Steve Goddard

Mechanical Principles – Assignment 2

Loaded Beams

1. A beam of length L is simply supported at its ends and carries a central

point load W Show that the deflection y at the center point of the beam
is given by the expression .

WL3
y=
48 EI

w
x
L

2 L
x

2
d2y w  L
EI 2 = M = x − w x − 
dx 2  2

dy wx 2 4 w  L
2 Equation 1
EI = − x −  + C
dx 2 2

3
wx 3 w  L
EIy = −  x −  + Cx + D Equation 2
12 6 2

When x = 0 y=0

0=0–0+0+D

D=0

When x = L y=0 In equation 2

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3
wl 3 w  L
EIy = −  L −  + CL + 0
12 6  2

wL3 wL3
EIy = − + CL + 0
12 48

4wL3 − wL3
EIy = + CL
48
3wL3
EIy = + CL
48

3wL3
CL = −
48

3wL2 wL2
C=− = −
48 16

Now I have values for C I can use this to work out the deflection at the centre of the beam

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3
L
w×   3
2  w  L L   wL L 
2
EIy =  −  −  −  × 
12 6  2 2   16 2 

3
L
w×  
2   wL L 
2
EIy =  
− × 
12  16 2

3
L
w×   3
EIy =  2  − wL
12 32

wL3 wL3
EIy = −
12 × 8 32

wL2 3wL3
EIy = −
96 96

− 2 wL3
EIy =
96

wL3
EIy = −
48

Therefore:

wL3
y=−
48 EI

2. A simply supported beam is 2m long and is loaded as shown below.

Using the principle of Superposition find the deflection under the
central load.
−6
The Second Moment of Area of the beam is 0.266 × 10 m 4 and Young’s
Modulus of Elasticity may be taken as 200GN/m 2

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3000N
600N/m

1m

2m

To find the deflection under the central load:

WL3 5WL4
y=− −
48 EI 384 EI

− 3000 × 8 − 5 × 600 × 16
y= −6
+
48 × 200 × 10 × 0.266 × 10
6
384 × 200 × 10 6 × 0.266 × 10 −6

− 24000 − 48000
y= +
2.533 × 10 6
20.428 × 10 6

y = −9.4 × 10 −3 + −2.34 × 10 3

y = −11.74 × 10 −3

y = −11.74mm

3. A simple cantilever of length 3m carries a uniformly distributed load of

10kN/m together with a concentrated load of 20kN at its free end.
Given that the flexural rigidity of the cantilever is 60 MNm 2 , determine
the slope and deflection at the free end.

Firstly I drew the problem:

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20 kN
EI = 60MNm2
10 kN/m

3m

Determine slope and deflection

d2y x − 10 × 10 3 x 2
EI = M = −ωx + Wx = − 20 × 10 3 x
dx 2 2 2

Integrate this in respect to x

dy − 10 ×10 3 x 3 20 ×10 3 x 2 Equation 1

EI = − +C
dx 6 2

Integrate again in respect to x

Equation 2
− 10 × 10 3 x 4 20 × 10 3 x 3
EIy = − + Cx + D
24 6

 dy 
When x = 3m slope  =0
 dx 
− 10 × 10 x
3 3
20 × 10 3 x 2
0= − +C
6 2

− 10 × 10 333 20 × 10 332
0= − +C
6 2

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0 = −45000 − 90000 + C

0 = −135000 + C

C = 135000 = 135 × 10 3

In equation 2

− 10 × 10 3 x 4 20 × 10 3 x 3
0= − + Cx + D
24 6

− 10 × 10 334 20 × 10 333
0= − + 135000 × 3 + D
24 6

0 = −33750 − 90000 + 405000 + D

0 = 281250 + D

D = −281250 = 281.25 × 10 3

C = 135 × 10 3
So:-
D = −281.25 × 103

Slope at the free end:

dy − 10 × 10 3 x 3 20 × 10 3 x 2
EI = − +C
dx 6 2

Transposes int o :

− 10 × 10 3 x 3 20 × 10 3 x 2
− +C
dy 6 2
=
dx EI

x at the free end = 0

− 10 × 10 3 0 3 20 × 10 3 0 2
− + 135 × 10 3
dy 6 2
=
dx 60 × 10 6

Simplified :

dy 135 × 10 3
= = 2.25 × 10 −3
dx 60 × 10 6

Deflection at the free end

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Remembering that x = 0 at the free end

− 10 × 10 3 x 4 20 × 10 3 x 3
EIy = − + Cx + D
24 6

− 10 × 10 3 0 4 20 × 10 3 0 3
− + 135 × 10 3 × 0 − 281.25 × 10 3
y= 24 6
60 × 10 6

Simplified :

− 281.25 × 10 3
y=
60 × 10 6

y = −4.6875 × 10 −3 = −4.6875 mm

4. The beam below is loaded as shown

Find: 4.1 The deflection at a position 10m from the left end
4.2 The slope at the left end

Take the value of EI as 170MNm 2

10kN 2.5kN/m

R1 R2

8m 8m 4m

Deflection from left end:

To find R1 take moments about R2

( R1 × 20 ) = (10 × 12 ) + ( 2.5 × 8 × 8)

20 R1 = 120 + 160

20 R1 = 280

R1 = 14kN

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d2y 2.5
EI 2
= M = 14 x − 10[ x − 8] − [ x − 8] 2 + 2.5 [ x − 16] 2
dx 2 2

Integrate once
Equation 1
2
dy 14 x 10 2.5
EI = − [ x − 8] −
2
[ x − 8] 3 + 2.5 [ x − 16] 3 + C
dx 2 2 6 6

Integrate again
Equation 2
14 x 3 10 2.5
EIy = − [ x − 8] −
3
[ x − 8] 4 + 2.5 [ x − 16] 4 + Cx + D
6 6 24 24

When x = 0 y=0 because 0= 0-0-0+0+0+D

D=0

When x = 20 y=0

14 × 20 3 10 2 .5
EIy = − [ 20 − 8] −
3
[ 20 − 8] 4 + 2.5 [ 20 − 16] 4 + C × 20 + D
6 6 24 24

0 = 18.666 × 10 3 − (1.66 × 1728 ) − ( 0.104 × 20736 ) + ( 0.104 × 256 ) + 20C + 0

0 = 18.666 × 10 3 − 2868 .48 − 2156 .544 + 26.624 + 20C

0 = 13661 .6 + 20C

C = −683.08

To find the deflection at 10m from the left end:

14 × 10 3 10 2. 5
EIy = − [10 − 8] −
3
[10 − 8] 4 + 2.5 [10 − 16] 4 + ( − 683.03 × 10) + D
6 6 24 24

EIy = 2333.333 − (1.666 × 8) − ( 0.104 × 16 ) + ( 0.104 × 0) + ( − 6830.3)

EIy = 2333.333 − 13.3 − 1.664 − 6830.3

EIy = −4511.964 kN

− 4511 .964 × 10 3
= y ∴ y = 26.54 × 10 −3 m
170 × 10 6

To find the slope using equation 1

dy 14 x 2 10 2.5
EI = − [ x − 8] −
2
[ x − 8] 3 + 2.5 [ x − 16] 3 + C
dx 2 2 6 6

When x = 0

dy dy − 683.08 dy
EI = 0 − 0 − 0 + 0 − 683.08 = ∴ = −4.018 × 10 −3 Rads
dx dx 170 × 10 6
dx

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 Steve Goddard

Bibliography

Lecture Notes

HNC/HND Book – Tooley & Dingle

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