An influence line is a graphical tool that civil engineers may use to determine the effect of

multiple different loads on a single structure. For example, the bridge shown in the
figure is a complex structure that will have many different loading cases. Even if we only
look at the effect of a single truck travelling across the bridge, it is clear that the loads in
all the bridge members will change as the truck moves from one side of the bridge to the
other. The forces in the diagonal elements on the left side of the bridge near point A may
be higher when the truck is on that side. The loads in the arch may be highest when the
truck is near the middle of the bridge near point B.

It would be useful to be able to draw a diagram that shows what the effect of the moving
load (truck) is for a single design element. For example, to design an axial member of the
bridge, we can have a diagram that shows what the axial load on that single member is for
all different possible locations of the truck. Likewise, we could have another diagram that
shows the effect of the location of the truck on the shear force in a specific member. Such
diagrams are called influence lines.
For the simply supported beam shown, construct the influence lines for
the support reactions at A and B and the shearing force and the bending
moment at section n
To draw the influence line, we will assume that there is a single vertical point load on the beam with a magnitude
of 1 and that that point load may be located anywhere along the length of the beam.

Beam Reactions

B 𝑤ℎ𝑒𝑛 𝑥 = 0; 𝑅𝐴 = 1
−𝑅𝐴 𝐿 + 𝑃 𝐿 − 𝑥 = 0
𝑤ℎ𝑒𝑛 𝑥 = 𝐿; 𝑅𝐴 = 0
𝐿−𝑥 𝑥
𝑅𝐴 = =1−
𝐿 𝐿
Influence line for 𝑅𝐴
𝐴′
1

A B
Influence line for 𝑅𝐵

A 𝑤ℎ𝑒𝑛 𝑥 = 0; 𝑅𝐵 =0
𝑅𝐵 𝐿 − 𝑃 𝑥 = 0
𝑤ℎ𝑒𝑛 𝑥 = 𝐿; 𝑅𝐵 = 1
𝑃𝑥) 𝑥
𝑅𝐵 = ;
𝐿 𝐿

𝐵′
1

A B
Shearing force at
section n 𝑛
𝑎 𝑏

When the unit load is on the left side

of the section When the unit load is on the right side of the section

𝒏
𝒏
𝑽𝒏

𝑽𝒏

𝑥 𝑥
𝑉𝑛 = 𝑅𝐴 − 1 = 1 − − 1 = − 𝑥
𝐿 𝐿 𝑉𝑛 = 𝑅𝐴 = 1 −
𝑤ℎ𝑒𝑛 𝑥 = 0; 𝑉𝑛 = 0 𝐿
𝑎 𝑎 𝐿−𝑎 𝑏
𝑤ℎ𝑒𝑛 𝑥 = 𝑎; 𝑉𝑛 = − 𝑤ℎ𝑒𝑛 𝑥 =; 𝑉𝑛 = 1 − = =
𝐿 𝐿 𝐿 𝐿
Influence line for 𝑆ℎ𝑒𝑎𝑟 𝑎𝑡 𝑠𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝑛 𝑤ℎ𝑒𝑛 𝑥 = 𝐿; 𝑉𝑛 =0

𝐴′
𝑵′
1 𝒃
𝑳 𝒏
A 𝒂 B
𝑳 1
𝑵′′
𝐵′
Influence line for moment 𝑎𝑡 𝑠𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝑛
When the unit load is on the left side When the unit load is on the right side of the section
of the section

𝒏 𝑴𝒏
𝑴𝒏

𝑀𝑛 = (𝑎)𝑅𝐴 −1(𝑎 − 𝑥)
𝑥
𝑀𝑛 = 𝑎(1 − ) − (𝑎 − 𝑥) 𝑀𝑛 = (𝑎)𝑅𝐴
𝐿
𝑎𝑥 𝑥
𝑀𝑛 = 𝑎 − − 𝑎 + 𝑥) 𝑀𝑛 = 𝑎(1 − )
𝐿 𝐿
𝑎𝑥
𝑀𝑛 = − +𝑥 𝑎𝑥
𝐿 𝑀𝑛 = 𝑎 −
𝐿
𝑤ℎ𝑒𝑛 𝑥 = 0; 𝑀𝑛 = 0
𝑤ℎ𝑒𝑛 𝑥 = 𝐿; 𝑀𝑛 = 0
𝑎2
𝑤ℎ𝑒𝑛 𝑥 = 𝑎; 𝑀𝑛 = − + 𝑎 𝑎2
𝐿 𝑤ℎ𝑒𝑛 𝑥 = 𝑎; 𝑀𝑛 = 𝑎 −
𝐿
−𝑎2 + 𝑎𝐿 𝑎(𝐿 − 𝑎) 𝑎𝑏
𝑀𝑛 = = = 𝑎𝐿 − 𝑎2 𝑎(𝐿 − 𝑎) 𝑎𝑏
𝐿 𝐿 𝐿 𝑀𝑛 = = =
𝐿 𝐿 𝐿
For the simply supported beam shown, construct the influence lines for
the support reactions at A and B and the shearing force and the bending
moment at C. 𝑩 𝑪 𝑫 𝑬
𝑨

