Experiment No.

3, 4 Beam Deflection
Apparatus
Objective:
To investigate the relationship between the deflections and applied loads and the effect of
variations in length and cross-sectional dimensions on beam deflection
Theory:
When the load is applied on a simply supported beam, deflections are observed and these deflections vary
as the length and cross sectional dimensions are varied.

For this arrangement, it can be shown that the deflection under the load i.e. maximum deflection is:
=

48

Where
=

12

Procedure:
1. The apparatus consists of a rigid main support beam on which the hardened knife edge and
cantilever supports the test beam.
2. The test beam can be easily positioned using the edge and cantilever supports
3. Hardened steel knife edge load hangers and the dial gauge support, which slides freely on the
main beam, can be readily moved to the selected point where the deflection is to be measured.
4. The load is varied and a set of readings are taken.
5. The experiment is repeated for a different specimen.

Exercise 1 (Experiment 3)
= 500

Material: Mild Steel MS
Load (N)
5
10
15
20

Deflection (mm)
3
5.8
8.7
Failure

Graph:

Deflection (mm)
10
9
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
0

Deflection (mm)

10

15

20

25

Exercise 2 (Experiment 4)
= 400

Material: Mild Steel MS
Load (N)
5
10
15
20
25

Deflection (mm)
1.58
2.88
4.26
5.70
7.19

Graph:

Deflection (mm)
8
7
6
5
4

Deflection (mm)

3
2
1
0
0

10

15

20

25

30

Experiment No. 5, 6 Deflection of

Beams
Objective:

To investigate the relationship between loads applied and deflection produced for different
methods.
To investigate the relationship between length of beam and deflection produced for constant force
for different materials.

Theory:
The load applied is directly proportional to deflection produced for different materials to the deflection
produced for different materials. The relationship is same but the constant of proportionality changes.
Also the deflection produced depends on the length of the beam: greater the length, larger the deflection
produced.

Procedure (Experiment 5)
1. Initially, use Brass
2. Set the bearers so that a span of 500mm is obtained.
3. A test specimen is placed on the bearers and the load device is mounted in the centre of test
specimen.
4. Lowered the gauge and set the gauge zero.
5. Loaded with weights and read off deflections.
6. The experiment is repeated for specimen of steel.

Procedure (Experiment 6)
1.
2.
3.
4.

Initially, use Brass

Set the apparatus as described in starting points above.
Keeping the force constant say 10N, changed the length and read off the deflection.
The experiment is repeated for a specimen of Steel.

Exercise 1 (Experiment 5)
Material

Load (N)
5
10
15
20
25
5
10
15
20
25

Brass

Steel

Deflection (mm) (xE-2)

60
120
182
245
310
32
65
98
130
165

350
300
250
200
Brass
150

Steel

100
50
0
0

10

15

20

25

30

Exercise 2 (Experiment 6)
Load = 10N
Material
Brass

Length (mm)
300
400
600
300
400
600

Steel

Deflection(mm) (xE-2)
25
65
222
15
37
114

Graph:
250

200

150
Brass
Steel

100

50

0
0

100

200

300

400

500

600

700