Flexibility Method: Worked Example 6.

16

Flexibility Method
Worked Examples

Question 1
A uniform section beam is loaded as shown below. Determine the vertical reaction at B, and
draw the bending moment diagram for the beam. Take the vertical reaction at B as the
redundant force.

30 kN

A C
B

4m 2m

Solution 1
Remove the vertical reaction at B to transform the structure into a determinate system.
Working in consistent units of kN, m and radians.

30

A C
B
VB = 1
4 2 4 2
primary structure secondary structure

Primary structure:

30 180

60
A C
B A B C

4 2 4 2
M0

M DATOO
Flexibility Method: Worked Example 6.17

Secondary structure

A B C
A C
B
4 M1
4 2
1 4 2

The M 0 and M 1 diagrams are:

180

60
A B C
A B C
4 M1
4 2
M0 4 2

f10 : for BC = 0

for AB: a4 c 180 d 60 L4

2 180 60 4 4
1 1 1120

EI 6 EI

1120 1120
f10 0
EI EI
(negative product as the moments are on opposite sides of the member)

f 11 : for BC = 0
for AB: a4 c4 L4
1 1
4 4 4
64

EI 3 3EI

64
f11
3EI

M DATOO
Flexibility Method: Worked Example 6.18

from compatibility:
f10 VB f11 0

1120 64
VB 0
EI 3EI
VB 52.5 kN

Looking at the M 0 and M 1 diagrams and using M M 0 VB .M 1 (sagging moments are

positive, and hogging moments are negative):

180

60
A B C
A B C
4 M1
4 2
M0 4 2

MC 0 0 0

M B 60 0 60 (hogging, tension on top)

M C 180 52.5 4 30 (sagging, tension on bottom)

60

A
B C
30

BMD (kNm)

M DATOO
Flexibility Method: Worked Example 6.19

Question 2
A non-uniform section plane frame shown below is fixed at A, is rigid at B, and is simply
supported at C. Draw the bending moment diagram for the beam. Take the vertical reaction
at C as the redundant force.

I
40 kN
C
B

5m
2I

3m

Solution 2
Remove the vertical reaction at C to transform the structure into a determinate system.
Working in consistent units of kN, m and radians.

40
B C
B C

5 VC = 1

A A

3
primary structure secondary structure

Primary structure:

40
B C B C

A
A 200
M0
3
M DATOO
Flexibility Method: Worked Example 6.20

Secondary structure

3
C B
B C
3
5 1

A
A 3
M1
3

The M 0 and M 1 diagrams are:

I I
3
C B
B C
3

2I 2I

A A
200 3
M0
M1

f10 : for BC = 0

for AB: a3 c 200 L5 " EI " 2EI

1 1
3 200 5
750

2 EI 2 EI

750 750
f10 0
EI EI
(negative product as the moments are on opposite sides of the member)

f 11 : for BC: a3 c3 L3 " EI " EI

1 1
3 3 3
9

EI 3 EI

for AB: a3 c3 L5 " EI " 2EI

3 3 5
1 45

2 EI 2 EI
9 45 63
f11
EI 2 EI 2 EI

M DATOO
Flexibility Method: Worked Example 6.21

from compatibility:
f10 VC f11 0

750 63
VC 0
EI 2 EI
VC 23.8 kN

Looking at the M 0 and M 1 diagrams and using M M 0 VC .M 1 :

I I
3
C B
B C
3

2I 2I

A A
200 3
M0
M1

M A 200 23.8 3 129 (tension on left, in column AB)

M B 0 23.8 3 71 (tension on right, in column AB)

MC 0 0 0

71
B C
71

129 A

BMD (kNm)

M DATOO
Flexibility Method: Worked Example 6.22

Question 3
A uniform section plane frame shown below is simply supported at A, is rigid at C and D,
and is fixed at E. Draw the bending moment diagram for the beam. Take the vertical
reaction at E as the redundant force.

