Third Edition

CHAPTER

MECHANICS OF
MATERIALS
Ferdinand P. Beer
E. Russell Johnston, Jr.
John T. DeWolf

Deflection of Beams

Lecture Notes:
J. Walt Oler
Texas Tech University

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Deformation of a Beam Under Transverse Loading

Relationship between bending moment and
curvature for pure bending remains valid for
general transverse loadings.
1 M ( x)

EI

Cantilever beam subjected to concentrated

load at the free end,
1
Px

EI

Curvature varies linearly with x

1
0,
At the free end A,
A

1
EI

0
,

At the support B,
B
B
PL
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Deformation of a Beam Under Transverse Loading

Overhanging beam
Reactions at A and C
Bending moment diagram
Curvature is zero at points where the bending
moment is zero, i.e., at each end and at E.
1 M ( x)

EI

Beam is concave upwards where the bending

moment is positive and concave downwards
where it is negative.
Maximum curvature occurs where the moment
magnitude is a maximum.
An equation for the beam shape or elastic curve
is required to determine maximum deflection
and slope.
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Equation of the Elastic Curve

From elementary calculus, simplified for beam
parameters,
d2y
dx 2

2 3 2

dy

dx

d2y
dx 2

Substituting and integrating,

1
d2y
EI EI 2 M x

dx
x

dy
EI EI
M x dx C1
dx
0

EI y dx M x dx C1x C2
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Equation of the Elastic Curve

Constants are determined from boundary
conditions
x

EI y dx M x dx C1x C2

Three cases for statically determinant beams,

Simply supported beam
y A 0,

yB 0

Overhanging beam
y A 0,

yB 0

Cantilever beam
y A 0, A 0

More complicated loadings require multiple

integrals and application of requirement for
continuity of displacement and slope.
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Direct Determination of the Elastic Curve From the

Load Distribution
For a beam subjected to a distributed load,
d 2M

dM
V x
dx

dV

w x
2
dx
dx

Equation for beam displacement becomes

d 2M
dx

EI

d4y
dx

w x

Integrating four times yields

EI y x dx dx dx w x dx
16 C1x3 12 C2 x 2 C3 x C4

Constants are determined from boundary

conditions.

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Statically Indeterminate Beams

Consider beam with fixed support at A and roller
support at B.
From free-body diagram, note that there are four
unknown reaction components.
Conditions for static equilibrium yield
Fx 0 Fy 0 M A 0

The beam is statically indeterminate.

Also have the beam deflection equation,
x

EI y dx M x dx C1x C2

which introduces two unknowns but provides

three additional equations from the boundary
conditions:
At x 0, 0 y 0

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At x L, y 0

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Sample Problem 9.1

SOLUTION:
Develop an expression for M(x)
and derive differential equation for
elastic curve.
W 14 68

I 723 in 4

P 50 kips L 15 ft

E 29 106 psi
a 4 ft

For portion AB of the overhanging beam,

(a) derive the equation for the elastic
curve, (b) determine the maximum
deflection,
(c) evaluate ymax.

Integrate differential equation twice

and apply boundary conditions to
obtain elastic curve.
Locate point of zero slope or point
of maximum deflection.
Evaluate corresponding maximum
deflection.

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Sample Problem 9.1

SOLUTION:
Develop an expression for M(x) and derive
differential equation for elastic curve.
- Reactions:
RA

Pa
a

RB P 1
L
L

- From the free-body diagram for section AD,

M P

a
x
L

0 x L

- The differential equation for the elastic

curve,
EI

d2y

P
x
2
L
dx

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Sample Problem 9.1

Integrate differential equation twice and apply
boundary conditions to obtain elastic curve.
EI

dy
1 a
P x 2 C1
dx
2 L

1 a
EI y P x3 C1x C2
6 L
2

EI

d y

P
x
2
L
dx

at x 0, y 0 : C2 0
1 a
1
at x L, y 0 : 0 P L3 C1L C1 PaL
6 L
6

Substituting,
dy
1 a
1
EI
P x 2 PaL
dx
2 L
6
1 a
1
EI y P x3 PaLx
6 L
6

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dy PaL
x

1 3
dx 6 EI
L
2

PaL2 x x
y

6 EI L L
3

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Sample Problem 9.1

Locate point of zero slope or point
of maximum deflection.
dy
PaL
xm
0
1 3

dx
6 EI
L

PaL2 x x
y

6 EI L L
3

xm

L
0.577 L
3

Evaluate corresponding maximum

deflection.

