8)
dx
dx
dy P
dx
x d
y d
EI
L L
2
0
2
2
2
0
) (
2
) (
2
1
} }
[
= ---------------------------------------------------------(9)
Substituting (8) in (9)

= H | | | | ab b a P ab b a 252 288 56 6720 7056 1680
2 2 2 2
+ + + + ----------------------------(10)


0 0 =
c
H c
=
c
H c
b
and
a
----------------------------------------------------------------------------(11)
Equation 11 gives us the following two results:

----------------------------------------------------(12)
----------------------------------------------------(13)

These are linear homogeneous equations. We know a and b cannot be equal to zero.
If they are zero they will not be buckled form. Therefore to get trivial solution the following must be
true

(3360 112P ) (6720 252P )
= 0

(6720 252P ) (14112 576P)

Upon expanding and simplifying, we get

1008 P
2
129024 P + 2257920 = 0 which gives P= (128 + 86.166)/2

P= 20.92 is the lower value. During simplification EI was omitted. The same can be reintroduced.
The length 1m can also represented by l.
Hence P =
2
92 . 20
l
EI



UReferences:
Theory of Elasticity by Sadhu Singh
Finite Element Primer by V.K.Manickaselvam.




0 ] 576 14112 [ ] 252 6720 [
0 ] 252 6720 [ ] 112 3360 [
= +
= +
P b P a
P b P a