C D
3m
48 kN
B E

3m
A

6m

Solution 3
Remove the vertical reaction at E to transform the structure into a determinate system.
Working in consistent units of kN, m and radians.

C D C D
3
48 ME HE HE
B ME E
E
3
A A VE = 1

6
primary structure secondary structure

M DATOO
Flexibility Method: Worked Example 6.23

Primary structure
144 144

C D C D 144 144
3 C D

48 48 48
ME E B E
B HE
E
3
A A A
M0
VA

H 0 : 48 H 0 E H E 48

V 0 : V 0 A V A 0

M 0 : 48 3 48 3 M
A E 0 M E 0

Secondary structure
6

C D C D 6
C D
3
6
ME E
E HE 6
3 E
A 1 A 1 A
M1
VA
1
6

H 0: HE 0 HE 0

V 0 : VA 1 0 VA 1

M 0: A 1 6 M E 0 M E 6

M DATOO
Flexibility Method: Worked Example 6.24

The M 0 and M 1 diagrams are:

144 144 6

144 144 6
C D C D

B E B E
6

A A
M0 M1

f10 : for AB = 0
for BC = 0
for CD: a6 c 144 L6
1 1
6 144 6
2592

EI 2 EI

for DE: a6 c 144 L3

1 1
6 144 3
1296

EI 2 EI

2592 1296 3888

f10 0 0
EI EI EI

f 11 : for AB = 0
for BC = 0
for CD: a6 c6 L6
1 1
6 6 6
72

EI 3 EI

for DE: a6 c6 L3

6 6 3
1 108

EI EI

72 108 180
f11 0 0
EI EI EI

M DATOO
Flexibility Method: Worked Example 6.25

from compatibility:
f10 VE f11 0

3888 180
VE 0
EI EI
VE 21.6 kN

Looking at the M 0 and M 1 diagrams and using M M 0 VE .M 1 :

144 144 6

144 144 6
C D C D

B E B E
6

A A
M0 M1

MA 00 0
MB 0 0 0
M C 144 0 144 (tension on left, in column AC)

M D 144 21.66 14 (tension on right, in column DE)

M E 0 21.66 130 (tension on left, in column DE)

144
14
144 14
C D

B E
130

BMD (kNm)

M DATOO
Flexibility Method: Worked Example 6.26

Question 4
A uniform section plane frame shown below is fixed at A, is rigid at B, and is simply
supported at C. Draw the bending moment diagram for the beam. Take the vertical reaction
at C as the redundant force.

3m
30 kN
B
3m

4m

Solution 4
Remove the vertical reaction at C to transform the structure into a determinate system.
Working in consistent units of kN, m and radians.

C C
3
30
B B
VC = 1
3

A A

4
primary structure secondary structure

M DATOO
Flexibility Method: Worked Example 6.27

Primary structure

C C
3
30
B B
3
HA
A A
MA 90 M0
VA
4

Secondary structure

C C
3
1 B
B 4
4
3
HA
A A 4
MA M1
VA
4

The M 0 and M 1 diagrams are:

C C

B
B 4
4

A A 4
90 M0 M1

f10 : for BC = 0

for AB: a4 c 90 L3
1 1
4 90 3
540

EI 2 EI

540 540
f10 0
EI EI
(negative product as the moments are on opposite sides of the member)
M DATOO
Flexibility Method: Worked Example 6.28

f 11 : for AB: a4 c4 L3

4 4 3
1 48

EI EI

for BC: a4 c 90 L 5 (from geometry)

1 1
4 4 5
80

EI 3 3EI

48 80 224
f11
EI 3EI 3EI

from compatibility:
f10 VC f11 0

540 224
VC 0
EI 3EI
VC 7.23 kN

Looking at the M 0 and M 1 diagrams and using M M 0 VC .M 1 :

C C

B
B 4
4

A A 4
90 M0 M1

M A 90 7.23 4 61 (tension on left, in column AB)

M B 0 7.23 4 29 (tension on right, in column AB)

B 29

29
A
61

BMD (kNm)
M DATOO