𝟓𝒎 7𝒎 4𝒎 2𝒎
1 𝑘𝑁

𝑥 16 − 𝑥

𝑹𝑩 𝑹𝑫

𝟏𝟔
D 𝟏𝟏
𝟏
𝑨 𝑩 𝑪 𝑫 𝑬
−𝟐
16 − 𝑥 𝟏𝟏
𝑅𝐵 =
11
𝟏𝟑
𝟏𝟏
𝟏
16 − 𝑥 −𝟓
𝑨 𝑩 𝑪 𝑫 𝑬
𝑅𝐷 = 1 −
11 𝟏𝟏

𝑥−5
𝑅𝐷 =
11
 1 𝑘𝑁

𝑥 16 − 𝑥

𝑹𝑩 𝑹𝑫
1 𝑘𝑁

𝑨 𝑩 𝑪 𝑫 𝑬

𝑹𝑩

𝑤ℎ𝑒𝑛 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑢𝑛𝑖𝑡 𝑙𝑜𝑎𝑑 𝑖𝑠 𝑡𝑜 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑙𝑒𝑓𝑡 𝑜𝑓 𝐶 𝑤ℎ𝑒𝑛 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑢𝑛𝑖𝑡 𝑙𝑜𝑎𝑑 𝑖𝑠 𝑡𝑜 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑟𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡 𝑜𝑓 𝐶

𝑅𝐵 − 1 − 𝑉𝑐 = 0
16 − 𝑥
16 − 𝑥 𝑉𝑐 = 𝑅𝐵 =
𝑉𝑐 = −1 11
11
5−𝑥
𝑉𝐶 = ; 𝑥 < 12
11
 5−𝑥 16 − 𝑥
𝑉𝐶 = ; 𝑥 < 12 𝑉𝑐 = 𝑅𝐵 = ; 𝑥 > 12
11 11

𝟒
𝟓
𝟏𝟏
𝟏𝟏 𝑨 𝑩 𝑪 𝑫 𝑬
−𝟐
𝟏𝟏

−𝟕
𝟏𝟏
 𝒙

𝑹𝑩

𝑤ℎ𝑒𝑛 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑢𝑛𝑖𝑡 𝑙𝑜𝑎𝑑 𝑖𝑠 𝑡𝑜 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑙𝑒𝑓𝑡 𝑜𝑓 𝐶 𝑤ℎ𝑒𝑛 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑢𝑛𝑖𝑡 𝑙𝑜𝑎𝑑 𝑖𝑠 𝑡𝑜 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑟𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡 𝑜𝑓 𝐶

𝑀𝑐 + 1 12 − 𝑥 − 𝑅𝐵 7 = 0 𝑀𝑐 − 𝑅𝐵 7 = 0
16 − 𝑥
16 − 𝑥 𝑀𝐶 = 7
𝑀𝐶 = 7 − (12 − x) 11
11
112 − 7𝑥
𝑀𝐶 = ; 𝑥 > 12
4𝑥 − 20 11
𝑀𝐶 = ; 𝑥 < 12 𝟐𝟖
11 𝟏𝟏

𝑨 𝑩 𝑪 𝑫 𝑬
−𝟏𝟒
−𝟐𝟎
𝟏𝟏
𝟏𝟏
For the double overhanging beam shown, construct the influence lines for
the support reactions at B and C and the shearing force and the bending
moment at section n

𝑩𝒚 𝑪𝒚

Influence line for 𝐵𝑦

2
1

A B C D
1

Influence line for 𝐶𝑦

2
1

A B C D
1
Influence line for 𝑆ℎ𝑒𝑎𝑟 𝑎𝑡 𝑠𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝑛

0.5
1 1

A B C D
1 1
0.5

Influence line for 𝑏𝑒𝑛𝑑𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑚𝑜𝑚𝑒𝑛𝑡 𝑎𝑡 𝑠𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝑛

1
2 2

A B C D

2 2
CE Board May 2007: A beam has a simple span of 6 m. If a unit load
moves along the beam coming from the left end of the beam an using
the influence line, compute the following
a) The ordinate of the influence line at point 4 m from the left
end of the beam for maximum reaction at the left end.
b) The ordinate of the influence line at a point 4 m from the left
end of the beam for maximum shear at 2 m from the left end
c) The ordinate of the influence line at a point 4 m from the left
end of the beam for maximum moment at 2 m from the left
end of the beam.

𝑹𝑨 𝟔𝒎
𝑹𝑩

a) Ordinate of Influence line at a point 4 m from the left end of the

beam for maximum shear at the left end

1
𝒚
A 4𝒎 B

𝑏𝑦 𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑝𝑟𝑜𝑝𝑜𝑟𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛

1 𝑦 1
= ;𝑦 =
6 2 3
b) Ordinate of the Influence line at a point 4 m from the left end of the
beam for maximum 𝑆ℎ𝑒𝑎𝑟at 2 m from the left end

1 𝟐
𝒉= 𝒚
𝟑
A B
2𝒎 4𝒎 1

𝑏𝑦 𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑝𝑟𝑜𝑝𝑜𝑟𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛

2ൗ 𝑦 1
3
= ;𝑦 =
4 2 3
b) Ordinate of the Influence line at a point 4 m from the left end of the
beam for maximum 𝑏𝑒𝑛𝑑𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑚𝑜𝑚𝑒𝑛𝑡 at 2 m from the left end

𝑏𝑦 𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑝𝑟𝑜𝑝𝑜𝑟𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛

𝟒
4Τ3 𝑦 2
= ;𝑦 =
𝟐 4 2 3
4
3 𝒚
A B
2𝒎 4𝒎
For the structure shown, what does the influence line for the vertical
reaction at B look like

Answer (d) Any loads to the right of the hinge at C

will not cause any reaction loads at B.
For the influence line for internal moment at G shown below, what
is the internal moment at point G if a point load of 10 kN is applied
to point C?

the internal moment at G is 4 kN-m/kN when the unit load is

applied at C - so for 10 kN, the internal moment is 40 kN-m.