Edition

Fourth
MECHANICS OF MATERIALS Beer Johnston DeWolf

Deformation of Beams
When a beam with a straight longitudinal axis is loaded by lateral forces,
the axis is deformed into a curve, called the deflection curve of the beam
In Chapter 5 we used the curvature of the bent beam to determine the
normal strains and stresses in the beam
But we did not develop a method for finding the deflection curve itself
In this Chapter we will determine the equation of the deflection curve and
we will also find the deflections at specific points along the axis of the
beam
Applications include the analysis of aircraft vibrations and the analysis of
the response of buildings to earthquakes

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Edition
Fourth
MECHANICS OF MATERIALS Beer Johnston DeWolf

Deformation of Beams
Differential equations of the deflection curve

Most procedures for finding beam deflections are based on the

differential equations of the deflection curve and their associated
deflections
The deflection v is the displacement in the in the y direction of any
point on the axis of the beam. We assume that all loads act in this plane
(the plane of bending)
In order to obtain the equation of the deflection curve we must express
v as a function of the coordinate x

FIG. 9-1 Deflection curve of a cantilever beam

Copyright 2005 by Nelson, a division of Thomson Canada Limited

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Edition
Fourth
MECHANICS OF MATERIALS Beer Johnston DeWolf

Deformation of Beams
Differential equations of the deflection curve

When the beam is bent, there is not only a deflection at each point along
the axis but also rotation
The angle of rotation of the axis of the beam is the angle between the
x axis and the tangent to the deflection curve as shown in fig 9-2b

FIG. 9-2 Deflection curve of a beam

Copyright 2005 by Nelson, a division of Thomson Canada Limited

2006 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. 9-3

Edition
Fourth
MECHANICS OF MATERIALS Beer Johnston DeWolf

Deformation of Beams
Differential equations of the deflection curve
The curvature k is given by the following equation

radius of curvature

The sign convention for curvature is shown in fig 9-3

The slope of the deflection curve is
the first derivative dv/dx of the
expression for the deflection v

2006 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. 9-4

Edition
Fourth
MECHANICS OF MATERIALS Beer Johnston DeWolf

Deformation of Beams

Differential equations of the deflection curve

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Edition
Fourth
MECHANICS OF MATERIALS Beer Johnston DeWolf

Deformation of Beams
Differential equations of the deflection curve
Procedure for solving the differential equations of the deflection curve
1. For each region of the beam, we substitute the expression for M into the
differential equation and integrate to obtain the slope v
2. Each such integration produces one constant of integration
3. Next we integrate each slope equation to obtain the corresponding
deflection v
4. Again each integration produces a new constant
5. Thus, there are two constants of integration for each region of the beam
6. These constants are evaluated from known conditions pertaining to the
slopes and deflections

2006 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. 9-6

Edition
Fourth
MECHANICS OF MATERIALS Beer Johnston DeWolf

Deformation of Beams
Differential equations of the deflection curve
1. Boundary conditions pertain to the deflections and slopes at the
supports of the beam.
2. At a simple support the deflection is zero
3. At a fixed support both the deflection and the slope are zero
4. Each such boundary condition supplies one equation that can be used to
evaluate the constants of integration

2006 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. 9-7

Edition
Fourth
MECHANICS OF MATERIALS Beer Johnston DeWolf

Deformation of Beams
Solution methods

1.Direct Integration or Double Integration method to obtain

slope and deflection
2.Singularity functions to determine the slope and deflection
3.Superposition method
4.The Moment Area method

2006 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. 9-8

Edition
Fourth
MECHANICS OF MATERIALS Beer Johnston DeWolf

Deformation of Beams
Solution methods
1.Direct Integration or Double Integration method to obtain
slope and deflection
Integration Constants

Use Boundary Conditions to

Evaluate Integration
Constants

2006 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. 9-9

Edition
Fourth
MECHANICS OF MATERIALS Beer Johnston DeWolf

Deformation of Beams
Examples

1.For the loading shown, determine (a0 The equation of the elastic
curve for the cantilever beam AB, (b) the deflection at the free end,
(c) The slope at the free end

2006 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. 9 - 10

Edition
Fourth
MECHANICS OF MATERIALS Beer Johnston DeWolf

Deformation of Beams
Examples

1.For the loading shown, determine (a) the equation of the elastic
curve for the cantilever beam AB, (b) the deflection at the free end,
(c) The slope at the free end

