THE UNIVERSITY OF CALGARY

Department of Civil Engineering

ENCI 461 – Mechanics of Solids and Structures
Fall 2014
Practice Problems – Set 4 – Influence Lines
Problem 1:
Construct the influence line for the vertical reactions at A and at B of the beam in Figure 1.

Figure 1
Problem 2:
Construct the influence line for the shear at section C of the beam in Figure 2.

Figure 2
Problem 3:
Using the influence lines for the reactions at A and at B of the beam in Figure 3, construct the
influence line for the shear at section C of the same beam.

Figure 3
Problem 4:
a) Construct the influence line for the moment at section C of the beam in Figure 3.
b) Using the influence lines for the reactions at A and at B of the beam in Figure 3, construct the
influence line for the moment at section C of the same beam.

ENCI 461 – Fall 2014 – Practice Problems - Set 4 . . . . .Dr. Mamdouh El-Badry. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Page 1-1
Problem 5:
Using the influence line for shear at section C of the beam in Figure 2, determine the maximum
positive shear that can be developed at section C due to a concentrated moving load of 4000 lb
plus a uniform moving load of 2000 lb/ft. Verify your answer using statics.
ANS. VC max  3000  5625  8625 lb
Problem 6:
For the beam in Figure 4, use the Müller-Breslau principle to sketch the influence lines for the
vertical reaction at A, the shear at C, and the moment at C.

Figure 4
Problem 7:
For the beam in Figure 5, use the Müller-Breslau principle to sketch the influence lines for the
vertical reaction at A, the shear at D, and the moment at B.

Figure 5
Problem 8:
For the beam in Figure 6, use the Müller-Breslau principle to sketch the influence lines for the
vertical reaction at A, the shear at D, and the moment at D.

Figure 6
Problem 9:
For the cantilever beam in Figure 7, use the Müller-Breslau principle to sketch the influence lines
for the vertical reaction at A, the shear at B, and the moment at B.

Figure 7
Problem 10:
For the beam in Figure 8, use the Müller-Breslau principle to sketch the influence lines for the
vertical reaction at A, the shear at C, and the moment at C.

Figure 8

ENCI 461 – Fall 2014 – Practice Problems - Set 4 . . . . .Dr. Mamdouh El-Badry. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Page 1-2
Problem 11:
The beam shown in Figure 9 supports a distributed live load of 1.5 kN/m and a single concentrated
load of 8 kN. The dead load is 2 kN/m. Determine:
(a) The maximum positive moment at C.
(b) The maximum positive shear at C.

ANS. M C max    13.0 kN·m

VC max    6.50 kN
Figure 9

Problem 12:
The beam shown in Figure 10 supports a distributed live load of 2 kN/m and a single concentrated
load of 6 kN. The dead load is 4 kN/m. Determine:
(a) The maximum vertical positive reaction at C.
(b) The maximum negative moment at A.

ANS. RC max    48 kN

M A max    54 kN·m
Figure 10

Problem 13:
Where should a single 500-lb live load be placed on the beam shown in Figure 11 to cause the
largest moment at D? Calculate this moment. Assume the support at A is fixed, B is pinned, and C
is a roller.

ANS. M D max  4.0 kip·ft

Figure 11

Problem 14:
Where should the beam ABC shown in Figure 11 be loaded with a 300 lb/ft uniformly distributed
live load so it causes (a) the largest moment at point A, and (b) the largest shear at D? Calculate the
values of the moment and shear. Assume the support at A is fixed, B is pinned, and C is a roller.
ANS. M A max  86.4 kip·ft ; VD max  5.40 kip

ENCI 461 – Fall 2014 – Practice Problems - Set 4 . . . . .Dr. Mamdouh El-Badry. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Page 1-3
Problem 15:
For the simple beam shown in Figure 12, determine the maximum positive shear at section C due
to the series of concentrated (wheel) loads which move from right to left over the beam.

ANS. VC max    5.375 kip.

Figure 12

Problem 16:
For the simple beam shown in Figure 13, determine the maximum moment at section C due to the
series of concentrated (wheel) loads which move from right to left over the beam.

ANS. M C max  57.0 kip·ft.

Figure 13

Problem 17:
For the beam shown in Figure 14, determine the maximum positive shear at section B due to the
wheel loads of the truck moving from right to left.

ANS. VB max    7.5 kip.

Figure 14
Problem 18:
For the beam shown in Figure 15, determine the maximum positive moment at section B due to
the wheel loads of the crane shown moving from left to right.

ANS. M B max    10.8 kN·m.

Figure 15

ENCI 461 – Fall 2014 – Practice Problems - Set 4 . . . . .Dr. Mamdouh El-Badry. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Page 1-4