DEFLECTION OF BEAMS (4) -- STATICALLY INDETERMINATE BEAMS

This lecture introduces the definition of statically indeterminate structures and the ways for solutions of this type
of structures. The redundant reaction of a beam can be determined by using the direct integration method and the
moment-area method.

1. Statically Indeterminate Beams

We now consider the analysis of beams that have a larger

number of reactions than can be found from equations of
static equilibrium. Such beams are said to be statically
indeterminate.

Several types of statically indeterminate beams are shown

in Fig.1.

Fig.1a shows a propped cantilever beam or a fixed-

simple beam: one end is fixed and another is simply
supported. The number of reactions in excess of the
number of equilibrium equations is called the degree of
statical indeterminacy. Any reactions in excess of the
number needed to support a structure in a statically
determinate manner are called statical redundants. The
statically determinate structure that remains when the
redundant is released is called the primary structure or
the released structure.
Fig.1: Statically Indeterminate Beams
Fig.1c illustrates a fixed-end beam: at each support there
are three reactive quantities.

Fig 1e and Fig.1f give examples of continuous beams: they have more than one span and are continuous over a
support.

Once the redundant reactions are known, the remaining force quantities can be found from equilibrium. Now we
consider the methods for analysing statically indeterminate beams

2. The Direct Integration Method

Statically indeterminate beams may be analysed by solving one of the differential equations of the deflection
curve. The procedure is essentially the same as that for a determinate beam and is as follows:

• expressing the moment M(x) at any selected section

• substituting M(x) into the differential equation of equilibrium
• integrating to obtain its general solution
• applying boundary condition to evaluate the constants of integration

Example 1: A propped cantilever beam AB with a uniform load of intensity q is shown in Fig.2. Determine the
reactions Ra , Rb and M a for this beam.

We consider the reaction Rb as the redundant and obtain an expression for the bending moment M
M = Rb ( L − x ) − q ( L − x) 2 / 2

The second order differential equation of the deflection curve is

EIv ′′ = − M = − Rb L + Rb x + qL2 / 2 − qLx + qx 2 / 2

The two successive integrations give

EIv ′ = − Rb Lx + Rb x 2 / 2 + qL2 x / 2 − qLx 2 / 2 + qx 3 / 6 + C1
Fig.2: Example 1

1
EIv = − Rb Lx 2 / 2 + Rb x 3 / 6 + qL2 x 2 / 4 − qLx 3 / 6 + qx 4 / 24 + C1 x + C2

There are three unknowns in these equations and three boundary conditions:

v (0) = 0 v ′(0) = 0 v ( L) = 0

Applying these conditions to the preceding equations gives

C1 = 0 C2 = 0 Rb = 3qL / 8

With the value of the redundantRb obtained, we can find the remaining reactions from equilibrium conditions:
Ra = 5qL / 8 M a = qL / 82

What is the bending moment diagram of the beam?

3. Moment-Area Method

In the case of an indeterminate beam, the procedure consists of using the two moment-area theorems to obtain
the additional equations that are needed to calculate the redundant reactions. These additional equations
represent conditions on the slopes and deflections of the beam, and the number of such conditions will be always
equal to the number of redundants. The procedure of analysis includes

• Selecting the redundant reactions and leaving a statically determinate released structure
• Applying the loads on the released structure and drawing the corresponding M/EI diagram
• Applying the redundants on the released structure as loads and drawing the M/EI diagram
• Using the moment-area theorems to provide the necessary equations for calculating the redundant reactions

Example 2: Using the moment-area method to determine the reactions for the propped cantilever beam AB
shown in Fig.3.

This beam is statically indeterminate to the first degree; hence we select one reaction as the redundant. If Rb is
selected as the redundant and removed, the released structure is a cantilever beam. The M/EI diagrams of the
beam subject to P and Rb can be easily drawn respectively.

We now can calculate the displacement at the free end of the beam due to the two sets of loading. As there is no
displacement at point B, the displacements due to the two loading cases should be offset. This relation can be
obtained using the second moment-area theorem and gives the equation

L ⎛ Rb L ⎞⎛ 2 L ⎞ a ⎛ Pa ⎞ a
⎜ ⎟⎜ ⎟ − ⎜ ⎟( L − ) = 0
2 ⎝ EI ⎠⎝ 3 ⎠ 2 ⎝ EI ⎠ 3

from which we have

Pa 2
Rb = (3 L − a )
2 L3
Knowing this redundant reaction, we can find from static equilibrium
the other two reactions. They are:

Pb Pab
Ra = 3
(3 L2 − b 2 ) Ma = ( L + b)
2L 2 L2
What is the bending moment of the beam?
Fig.3: Example 2

Question 3: Using the moment-area method to determine the reactions of the beam shown in Fig.2.