TRIBHUVAN UNIVERSITY

INSTITUTE OF ENGINEERING
THAPATHALI CAMPUS

Lab report on: Horizontal and vertical deflection of a quarter circular beam

Submitted By:- Submitted To:-

Department of Mechanical
THA076BME014 - THA076BME018
Engineering
1. Objective
To analyze the variation in experimental and theoretical deflection both (horizontal and
Vertical) of a quarter circular beam.

2. Apparatus
i. Curved Bar Apparatus
ii. Weight
iii. Quarter circular beam apparatus
iv. Dial gauge
v. Vernier Caliper

Figure 1: Quarter Circular Curved Bar Apparatus

3. Summary of Theory:
3.1 Curved bars / deflection of curved bars
A body whose geometric shape is formed by the motion in space of a plane figure is
called the cross section of the curved beam); its center of gravity always follows a certain
curve (the axis), and the plane of the figure is normal to the curve. A distinction is made
between curved beams with constant cross section (for example, the link of a chain
composed of oval or circular rings) and with variable cross section (for example, the hook
of a crane) and between plane beams (with a plane axis) and three-dimensional beams
(with a three-dimensional axis). A special variety of curved beam is the naturally twisted
curved beam, whose plane cross-sectional figure moves along its axis and simultaneously
rotates around a tangent to the axis (for example, the blade of an aircraft propeller or
fan). 19 The design of a plane curved beam (Figure 1) with a symmetrical cross section
(the axis of symmetry lies in the plane of curvature) taking into account the effect of a
load lying in the plane of symmetry consists in the determination of stresses normal to
the cross section according to the formula. 𝜎 = 𝑁 𝐹 + 𝑀𝑦 𝑆𝑧𝜌 where F is the area of the
cross section, N is the
longitudinal force, M is the bending moment in the cross section defined with respect to
the axis Z0 passing through the center of gravity of the cross section (C), y is the distance
from the fiber being examined to the neutral axis z, p is the radius of curvature of the
fiber being examined, and Sz = Fy0 is the static moment of the cross-sectional area with
respect to the axis z. The displacement Y0 of the neutral axis relative to the center of
curvature of the curved beam is always directed toward the center of curvature of the
curved beam and is usually determined from special tables. For a circular cross section,
Y0 ≈ d2/16R; for a rectangular cross section, Y ≈ h2/12R (R is the radius of curvature of
the axis of the curved beam; d and h are the diameter and height of the cross section of
the beam, respectively). Normal stresses in a curved beam have their maximum values
(in absolute magnitudes) near the concave edge of a beam and vary in the cross section
according to a hyperbolic law. For small curvatures (R > 5h) the determination of normal
stresses can be made in the same way as for a straight beam.
 Figure 2: Deflection of curved bars

3.2 Castigliano’s Theorem

Determining the deflection of beams typically requires repeated integration of singularity
functions. Castigliano’s Theorem lets us use strain energies at the locations of forces to
20 determine the deflections. The Theorem also allows for the determining of deflections
for objects with changing cross-sectional areas. Whenever a load is applied to a spring it
will show some deflection. This deflection is directly related to the force applied on the
spring to produce that deflection. The force deflection relationship is most conveniently
obtained using Castigliano's theorem. Which is stated as
“When forces act on elastic systems subject to small displacements, the displacement
corresponding to any force collinear with the force is equal to the partial derivative to
the total strain energy with respect to that force.”
And It is given as
𝛿 = 𝜕𝑈/𝜕𝑃
In order to derive a necessary formula which governs the behavior of springs, consider a
closed coiled spring subjected to an axial load W.
Let,
W = Axial Load
D = Mean Coil Diameter
d = Diameter of Spring Wire
N = Number of Active Coils
l = Length of Spring Wire = πDN
G = Modulus of Rigidity
∆ = Deflection of spring
Φ = Angle of twist
In 1879, Alberto Castigliano’s an Italian railroad engineer, published a book in which he
outlined a method for determining the displacement / deflection & slope at a point in a
body. This method which referred to Catigliano’s Theorem is applied to the bodies,
having constant temperature & material (homogeneous) with linear elastic behavior.
It states that “The derivative of the strain energy with respect to the applied load gives
the deformation corresponding to that load. For a helical spring, the partial derivative of
the strain energy w.r.t. the applied load gives the deflection in the spring i.e. ∂U / ∂W =
deflection.
Consider a helical compression spring made up of a circular wire and subjected to axial
load W as shown in the figure above.
Strain Energy is given by:
U=½T*Φ (ii)
Whereas,
T=½W*D (iii)
Φ = Tl / JG (Iv)
(From Torsion formula) putting the values from eqs. # (i), (iii) & (iv) in eq. # (ii) and
simplifying, we get;
T= 4 W2D 3N / d4G (v)
Now applying the Castigliano’s theorem by taking the partial derivative of the strain
energy with respect to the applied load
∂U / ∂W = ∆ = 8 WD3N / d4G (v)
W / ∆ = d4G / 8 D3N