PaL2
ymax
0.577 0.577 3
6 EI

PaL2
ymax 0.0642
6 EI
ymax

50 kips 48 in 180 in 2
0.0642

6 29 106 psi 723 in 4

ymax 0.238 in
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Sample Problem 9.3

SOLUTION:
Develop the differential equation for
the elastic curve (will be functionally
dependent on the reaction at A).

For the uniform beam, determine the

reaction at A, derive the equation for
the elastic curve, and determine the
slope at A. (Note that the beam is
statically indeterminate to the first
degree)

Integrate twice and apply boundary

conditions to solve for reaction at A
and to obtain the elastic curve.
Evaluate the slope at A.

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Sample Problem 9.3

Consider moment acting at section D,

MD 0
1 w0 x 2 x
RA x
M 0
2 L 3
w0 x3
M RA x
6L

The differential equation for the elastic

curve,
d2y

w0 x3
EI 2 M R A x
6L
dx

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Sample Problem 9.3

Integrate twice
4
dy
1
2 w0 x
EI
EI R A x
C1
dx
2
24 L
5
1
3 w0 x
EI y R A x
C1x C2
6
120 L

EI

d y

w0 x

R
x

A
6L
dx 2

Apply boundary conditions:

at x 0, y 0 : C2 0
3
1
2 w0 L
at x L, 0 :
RAL
C1 0
2
24
4
1
3 w0 L
at x L, y 0 :
RAL
C1L C2 0
6
120

Solve for reaction at A

1
1
R A L3 w0 L4 0
3
30
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RA

1
w0 L
10

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Sample Problem 9.3

Substitute for C1, C2, and RA in the
elastic curve equation,
5
1 1
3 w0 x 1

EI y
w0 L x

w0 L3 x
6 10
120 L 120

w0
x5 2 L2 x3 L4 x
120 EIL

Differentiate once to find the slope,

dy
w0

5 x 4 6 L2 x 2 L4
dx 120 EIL

at x = 0,

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w0 L3
A
120 EI

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Method of Superposition

Principle of Superposition:
Deformations of beams subjected to
combinations of loadings may be
obtained as the linear combination of
the deformations from the individual
loadings

Procedure is facilitated by tables of

solutions for common types of
loadings and supports.

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Sample Problem 9.7

For the beam and loading shown,
determine the slope and deflection at
point B.

SOLUTION:
Superpose the deformations due to Loading I and Loading II as shown.

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Sample Problem 9.7

Loading I
wL3
B I
6 EI

wL4
yB I
8 EI

Loading II
wL3
C II
48 EI

wL4
yC II
128 EI

In beam segment CB, the bending moment is

zero and the elastic curve is a straight line.
wL3
B II C II
48 EI
wL4
wL3 L
7 wL4
yB II

128 EI 48 EI 2 384 EI
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Sample Problem 9.7

Combine the two solutions,

wL3 wL3
B B I B II

6 EI 48EI

7 wL3
B
48 EI

wL4 7 wL4
yB yB I y B II

8 EI 384 EI

41wL4
yB
384 EI

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Application of Superposition to Statically

Indeterminate Beams

Method of superposition may be

Determine the beam deformation
applied to determine the reactions at
without the redundant support.
the supports of statically indeterminate
Treat the redundant reaction as an
beams.
unknown load which, together with
Designate one of the reactions as
the other loads, must produce
redundant and eliminate or modify
deformations compatible with the
the support.
original supports.

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Sample Problem 9.8

For the uniform beam and loading shown,
determine the reaction at each support and
the slope at end A.

SOLUTION:
Release the redundant support at B, and find deformation.
Apply reaction at B as an unknown load to force zero displacement at B.

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Sample Problem 9.8

Distributed Loading:
w
yB w

24 EI

2
L
3

2
2 L L
3

2
L L
3

wL4
0.01132
EI

Redundant Reaction Loading:

2

yB R RB 2 L L
3EIL 3 3

RB L3
0.01646
EI

For compatibility with original supports, yB = 0

wL4
RB L3
0 y B w y B R 0.01132
0.01646
EI
EI
RB 0.688wL

From statics,
R A 0.271wL
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RC 0.0413wL

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Sample Problem 9.8

Slope at end A,
wL3
wL3
A w
0.04167
24 EI
EI
0.0688wL L 2 L
wL3
A R
L 0.03398
6 EIL 3
EI
3
2

wL3
wL3
A A w A R 0.04167
0.03398
EI
EI
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wL3
A 0.00769
EI