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Edition
Fourth
MECHANICS OF MATERIALS Beer Johnston DeWolf

Direct Determination of the Elastic Curve From the

Load Distribution
For a beam subjected to a distributed load,
dM d 2M dV
V x 2
w x
dx dx dx

Equation for beam displacement becomes

d 2M d4y
2
EI 4
w x
dx dx

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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Edition
Fourth
MECHANICS OF MATERIALS Beer Johnston DeWolf

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 x
EI y dx M x dx C1x C2
0 0
which introduces two unknowns but provides
three additional equations from the boundary
conditions:
At x 0, 0 y 0 At x L, y 0

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Edition
Fourth
MECHANICS OF MATERIALS Beer Johnston DeWolf

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 E 29 106 psi Integrate differential equation twice

P 50 kips L 15 ft a 4 ft
and apply boundary conditions to
obtain elastic curve.
For portion AB of the overhanging beam, Locate point of zero slope or point
(a) derive the equation for the elastic curve, of maximum deflection.
(b) determine the maximum deflection,
(c) evaluate ymax. Evaluate corresponding maximum
deflection.

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Edition
Fourth
MECHANICS OF MATERIALS Beer Johnston DeWolf

Sample Problem 9.1

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

- Reactions:
Pa a
RA RB P1
L L

- From the free-body diagram for section AD,

a
M P x 0 x L
L

- The differential equation for the elastic

curve,
d2y a
EI 2
P x
dx L

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Edition
Fourth
MECHANICS OF MATERIALS Beer Johnston DeWolf

Sample Problem 9.1

Integrate differential equation twice and apply
boundary conditions to obtain elastic curve.
dy 1 a
EI P x 2 C1
dx 2 L
1 a
EI y P x3 C1x C2
6 L

2 at x 0, y 0 : C2 0
d y a
EI 2
P x 1 a 1
dx L at x L, y 0 : 0 P L3 C1L C1 PaL
6 L 6
Substituting,
dy PaL x
2
dy 1 a 1
EI P x 2 PaL 1 3
dx 2 L 6 dx 6 EI L
1 a 1
EI y P x3 PaLx
PaL2 x x
3
6 L 6
y
6 EI L L
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Edition
Fourth
MECHANICS OF MATERIALS Beer Johnston DeWolf

Sample Problem 9.1

Locate point of zero slope or point
of maximum deflection.
PaL xm
2
dy L
0 1 3 xm 0.577 L
dx 6 EI L 3

Evaluate corresponding maximum

PaL2 x x
3
y deflection.
6 EI L L
ymax
PaL2
6 EI

0.577 0.577 3
PaL2
ymax 0.0642
6 EI

50 kips 48 in 180 in 2
ymax 0.0642

6 29 106 psi 723 in 4
ymax 0.238 in

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Edition
Fourth
MECHANICS OF MATERIALS Beer Johnston DeWolf

Deformation of Beams
Solution methods
4.The Moment Area method
The moment-area method is one of the most effective methods for
obtaining the bending displacement in beams and frames. In this
method, the area of the bending moment diagrams is utilized for
computing the slope and or deflections at particular points along the
axis of the beam or frame. Two theorems known as the moment
area theorems are utilized for calculation of the deflection. One
theorem is used to calculate the change in the slope between two
points on the elastic curve. The other theorem is used to compute
the vertical distance (called tangential deviation) between a point on
the elastic curve and a line tangent to the elastic curve at a second
point.

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Edition
Fourth
MECHANICS OF MATERIALS Beer Johnston DeWolf

The moment-area theorems procedure can be summarized as:

If A and B are two points on the deflection curve of a beam,

EI is constant and B is a point of zero slope, then the Mohrs theorems state that:

(1) Slope at A = 1/EI x area of B.M. diagram between A and B

(2) Deflection at A relative to B = 1/EI x first moment of area of B.M diagram

between A and B about A.

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Edition
Fourth
MECHANICS OF MATERIALS Beer Johnston DeWolf

Deformation of Beams

The moment area Method

Determine the end slope and deflection of the mid-point C in the
beam shown below using moment area method ..

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Edition
Fourth
MECHANICS OF MATERIALS Beer Johnston DeWolf

2.Using the moment area method, determine the slope at B and C and deflection at
C of the cantilever beam as shown in Figure 4.3(a). The beam is subjected to
uniformly distributed load over entire length and point load at the free end.

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