Experiment Code - J

Solid Mechanics Lab

Shashank R - ME16B164
Shubham Jain- ME16B165
 Deflection of Beams
Objective:-

To study the deflection of a simply supported beam and

compare the experimental values of deflection with the theoretical
values

Theory:-

A beam is a structural member which carry transverse load. When

transverse loads are applied to a beam, in general there will be both
bending moment and shear force acting on each cross section of the
beam. Both of these contribute to the deflection of the beam.

The thickness of the beam is very small compared to other

dimensions. So the effect of shear force is usually neglected. For a
simply supported beam subjected to a load of P at the centre, the
deflection at the centre is given by-

Ymax =PL3/48EI

P=Applied load
L=Length of beam
E=Modulus of elasticity
I= Second moment of inertia
Deflection at any point of a simply supported beam with the
arbitrary position can be calculated using the formula.

Y=Pbx(L2-b2-x2)/6LEI (0≤x≤a)
Y=Pbx(L2-b2-x2)/6LEI + P(x-a)3/6EL (a≤x≤L)
Experimental Setup :-

A central load in applied on a rectangular beam which is

supported at both ends. A displacement sensor it attached at the
centre. Two dial gauge are kept at L/4 and 3L/4 to measure the
displacement at these points.

Experimental setup
 Observation:-

Deflection at point of Application:

Sl.No Deflection at point of application of load

Loading Unloading Avg
div mm div mm mm
1 50.34 0.37 50.4 0.43 0.4
2 50.62 0.65 50.65 0.68 0.665
3 50.96 0.99 51.3 1.33 1.16
4 51.3 1.33 51.85 1.88 1.605
5 52.07 2.1 52.07 2.1 2.1

Deflection at L/4 and 3L/4:

sl.No Load applied Deflection at L/4 Deflection at 3L/4
gm N Loading Unloading Avg Loading Unloading Avg
div mm div mm mm div mm div mm mm
1 0.54 21 0.21 22 0.22 0.215 35 0.35 45 0.45 0.4
2 1 43 0.43 43 0.43 0.43 58 0.58 67 0.67 0.625
3 1.57 68 0.68 71 0.71 0.695 88 0.88 90 0.9 0.89
4 2 83 0.83 89 0.89 0.86 106 1.06 110 1.1 1.08
5 2.5 105 1.05 105 1.05 1.05 128 1.28 128 1.28 1.28
At L/2
Experimental deflection Theoretical deflection % error
(mm) (mm)
0.4 0.3248 18.8
0.625 0.6175 1.2
0.89 0.9794 10.04
1.08 1.235 14.35
1.28 1.53 19.53
Graph for midpoint loading

2.5

1.5

Column J
Column K
1

0.5

0
0 0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5 3

Graph for loading at L/4

1.2

0.8

0.6 Column H
Column M

0.4

0.2

0
0 0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5 3
Graph for loading at 3L/4

1.4

1.2

0.8
Column M
0.6 Column N

0.4

0.2

0
0 0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5 3

Discussion:-

1. Can you verify the validity of the formulae shown in Eq.(1) and
(2)? Determine the percentage of deviation of the experimental
results with theory. Tabulate your results.

Refer to the table with experimental and theoretical values with

deviation%

2. Does the overhang in the beam affect the deflection measured?

No the overhang does not affect the deflection of the beam because
no force is applied on the overhang i.e. if we do not consider the self-
weight.

3. Among aluminium or mild steel specimen of same geometric

dimensions which will deflect more?
Aluminium deflects more than steel because it has less modulus of
elasticity (69GPa) than steel (200GPa)

4. Does moment of inertia affect the deflection?

Yes, moment of inertia affects the deflection i.e. it is inversely

proportional to the deflection of the beam.

5. Does self-weight of the beam play a role on the deflection? How

will you modify the procedure to account for this in the
experiment?

Yes the self-weight affects the deflection of the beam negligibly. The
effective load acting on the beam acts at the mid-point of the beam
which is external load and self-weight. The load due to self-weight
can be calculated by measuring the deflection without any external
load.

6. Is the deflection symmetric when the load is placed at the

centre?

Yes the deflection is symmetric when load is applied at the centre.

Existence of shear stress in Beams

Objective:-

To demonstrate the existence of shear stress in a beam subjected

to three-point bending

Theory:-

The famous flexure formula for predicting the bending behavior of

a slender member is developed with the premise that the bending
moment acting on the beam does not vary along the length of the
member. When the bending moment varies along the length of the
member as in the case of three-point bending, cantilever with end
load etc., shear stresses are developed to keep the beam in
equilibrium.

Observation:-

We applied a load at the centre of the Plexiglass strips which

were placed one above the other . Then we put 4 brass pins in
between the strips to make the 4 strips behave as one and applied
the same load. The amount of deflection in the second case was
much less that the first one. This is because of the development of
shear force in between the two strips .

Discussion:-

1. What you identify from the observations you have made in the
experiments?

When a beam is loaded we are also inducing the shear stress in

between the layers of beam. Acting in between the layers of beam
 can be resolved into upward and horizontal component. Upward
component of that force (when the beam got bend) will try to
reduce the vertical displacement.

For unpinned strips:

The thickness is very small. The applied force causes a large
deformation. If friction between the strips is neglected than each
strip has same deformation and taking the same load ‘P’. Thus we
cannot use above formulas

For pinned strips:

The relative slipping of strips on one another is eradicated by the
bending stress at respective pins.
L eff = l/2. And ‘I’ (moment of inertia) increased so displacement
should decrease compare to previous one.
2.Could you identify the plane on which shear stresses develop?
Solid beam
Between Horizontal layers (since the displacement is small) and
vertical layers of beam.
For unpinned strips:
Between inclined layers and vertical layers of each strip, but not in
between the strips.
For pinned strips:
Between inclined layers and vertical layers of each strip, but not in
between the strips, and at in the pins (buts pins cause normal
stress in each strip)
3. Instead of 3mm strips if you are given twelve 1 mm strips what
would be the deflection when pins are inserted?

In that case, the shear force would have been reduced to an ever
greater extent because of the increase breaks in the continuity of
 the flow of the shear force. As a consequence, the deflection
would have been greater in case twelve strips of 1mm were used
4. Does the presence of shear stress affect the assumption that
plane sections before and after loading remain plane?

Yes, the presence of shear stress affects the assumption that

“plane sections perpendicular to the neutral axis before
deformation stay plane and perpendicular to the neutral axis after
deformation”.

The shear strain will deform the plane section in the following
manner:

5. In what class of problems is flexure formula exact even in the

presence of shear stress?
In the case of slender cantilever beams the flexure formula is exact
even though shear forces are present .This is because the bending
and shear forces are not coupled