The purpose of this chapter is to introduce the conjugate-beam method for

determining the elastic deflections of a given beam.

KUWAIT UNIVERSITY
DEPARTEMENT OF CIVIL ENGINEERING
STRUCTURAL ANALYSIS 1
Chapter 3
Conjugate-Beam Method

Abdulhamid E Khudada





CE 271: STRUCTURAL ANALYSIS I Ch. 3: Conjugate-Beam
Page 2 of 13
This method provides a way to determine deformations (slope and
deflection) at any point in a stable and statically determinate
beam.
Consider a typical loaded
beam as shown:

Plot the moment diagram
as shown:

Recall that in an actual beam:
( ) ( )
( )
( ) (1)
d M x M x
d dx
dx EI EI
M x
x dx
EI
u
u
u
= =
=
}

u
u u
u
(
~ =
(

(
=
(

}
} }
( )
( )
( ) (2)
d M x
d dx dx
dx EI
M x
x dx dx
EI

Also recall that:
( )
( ) ( ) ( ) (3)
dV x
w x V x w x dx
dx
= =
}

( )
( ) ( )
( ) ( ) (4)
dM x
V x w x dx
dx
M x w x dx dx
= =
(
=

}
} }

Define elastic load =
( )
( )
M x
w x
EI
(positive ( ) M x EI
positive ( ) w x downward)
Also define a conjugate beam, whose length equals that of the
actual beam, and loaded by the elastic load from (3) and (4):
= =
} }
shear in conjugate beam
( )
( ) ( ) ( )
M x
V x w x dx dx i
EI


CE 271: STRUCTURAL ANALYSIS I Ch. 3: Conjugate-Beam
Page 3 of 13
(
(
= =
(


} } } }
moment in conjugate beam
( )
( ) ( ) ( )
M x
M x w x dx dx dx dx ii
EI

Comparing equations (1) and (2) to equations (i) and (ii)
u = =
}
(positive counterclockwise)
( )
( ) ( )
M x
x dx V x
EI

Slope (angle of rotation) at a given
section, x, in the actual beam equals the
shear at the same section in the
conjugate beam subjected to elastic load
= ( ) ( ) w x M x EI .
u
(
= =
(

} }
(positive downward)
( )
( ) ( )
M x
x dx dx M x
EI

Vertical deflection at a given
section, x, in the actual beam
equals the bending moment at
the same section in the conjugate
beam subjected to elastic load
= ( ) ( ) w x M x EI

Note that for the above two identities to be possible, the setup of
supports and connections of the conjugate beam must be such as to
induce shear and moment in the conjugate beam in conformity to
slope and deflection induced by their counterparts in the actual beam.
For example, when the real beam is fixed supported, both the slope
and displacement at the support are zero. Therefore, the conjugate
beam has a free end, since at this end both the shear and moment are
zero.

Actual beam
(subjected to applied load)
Conjugate beam
(subjected to elastic loads)
Fixed end:
0
0
u
u
=
=

Free end
0
0
V
M

=


`
=

)

Free end:
0
0
u
u
=
=

Fixed en
0
0
d
V
M

=


`
=

)

CE 271: STRUCTURAL ANALYSIS I Ch. 3: Conjugate-Beam
Page 4 of 13
Actual beam
(subjected to applied load)
Conjugate beam
(subjected to elastic loads)
Simple end:
(hinge or roller)
0
0
u
u
=
=

Simple end
(hinge or roll
0
e
0
r)
V
M

=


`
=

)

Interior support:
(hinge or roller)
0
left right
u u
u
=
=

Interior fiction-
less g
0
hin e
left right
V V
M

=


`
=

)

Interior
frictionless hinge:
0
left right
u u
u
=
=

Interior fiction-
less g
0
hin e
left right
V V
M

=


`
=

)




CE 271: STRUCTURAL ANALYSIS I Ch. 3: Conjugate-Beam
Page 5 of 13
EXAMPLE 1:
Determine
C
u and
C
u using the conjugate beam method. EI constant.


Solution:

Actual beam:


A
6 m 4 m
12 kN/m
B C
A
72 kN
V(x)
(kN)
A = 216
B C
x

72 kN
216 kN-m
72
M(x)
(kN-m)
-216

CE 271: STRUCTURAL ANALYSIS I Ch. 3: Conjugate-Beam
Page 6 of 13
Conjugate beam:


( )
( )
u
+ | = = + = +
=

432 432
0
432
y C C
C
F R V
EI EI
EI


( )
( )
u
+ = = =
= + = +

,
432 3672
0 8.5 0
3672 3672
C C C z
C C
M RM RM
EI EI
M
EI EI


A B C




1.5m 4.5m 4m
432/EI


CE 271: STRUCTURAL ANALYSIS I Ch. 3: Conjugate-Beam
Page 7 of 13
EXAMPLE 2:
Determine
A
u ,
A
u ,
C
u ,
C
u and
max
u using the conjugate beam method.
EI constant.


