SHEAR FORCE INFLUENCE LINES

1.0

OBJECTIVE
1.1

Part 1: To plot shear force influence line.

1.2

Part 2: To verify the use of a shear force influence line on a simply supported
beam.

2.0

LEARNING OUTCOME
2.1

The application of engineering knowledge in practical application.

2.2

To enhance technical competency in structural engineering through laboratory

application.

2.3

To communicate effectively in group.

2.4

To identify problem, solving and finding out appropriate solution through

laboratory application.

3.0

INTRODUCTION
Moving loads on beams are common features of design. Many road bridges are
constructed from beam, and as such have to be designed to carry a knife edge load, or a
string of wheel loads, or a uniformly distributed load, or perhaps the worst combination
of all three. The method of solving the problem is to use influence lines.

4.0

THEORY

Definition: Shear influence line is defined as a line representing the changes in

shear force at a section of a beam when a unit load moves on the beam.

Part 1: This experiment examines how shear force varies at a cut section as a unit
load moves from one end to another (See Figure 1). From the diagram, shear force
influence line equation can be writen.

For 0

xa

a shear line is given by :

Sy x L
(Equation 1)

For

a xb

shear line is given by:

Sy 1 x L
. (Equation 2)

1 (unit load )

cut

Sy

RA

RB

Sy
a

b
L

Figure 1

Part 2: If the beam are loaded as shown in Figure 2, the shear force at the cut can
be calculated using the influence line. (See Figure 2).

F1 y1 F2 y2 F3 y3
Shear force at cut section

(Equation 3)

(y1 , y2 and y3 are ordinates derived from the influence line in terms of x1, x2, x3 ,a , b and L)

ab L
F1

F2

F3

x1
x2
x3
Shear force influence
line for cut
section.

y1

y2

Figure 2

y3

5.0 APPARATUS
Sketch the apparatus used in this experiment and named the essential components.

Image 1 : Measurement tape

Image 2 : Load (10g and 5g)

Image 3 : Model

6.0 RESULT
Part 1:
Table 1
Location of load
from left hand

Digital Force
Display Reading

support (m)

(N)

0.10
0.12
0.14
0.16
0.18
0.20
0.22
0.24
0.26
0.28
0.30
0.32
0.34
0.36
0.38
0.40

1.1
1.3
1.5
1.8
2.0
2.2
2.4
2.7
2.9
3.1
3.3
3.6
3.8
4.0
4.2
4.4

Shear Force at
cut section (N)

Experimental

Theoretical

Influence

Influence lines

lines value

value

0.10
0.12
0.14
0.16
0.18
0.20
0.22
0.24
0.26
0.28
0.30
-0.32
-0.34
-0.36
-0.38
-0.40

0.010
0.012
0.014
0.016
0.018
0.020
0.022
0.024
0.026
0.028
0.030
-0.032
-0.034
-0.036
-0.038
-0.040

-0.26
-0.32
-0.37
-0.42
-0.47
-0.53
-0.58
-0.63
-0.68
0.25
0.20
1.85
1.91
1.96
2.01
2.06

Notes:
1.

Shear force at cut section is the same value given by Digital force reading. Add ve sign to the
value for positions 320mm to 380mm.

ShearForce ( N )
Load ( N )
2.

Experimental Influence line values =

3.

Calculate the theoretical value using the equation 1 for load position 0 to 260 mm and equation 2
for load position 260mm to 380mm.

Part 2 :
Table 2

Position of hanger from

left hand support (m)
Locati
on

_10_g

10_g

1
2
3
4

10
20
35
45

20
30
45
55

Shear force Digital

Theoretical Shear force

Reading (N)

(Nm)

3.2
5.5
6.5
7.8

300
500
800
1000

Notes :
1. Theoretical Shear Force is calculated using Equation (3).

8.0 DISCUSSIONS
Part 1
1. On a graph paper, plot the theoretical and experimental values against
distance from left hand support.

2.2
2
1.8
1.6
1.4
1.2
1
0.8
0.6
0.4
0.2
0
-0.2
-0.4
-0.6
-0.8
-1

Theoratical influence lines

value
Experimental influence
lines value

2. Comment on the shape of the graph. What does it tell you about how shear
force varies at the cut section as a load moved on the beam?
Based on the graph there are differential between theoratical and experimental
value, theoratical value that we have obtain was propotional with the distance
and get the linear graph but have a drastic increasing at the end of distance.
While the influence lline for experimental value increasing due to distance and
decreasing at 0.032m distance.

3. Comment on the experimental result compared to the theoretical result.

The theoratical result shows a totally different result between the theoratical
and experimental value for the experimental influence line value. For the
experimental influnce line value there are a big diffrence between those
experimental and theoratical. Overall, based on the procedure we followed the

right procedure. It might be the error from the machine itself that is not in
good condition.
Part 2

Comment the experimental result and the theoretical result in Table 2.

In this part, we used the load 100g. From this experiment, the value for the locaation 1
to 4, the value for the experimental is bigger than the theoratical value. The value is
depend on location, but the value for both results is not so much differences.

9.0 CONCLUSIONS
What can you prove from the experiment?
Part 1:

From the experiment, we know that the value of experimental and theoretical value is
totally difference. From the graph it shows totally difference results between
theoretical and experimental. Based on result, the values of shear at cut section (N)
increase when a load moves toward cut section.
Part 2:
From the experiment, its show that location is one of the causes for the differences
between the value. So, we should know that, influence lines can be used to calculate the
shear force at cut section.