ME 323 – Mechanics of Materials

Lectures 20-23: Beams—

Deflections
Lecture Book: Chapter 11
Joshua Pribe
Fall 2019
Objectives for beams
• Two weeks ago (end of Exam 1 material)
• Calculate the internal shear force and bending moment in beams
• Visualize these internal resultants using shear force and bending moment diagrams
• Last week (start of Exam 2 material)
• Calculate the flexural stress distribution due to bending moments
• Calculate the transverse shear stress distribution due to shear forces
• Today and next week
• Calculate deflections and rotations of beams
• Use the deflections to solve statically indeterminate problems
• These are significantly more complex than indeterminate axial loading and torsion problems
• Most of my examples will not be out of the Lecture Book

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Deflections of beams: Overview
Recall the equilibrium equations for the internal shear force and bending moment:
dV dM
= p( x) = V ( x)
dx dx
Lecture Book: Chapter 11, Page 2

In our derivation of the flexural stress,

we also found the moment-curvature equation:
y y
 =− ,  = −E
 
EI
M =


If the beam is long and thin, this equation is accurate

even when the beam is not in pure bending
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Derivation of the governing equation
Goal: relate the moment-curvature equation to the angle of rotation θ and deflection v
As always, assume small rotations 1 M
= Lecture Book: Chapter 11, Page 2
 EI
θ measures the angle of a tangent line to the
deflection curve v(x):
dv
  tan  =
dx
The radius of curvature ρ is also related to v(x):
1 d 2v d 2v
 2  M ( x) = EI 2
 dx dx
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Derivation of the governing equation
Combine with relationships between bending moment, shear force, and distributed load:

d 2v
Moment-curvature: M ( x) = EI 2 Constant cross section
dx and material properties
dM d  d 2v  d 3v
V ( x) = EI 3
= V ( x) =  EI 2 
dx dx  dx  dx

dV d 2  d 2v  d 4v
Load-deflection: = p( x) = 2  EI 2  p ( x) = EI 4
dx dx  dx  dx

Conclusion: we can integrate the moment-curvature equation twice or the load-deflection

equation four times to find the deflection v(x).
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 Fourth- and second-order methods
Fourth-order method Second-order method
Start with the governing equation Cut the beam and use equilibrium to find M(x).
and integrate four times Then, integrate the moment-curvature
equation twice
EIv ''''( x) = p( x)
Integrate
EIv ''( x) = M ( x)
EIv '''( x) = V ( x) Integrate

Integrate EIv '( x) = EI ( x)

EIv ''( x) = M ( x) Integrate
Integrate EIv( x)
EIv '( x) = EI ( x)
Integrate
EIv( x)
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 Example 1: Fourth-order method
Determine the deflection curve.

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 Boundary conditions
BC type Geometric BCs (2nd and 4th order method) Natural BCs (4th order method)

fixed
v=0 none
v' = 0

fixed V =0
rotation
v' = 0
v=0
simple
support
M =0
(pin or
roller) v=0
M =0
free none
V =0
M =0 8
 Boundary conditions (cont.)
BC type Geometric BCs (2nd and 4th order method) Natural BCs (4th order method)

V (0+ ) = + P
P
none
external
at x = 0: M (0) = 0
force
P V ( L− ) = − P
M ( L) = 0
none
at x = L:

none
V (0) = 0
at x = 0:
M (0+ ) = − M 0
M0
external
moment
M0 V ( L) = 0
none
at x = L:
M ( L− ) = + M 0
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 Example 2: Second-order method
Determine the deflection curve. The beam has constant EI.

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 Example 3: Lecture Book, Example 11.4
Determine the deflection curve. The beam has constant EI.

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 Continuity conditions
CC type Geometric CCs (2nd and 4th order method) Natural CCs (4th order method)

v2 = v1 = 0
roller
v '2 = v '1 M1 = M 2

discontinuity in v2 = v1 V2 = V1
load function v '2 = v '1 M 2 = M1

point v2 = v1 V2 = V1 + P0
force v '2 = v '1 M 2 = M1

point v2 = v1 V2 = V1
moment v '2 = v '1 M 2 = M1 − M 0

pin with v2 = v1 V2 = V1 + P0
force M 2 = M1 = 0 12
 Example 4: Lecture Book, Example 11.10
Determine the reactions at A and B and the deflection curve. The beam has constant EI.

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 Example 5
Determine the deflection curve. The beam has constant EI.

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 Example 6
Determine the deflection curve. The beam has constant EI.

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Procedure: nd
2 -order method
1. FBD and equilibrium for the entire beam → equations for reaction forces and moments
2. Divide the beam into segments. Use FBDs and equilibrium to find equations for the
moment M(x) in each segment
3. Write down the moment-curvature equation for each segment: EIv ''( x) = M ( x)
4. Integrate the moment-curvature equation twice → equations for v’(x) and v(x).
Remember to include the constants of integration.
5. Write down the geometric BCs and CCs (i.e. BCs and CCs for v’ and v)
6. Use the BCs and CCs to solve for the constants of integration
1. If the problem is indeterminate, you need the BCs and CCs to solve for the reaction forces and moments
7. Calculate v(x) and v’(x) at any required points (typically maxima, minima, endpoints)

Recommendation: use the 2nd-order method when you have to break the beam into multiple
segments
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Procedure: th
4 -order method
1. FBD of the entire beam (do not need to enforce equilibrium)
2. Split the beam into segments. Write down the load function p(x) in each segment.
1. If there are no distributed loads in a segment, p(x) = 0
3. Write down the load-deflection equation for each segment: EIv ''''( x) = p( x)
4. Integrate load-deflection equation four times → equations for V(x), M(x), v’(x), & v(x).
Remember to include the constants of integration.
5. Write down the natural and geometric BCs and CCs (i.e. BCs and CCs for V, M, v’, & v)
6. Use the BCs and CCs to solve for the constants of integration
1. You can also determine any unknown reaction forces and moments if required
7. Calculate v(x) and v’(x) at any required points (typically maxima, minima, endpoints)

If you are confused about signs, remember: V ( x + ) = V ( x − ) + P, M ( x + ) = M ( x − ) − M 0

(for upward P and CCW M0)
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