Solution:

Actual beam:

A
12 m 6 m
12 kN
B D
6 kN
C
3 m
A
18/5 = 3.6 m
12 kN
B D
6 kN
C
11 kN
7 kN
V(x)
kN
-6 -6
+5 +5
-7 -7
M(x)
kN-m
-18
+42
A = 60
A = -43
A = -18
CE 271: STRUCTURAL ANALYSIS I Ch. 3: Conjugate-Beam
Page 8 of 13
Conjugate beam:

Member BD:
( )
,
32.4 176.4
0 1.2 (3.6 5.6)
126
(3.6 8.4 2) 18 0
186
B z
D
D
M
EI EI
R
EI
R
EI
+ = + +
+ + + =
= |

Whole beam:
( )
27 32.4 176.4 126 186
0 0
57
y A
A
F R
EI EI EI EI EI
R
EI
+ | = + + + =
= |

( )
,
27 32.4 176.4
0 2 4.2
126 186
12.2 17 21 0
198
A A z
A
M RM
EI EI EI
EI EI
RM
EI
+ = +
+ =
=

( )
57 57
A A
V
EI EI
u = + =
( )
u = = |
198 198
A A
M
EI EI


A D
18/EI
C

A = 27/EI
B
42/EI
3 m 3.6 m 8.4 m 6 m

A = 32.4/EI
A = 126/EI
A = 176.4/EI
2m
4m
2.8m
5.6m
1.2m
2.4m
1m
2m
27/EI 32.4/EI 176.4/EI 126/EI

CE 271: STRUCTURAL ANALYSIS I Ch. 3: Conjugate-Beam
Page 9 of 13
D C

42/EI
2m 4m
126/EI
186/EI

To determine
C
u and
C
u , make a cut at point C:
( )
u
+ | =
+ = =
=

0 :
126 186 60
0
60
y
C C
C
F
V V
EI EI EI
EI

( )
,
0 :
126 186
2 6 0
864 864
C z
C
C C
M
M
EI EI
M
EI EI
u
+ =
+ =
= + = +

To determine
m max ax
( ) M u , we need to find the point at which
( 0 0) V u = = draw shear diagram for the conjugate beam:

From the shear diagram,
max
u is located in the region between points
e and C. For that region:
5
( ) w x x
EI
=
2
1 5
( ) 116.4
2
V x x
EI
(
= +
(


A D
18/EI
C
A = 27/EI
B
42/EI
3 m 3.6 m 8.4 m 6 m
A = 32.4/EI
A = 126/EI
A = 176.4/EI
xo
57/EI
x
84/EI
116.4/EI
-60/EI
-186/EI
e

CE 271: STRUCTURAL ANALYSIS I Ch. 3: Conjugate-Beam
Page 10 of 13
0
0
0 6.823 m
x x
V x
=
= =
3
1 5
( ) 116.4
6
M x x x C
EI
(
= + +
(


3
8.4
3
864 1 5
116.4 380.2
6
1 5
( ) 116.4 380.2
6
C
x
M x x C C
EI EI
M x x x
EI
=
(
= = + + =
(

(
= + +
(


3
max
6.823
1 5 909.7
116.4
6
x
M x x C
EI EI
=
(
= + + = +
(


( )
max
909.7
EI
u = +

CE 271: STRUCTURAL ANALYSIS I Ch. 3: Conjugate-Beam
Page 11 of 13
EXAMPLE 3:
Determine
B
u ,
B
u and
C
u using the conjugate beam method.
EI = 90,000 kN-m
2
. Also sketch the deflected shape.


Solution:

Actual beam:


A
6 m 6 m
60 kN
B
D
C
6 m
EI
4/3EI
EI
A
60 kN
B
D
C
180 kN-m
30 kN 30 kN
V(x)
(kN)
+30 +30
-30 -30
A = +180 A = +90
A = -90
M(x)
(kN-m)
-180
+90
CE 271: STRUCTURAL ANALYSIS I Ch. 3: Conjugate-Beam
Page 12 of 13
B
-
A

2m 4m
405/EI


405/EI
540/EI
B
-

B
+

Conjugate beam:


( )
,
405 135 135
0 10 6 4 2 0
540
B D z
B
M R
EI EI EI
R
EI
+ = + =
= +

( )
405 540 135 135
0 0
405
D y
D
F R
EI EI EI EI
R
EI
+ | = + =
= |

To determine
B
u (both left and right) and
B
u , isolate member AB
and joint B:
( )
(on member "AB")
405 405
0
90, 000
0.0045 rad
y
B
B
F V
EI
u

+ | = = + =
=

( )
u
+
+

+ | = + =
= =
=

(on joint "B")

405 540
0 0
135 135
90, 000
0.0015 rad
y
B
B
B
F V
EI EI
V
EI

A B D C

A = 405/EI
1m
180/(4/3EI) = 135/EI
90/EI
A = 135/EI

2m 2m 1m 2m 4m
405/EI
135/EI 135/EI
A = 135/EI
CE 271: STRUCTURAL ANALYSIS I Ch. 3: Conjugate-Beam
Page 13 of 13
D
C

1m 2m
135/EI

405/EI
( )
u
+ = =
= + = +
= +

,
405
0 4 0
1620 1620
90, 000
0.018 m
B z B
B
B
M M
EI
M
EI


To determine
C
u , make a cut at point C:

( )
u
+ =
+ =
= + = +
= +

,
0 :
135 405
1 3 0
1080 1080
90, 000
0.012 m
C z
C
C
C
M
M
EI EI
M
EI


Deflected shape:



A
12mm
B
D
C
18mm
0.0015 rad
0.0045 rad