3.3 Derivation of the Castigliano’s Theorem

For Quarter Circular Bar the general expression of Castigliano’s theorem is as follows:
𝛿 = ∫ 𝑀/𝐸𝐼 𝑆 0 ∗ 𝑑𝑀 𝑑𝑊 ∗ 𝑑𝑠 => 1 𝐸𝐼 ∗ ∫ 𝑀 𝑆 0 ∗ 𝑑𝑀 𝑑𝑊 ∗ 𝑑𝑠
Where,
M = is the moment induced by the force of loading,
E = is the elastic modulus of the beam material,
I = is the moment of inertia of the beam,
dM/dW = is the change in moment with respect to the force of loading and
ds = is the finite quantity of the beam over which integration is to take place. Because
the modulus = E and the moment of inertia = I am constants, they are factored out of the
integral. The work of deformation, or the moment, can be expressed as the product of
the loading force, P, the radius from the center of curvature of the beam R and the sine
of the angle of curvature.
The moment can be expressed by the following equation:
𝑀 = 𝑃𝑅𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜃
The integrating factor ds of the general Castigliano equation can be expressed as follows:
𝑑𝑠 = 𝑅𝑑𝜃
The partial derivative of the work of deformation with respect to the component of the
force is expressed as a function of the radius of the beam and angle of the deflected
beam. For the vertical deflection, the partial derivative is written as:
𝑑𝑀
( ) = 𝑅𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜃
𝑑𝑊 𝑉
And for the horizontal deflection of a curved beam, the partial derivative is written as:
𝑑𝑀
(𝑑𝑊) = 𝑅 (1 − 𝑐𝑜𝑠𝜃)
𝑉
 Figure 3: Deflection of quarter circular bar
The calculations for the vertical and horizontal deflection of the davit differs lightly from
those of the semicircular beam. The davit consists of a quarter circle curved beam and a
straight leg that connects to the base as seen in Figure 2. This means that the
calculations of deflection must be broken into two parts: one integral for the curved
section of the beam and another for the straight leg of the beam. The integration of the
curved section of the davit is bound by zero and π/2 because it is a quarter -circle and
the integration of the leg is bound by zero at the base of the beam and the length L of
the straight segment of the beam.
To calculate the vertical deflection caused by a force of loading for a davit, the general
equation of Castigliano’s theorem is modified to account for the straight segment of the
beam. Substitute Equations 2, 3 and 4 into the general Castigliano equation and append
an integral that expresses the moment endured by the straight segment.
𝜋
2 𝑙
1
∆𝑉 = ∗ [∫ 𝑃𝑅 sin 𝜃 ∗ 𝑅 sin 𝜃 ∗ 𝑅𝑑𝜃 + ∫ 𝑃𝑅 ∗ 𝑅𝑑𝑦
𝐸𝐼
0 0

Factoring out the constants P and R yields the following expression:

𝜋
2 𝐿
1
∆𝑉 = ∗ [𝑃𝑅3 ∫(𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜃)2 + 𝑃𝑅2 ∫ 𝑑𝑦]
𝐸𝐼
0 0

Integrating with respect to theta and the y direction yields the following expression

1 𝑥
∆𝑉 = ∗ [𝑃𝑅3 ( ) + 𝑃𝑅 2 𝐿]
𝐸𝐼 𝑦
And can be tidied up a little and the equation for the vertical deflection of the davit can
be written as follows:
[𝜋𝑃𝑅3 ] [𝑃𝑅2 𝐿]
∆𝑉 = +
[4𝐸𝐼] [𝐸𝐼]
But as in this case we are neglecting the length l of the straight segment of the beam
because in our apparatus the beam is tied from the starting section of the quarter
circular beam so L = 0 which will yield us the following final relation
[𝜋𝑃𝑅3 ]
∆𝑉 =
[4𝐸𝐼]
The straight segment of the davit must be accounted for in much the same way as it was
for the vertical deflection in the formulation of the horizontal deflection calculation.
𝜋
2
1
∆𝐻 = ∗ [∫[𝑃𝑅𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜃 + 𝐻𝑅(1 − 𝑐𝑜𝑠𝜃)][𝑅(1 − 𝑐𝑜𝑠𝜃)]𝑅𝑑𝜃
𝐸𝐼
0
𝐿

