Department of Mechanical, Materials & Manufacturing Engineering

MECH2053 – Mechanics of Solids

Deflection of Beams Laboratory

1. Objectives

To investigate the deflections of various beams and to determine:

1. The shape of the elastic line of a symmetrical and simply-supported beam with a point load applied at its centre
position.

2. The relationship between maximum deflection and distance between the support positions in the symmetrical
and simply-supported beam with a point load applied at its centre position.

3. The shape of the elastic line of a propped cantilever beam.

4. The position and magnitude of the maximum deflection of the propped cantilever beam.

5. To determine the accuracy of theoretical calculations and assess the sources of error arising during the
experiments.

Deflection of Beams Laboratory 1

2. Procedure

Select the aluminium beam and measure its cross-sectional dimensions.

Experiment 1: Simply Supported Beam

a) Set up a simply-supported beam with a span between the supports of 400mm as shown in Figure 1, but with no
load applied.

Dial
gauge

600
!

Simple
supports 200 200
Beam

Mass

Figure 1. Centrally loaded, simply-supported, symmetrical beam.

b) Slide the digital dial gauge to the zero ! position on the beam and, using the ± button, set it so that downward
movement reads negative. Record datum readings (i.e. no load applied) in Table 1 at each of the ! positions along
the beams length indicated.

c) Return the dial gauge to the zero ! position and apply a 500g mass to the centre of the beam span. Now, record
loaded readings in Table 1 at each of the ! positions along the beams length indicated.

d) Work out the deflection, ", at each of the ! positions along the beams length, from the loaded and datum readings
and enter these into the final column of Table 1.

Deflection of Beams Laboratory 2

 Table 1: Results for the Simply Supported Beam Experiment.

Position, # Datum Reading Loaded Reading Deflection, $

(mm) (mm) (mm) (mm)

20

40

60

80

100

150

200

250

300

350

400

450

500

550

600

Deflection of Beams Laboratory 3

Experiment 2: Variable Span Simply-Supported Beam

a) Set up a simply-supported aluminium beam with a span between the supports of 400mm and no load applied. Use
the dial gauge to determine a datum reading at the centre of the span and record this in Table 2.

b) Apply a 500g load at the centre of the support span and record a loaded reading at this position in Table 2.

c) Repeat datum and loading readings for each of the spans indicated in Table 2.

d) Work out the deflections, ", for each of the spans, from the loaded and datum readings and enter these into the
final column of Table 2.

Table 2: Results for the Variable Span Simply-Supported Beam Experiment.

Support span Datum Reading Loaded Reading Deflection, $

(mm) (mm) (mm) (mm)

400

350

300

250

200

Deflection of Beams Laboratory 4

Experiment 3: Propped Cantilever Beam

a) Set up a propped cantilever beam as shown in Figure 2, but with no load applied.

Dial
gauge

500
Fixed !
support

200 200
Beam

Mass
Simple
support

Figure 2. Propped cantilever beam.

b) Slide the digital dial gauge to the zero ! position on the beam. Record datum readings (i.e. no load applied) in
Table 3 at each of the ! positions along the beams length indicated.

c) Return the dial gauge to the zero ! position and apply a 500g mass midway between the fixed end and the simple
support. Now, record loaded readings in Table 3 at each of the ! positions along the beams length indicated.

d) Work out the deflection, ", at each of the ! positions along the beams length, from the loaded and datum readings
and enter these into the final column of Table 3.

Deflection of Beams Laboratory 5

 Table 3: Results for the Propped Cantilever Beam Experiment

Position from Left Datum Reading Loaded Reading Deflection

(mm) (mm) (mm) (mm)

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

400

420

440

460

480

500

Deflection of Beams Laboratory 6

3. After the laboratory

Experiment 1: Simply Supported Beam

(a) From the experimental results, plot a graph of deflection, ", vs position, !, along the full length of the beam.
!"
(b) Use Macaulay’s method to determine theoretical expressions for the slope, !# , and deflection, ", of the beam at
any position, !, along its length.
(c) Use the theoretical expression derived in part (b) to compare predicted values of deflection with the experimental
data plotted in part (a). Assume Young’s Modulus, %$%&'()(&' = 69)*+.
(d) Compare theoretical values for slope at the support and load point positions, using the expression derived in part
(b), with observations from the experimental data.

Experiment 2: Variable Span Simply-Supported Beam

(a) Assume that the sections of beam outside of the support positions can be neglected (give justification for this) and
derive a simplified expression for deflection, ", based on the fact that it is only the centre point ,! = -/20 of the
beam that is considered in this experiment.
(b) Plot a graph of " vs -* using the experimental data, verify a straight-line relationship and use the gradient of this
to verify the value of Young’s Modulus used in Experiment 1.
(c) Use the theoretical expression derived in part (a) to compare predicted values of deflection with the experimental
data.

Experiment 3: Propped Cantilever Beam

(a) From the experimental results, plot a graph of deflection, ", vs position, !, along the full length of the beam.
!"
(b) Use Macaulay’s method to determine theoretical expressions for the slope, !# , and deflection, ", of the beam at
any position, !, along its length.
(c) Use the theoretical expression derived in part (b) to compare predicted values of deflection with the experimental
data plotted in part (a).
(d) Compare theoretical values for slope at the fixed-support, the simple-support and the load point positions with
observations from the experimental data.
(e) Determine the position and magnitude of maximum deflection in the beam.

Deflection of Beams Laboratory 7

4. Report

A report template for this laboratory exercise is available on Moodle. This template shows the structure that should
be used for this report and gives hints on the content of the sections of the report. Other sections given in addition to
those suggested in the template will not be marked.

Deflection of Beams Laboratory 8