Lab Session No: 04

Objective:
“To determine the central deflection of a simply supported beam loaded by a concentrated load at
midpoint and hence determine the modulus of elasticity of the material of the beam”.

Apparatus:
➢ Deflection of Beam Apparatus
➢ Dial Indicator
➢ Weights and hanger
➢ Metre Rod
➢ Vernier Calliper

Simply Supported Beam Dial Indicator

Hanger

Deflection of Beam Apparatus

Description of Session

Beam
A beam is a structural element that primarily resists loads applied laterally to the beam's axis. Its
mode of deflection is primarily by bending.
 Beams are characterized by their manner of support, profile (shape of cross-section), length, and
their material.

Figure 1-Types of Beam

Types of Beams

1. Simple supported beam:

Beams that are free to rotate as both the ends are freely supported using hinge or
pin supports.

Figure 2-Simply Supported Beam

 2. Cantilever beam

Beam that has one end firmed to the vertical support and another end is left free.

Figure 3-Cantilever Beam

3. Overhanging beam

Overhanging refers to the section of the beam that is left unsupported. If the beam end is extended
beyond the support is called overhanging beam. It can be on either one side or both sides of the
support.

Figure 4-Over Hanging Beam

 4. Continuously supported beam

Beam that has supports at more than two locations is called continuous beam. The beam is more
economical if supports are provided at two points.

Figure 5-Continuous Beam

Deflection of Beam:
Deflection is the degree to which a structural element is displaced under a load.

Types of Load applied to Beam

1. Slope of a Beam
The deflection at any point on the axis of the beam is the distance between its position
before and after loading.
Slope at any section in a deflected beam is defined as the angle in radians which the tangent
at the section makes with the original axis of the beam

Figure 6-Slope of a Beam

2. Bending Moment of Beam
A bending moment is the reaction induced in a structural element when an external force
or moment is applied to the element causing the element to bend.
Simply supported means that each end of the beam can rotate. Therefore, each end support
has no bending moment.

Figure 7-Bending Moment of Beam

3. Shearing force of Beam

Shear force is the force in the beam acting perpendicular to its longitudinal (x) axis. For
design purposes, the beam's ability to resist shear force is more important than its ability to
resist an axial force.

Figure 8-Shearing force of Beam

Procedure:
1. Set the deflection of beam apparatus on a horizontal surface
2. Set the dial indicator to zero
3. Apply the loads on the hanger and measure the deflection using dial indicator
4. Calculate the Modulus of Elasticity of the material of the beam

Observations and Calculations:

𝑊𝐿3
𝛿𝑠 =
48𝐸𝐼
𝑊 𝐿3
𝐸 = ( )( )
𝛿𝑠 48𝐼

Least Count of Dial Indicator =

Least Count of Vernier calliper =

Effective length of beam =

Breadth of the Beam =

Height of the Beam =

Moment of Inertia of the Beam (I=bh3/12) =

Load Slope
Applied Central Deflection Ymax(mm) W/δs Modulus of Elasticity E(MN/m2)
W(N) from Graph
Loading Unloading Avg Experimental Therotical
Specimen Calculation:
Graph b/w Load and deflection

Chart Title
12

10 4.05, 10

8 3.24, 8
Load(N)

6 2.44, 6

4 1.6, 4

2 0.81, 2

0
0 0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5 3 3.5 4 4.5
Deflection(y)
 Comments:
1.

2.

3.

Lab Performance (10) Lab Report (10) Viva Voce (10) Signature