Deflection of a Beam with Distributed and Point

Load

Introduction
This application will derive an explicit expression for the deflection of a beam with a distributed load
and a point load.

Governing Equations
> restart :

The Euler-Bernoulli equation

 4
d
> de d EI$ 4w x =q x :
dx

Initial and boundary conditions

> ibc d w 0 = 0, w L = 0, D@@2 w 0 = 0, D@@2 w L =0 :

Distributed load and point load

> q d x/Q$ 1 KHeaviside x Ka CF$Dirac x Kb :

Solution of the Differential Equation

Solve the differential equation together with the initial/boundary conditions and the load
distribution to get an explicit expression for the beam deflection.

> deSol d dsolve de, ibc , w x :

deflection d simplify rhs deSol , symbolic

1 4
deflection d KQ x L Kx L Cx L Ka Dirac 1, L Ka C4 F x L Kx L (3.1)
144 EI L

3 3
Cx L Kb Dirac 1, L Kb K8 Q x L Kx L Cx L Ka Dirac L Ka

2 2 2 2
K6 Q x L Ka L C2 L a Ka K2 x Heaviside L Ka C24 F x L Kx L

2
2 x b
Cx L Kb Dirac L Kb C48 x F K Cb L K L Kb Heaviside L Kb
2 2

4 3
K6 L Q Kx Ca Heaviside x Ka K24 F L Kx Cb Heaviside x Kb

2 1 2 1 2
a Q LxK a K x Heaviside Ka
4 2 1 2 1 2
K48 CF b L x K b K x Heaviside
2 2 2

2 2
Q x L L CL x Kx
Kb K L Kx
8
Derive the moment and shear distribution.

> moment d EI$diff deflection, x, x

1 4 4
moment d 2 Q x L Ka Dirac 1, L Ka K2 Q L Kx L Ka Dirac 1, L Ka (3.2)
144 L
3 2
K144 F L Kx Cb Heaviside x Kb K24 F L Kx Cb Dirac 1, x Kb C48 a Q L

2 2
Kx Heaviside Ka C96 F b L Kx Heaviside Kb K12 Q L L CL x Kx

4
K12 Q x L L K2 x C2 Q L Cx L Ka Dirac 1, L Ka K8 F L Cx L

3 3
Kb Dirac 1, L Kb C16 Q L Cx L Ka Dirac L Ka C72 Q L

2 2
Ka x Heaviside L Ka K48 F L Cx L Kb Dirac L Kb K144 F x L

3
Kb Heaviside L Kb C48 L Q Kx Ca Dirac x Ka K72 L Q Kx

2 4 2
Ca Heaviside x Ka K6 L Q Kx Ca Dirac 1, x Ka C144 F L Kx Cb Dirac x
2
Q a Heaviside Ka Q L L K2 x QxL
Kb K48 K KF b Heaviside Kb K C L
2 4 4
3 3
Kx C8 F L Kx L Kb Dirac 1, L Kb K8 F x L Kb Dirac 1, L Kb K16 Q L
3 3
Kx L Ka Dirac L Ka C16 Q x L Ka Dirac L Ka C48 F L Kx L
2 2
Kb Dirac L Kb K48 F x L Kb Dirac L Kb

> shear d diff moment, x

1 2 4
shear d K144 F b Heaviside Kb K72 Q a Heaviside Ka C6 Q L Ka Dirac 1, L (3.3)
144 L
Ka C144 F L Heaviside x Kb K36 Q L L Kx K36 Q L L K2 x K24 F L
3 3 2
Kb Dirac 1, L Kb C48 Q L Ka Dirac L Ka C72 Q L Ka Heaviside L Ka
2
K144 F L Kb Dirac L Kb K144 F L Kb Heaviside L Kb C72 L Q Kx
3 2
Ca Dirac 1, x Ka K216 L Q Kx Ca Dirac x Ka C144 L Q Kx
4
Ca Heaviside x Ka K6 L Q Kx Ca Dirac 2, x Ka K432 F L Kx Cb Dirac x
3 2
Kb K24 F L Kx Cb Dirac 2, x Kb C216 F L Kx Cb Dirac 1, x Kb
C36 Q x L
Plot the Deflection, Moment, and Shear
Assign parameters.

> Q dK12 :
F dK10 :
L d 20 :
ad3 :
bd5:
EI d 10000 :

Plot deflection, moment, and shear.

> plot deflection, x = 0 ..L, size = 1000, 400 , axesfont = Calibri , title = "Deflection", labels
= "Distance along beam", "Deflection" , labeldirections = horizontal, vertical , labelfont
= Calibri , titlefont = Calibri, 16, bold , background = ColorTools:-Color "RGB", 218 / 255,
223 / 255, 225 / 255 , axis = gridlines = color = ColorTools:-Color "RGB", 1, 1, 1
 Deflection
0
5 10 15 20
Distance along beam

K0.05

K0.10
Deflection

K0.15

K0.20

K0.25

> plot moment, x = 0 ..L, size = 1000, 400 , axesfont = Calibri , title = "Moment", labels
= "Distance along beam", "Moment" , labeldirections = horizontal, vertical , labelfont
= Calibri , titlefont = Calibri, 16, bold , background = ColorTools:-Color "RGB", 218 / 255, 223
/ 255, 225 / 255 , axis = gridlines = color = ColorTools:-Color "RGB", 1, 1, 1
 Moment

70

60

50
Moment

40

30

20

10

0
0 5 10 15 20
Distance along beam
Shear Distribution

> plot shear, x = 0 ..L, size = 1000, 400 , axesfont = Calibri , title = "Shear", labels
= "Distance along beam", "Shear" , labeldirections = horizontal, vertical , labelfont = Calibri ,
titlefont = Calibri, 16, bold , background = ColorTools:-Color "RGB", 218 / 255, 223 / 255, 225
/ 255 , axis = gridlines = color = ColorTools:-Color "RGB", 1, 1, 1
 Shear
40

30
Shear

20

10

0
5 10 15 20
Distance along beam

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