+ [∫ 𝑃𝑅 + 𝐻(𝑅 + 𝑦][𝑅 + 𝑦]𝑑𝑦

0

Substituting Equations 2, 3 and 5 into the general expression of Castigliano’s theorem

and appending an integral to describe the deflection in the straight segment of the davit
yields the following: Factoring out the constants P and R and letting the dummy variable
H equal zero, previous Equation becomes the following:
𝜋
2
1
∆𝐻 = ∗ [𝑃𝑅3 ∫ 𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜃 − 𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜃𝑐𝑜𝑠𝜃𝑑𝜃 + 𝑃(𝑅2 + 𝑅𝑦)𝑑𝑦
𝐸𝐼
0

Integrating for the curvature and straight segment yields the following expression
𝑃𝑅 3 𝑃𝑅𝐿2
∆𝐻 = 𝐸𝐼 ∗ [ + 𝑃𝑅2𝐿 + ]
2 2

Distributing the modulus of elasticity E and moment of inertia I into this Equation yields
𝑃𝑅3 𝑃𝑅𝐿 𝑃𝑅𝐿2
∆𝐻 = [ ]+ [ ]+ [ ]
2𝐸𝐿 𝐸𝐼 2𝐸𝐼
Tidied up a little further, the equation for the horizontal deflection of a davit can be
written as follows
𝑃𝑅3 𝑃𝑅𝐿
∆𝐻 = [ ]+[ ] [2𝑅 + 𝐿]
2𝐸𝐼 2𝐸𝐼
But as in this case we are neglecting the length l of the straight segment of the beam
because in our apparatus the beam is tied from the starting section of the quarter
circular beam so L = 0 which will yield us the following final relation
𝑃𝑅3
∆𝐻 = [ ]
2𝐸𝐼
4. Procedure:
i. Adjust the quarter circular bar.
ii. Attach two dial gauges for finding vertical as well as horizontal deflection
iii. Load the bar for number of times by an equal amount of 1N each time and note
the corresponding readings from dial gauges attached to the apparatus, for
vertical and horizontal deflection.
iv. Multiply those observations with the least count of the dial gauges and note out
the final deflections

5. Observations & Calculations:

Radius of curved bar = R = 100mm
Thickness of the bar = d = 3.175 mm
Moment of Inertia= I= 3.3 x 10-11 m4
Modulus of Elasticity = E= 207 GN/m2

5.1 Specimen calculations

P=1N
R = 100mm = 0.1m
E = 207 GN/m2
I = 3.3 x 10-11 m4
Δ H = PR3 / 2EI = 1N * (0.1m) ^3 / (2 * 207 * 109 N/m2 * 3.3 x 10-11 m4)
Δ H = 0.0000731 m = 0.0731 mm
Δ V = πPR3 / 4EI = 3.14 * 1N * (0.1m) ^3 / (4 * 207 * 109 N/m2 * 3.3 x 10-11 m4)
Δ V = 0.0001149 m = 0.1149 mm

S.N Load Dial Experimental Theoretical deflection (mm)

W(N) gauge deflection
reading (mm)

H V ∆H ∆v ∆H=wr^3/2ei ∆v=∏wr^3/4ei
1
2
3
4
5
Table 1: Calculation of horizontal and vertical deflection with load

5.2 Graph
On graph I plot the deflection against load for horizontal & on graph II plot the deflection
against vertical deflection for the theoretical & practical results. Draw the best fit straight
lines through the points.

6. Industrial Applications:
i. Chains

ii. Hooks

iii. Loops

Iv. Bridges
7. Comments
i. Vertical Deflection are very high as compared to the horizontal deflections.

ii. The Reason of large vertical deflections is the weight is being applied vertically.

iii. The gravity is also acting in this direction.

iv. Applying a horizontal load will cause deflections in horizontal deflections more prominent