h a n g e Vi h a n g e Vi

XC e XC e
F- w F- w
PD

PD
er

er
!

!
W

W
O

O
N

N
y

y
section with dimensions shown in the figure. The load
bu

bu
P P
to

to
a a b
k

k
on each girder (during construction) is assumed to L
lic

lic
C

C
w

w
m

m
w w
w

w
o

o
c .c
c ube k.
- t r a c9.5 kN/m, which includes the weight of the girder.
.d o .d o
c u -tr a c k

Determine the maximum bending stress in a h

girder due to this load.
q
5.5-11 The horizontal beam ABC of an oil-well PRoblEm 5.5-12
pump has the cross section shown in the figure. If the
vertical pumping force acting at end C is 9 kips and
if the distance from the line of action of that force to
5.5-13 A fiberglass pipe is lifted by a sling, as
shown in the figure. The outer diameter of the pipe is
point B is 16 ft, what is the maximum bending stress
6.0 in., its thickness is 0.25 in., and its weight den-
in the beam due to the pumping force?
sity is 0.053 lb/in 3. The length of the pipe is L 5 36 ft
and the distance between lifting points is s 5 11 ft .
(a) Determine the maximum bending stress in the
pipe due to its own weight.
(b) Find the spacing s between lift points which
minimizes the bending stress. What is the mini-
mum bending stress?
(c) What spacing s leads to maximum bending
stress? What is that stress?
Gabriel M. Covian/Getty Images

Horizontal beam transfers loads as part of oil well pump

s
C B A 0.875 in. L

PRoblEm 5.5-13

0.625
22 in. 5.5-14 A small dam of height h 5 2.0 m is constructed
in. of vertical wood beams AB of thickness t 5 120 mm,
as shown in the figure. Consider the beams to be sim-
ply supported at the top and bottom.
8.0 in. Determine the maximum bending stress s max in
the beams, assuming that the weight density of water
PRoblEm 5.5-11 is g 5 9.81 kN/m 3.

5.5-12 A railroad tie (or sleeper) is subjected to two

rail loads, each of magnitude P 5 175 kN, acting as
shown in the figure. The reaction q of the ballast is h
assumed to be uniformly distributed over the length
t
of the tie, which has cross-sectional dimensions
b 5 300 mm and h 5 250 mm.
Calculate the maximum bending stress s max in B
the tie due to the loads P, assuming the distance
L 5 1500 mm and the overhang length a 5 500 mm. PRoblEm 5.5-14
522
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 h a n g e Vi h a n g e Vi
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F- w F- w
PD

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er

er
!

!
W

W
O

O
N

N
y

y
5.5-22 A frame ABC travels horizontally with an
bu
250 lb

bu
to

to
k

k
lic

lic
acceleration a0 (see figure). Obtain a formula for the
C

C
w

w
m

m
w w
w

w
o

o
.d o
c u -tr a c k
.c 22.5 lb/ft .d o
c u -tr a c k
.c
maximum stress s max in the vertical arm AB, which
has length L, thickness t, and mass density r.
A B
5.0 ft 3.0 ft
A
t
y
0.617 in.
a0 = acceleration
L
z
C 2.269 in.
B C
PRoblEm 5.5-19

5.5-20 A cantilever beam AB of an isosceles trapezoi-

dal cross section has a length L 5 0.8 m, dimensions PRoblEm 5.5-22
b1 5 80 mm and b2 5 90 mm, and height h 5 110 mm
(see figure). The beam is made of brass weighing
85 kN/m 3. 5.5-23 A beam ABC with an overhang from B to
C supports a uniform load of 200 lb/ft throughout its
(a) Determine the maximum tensile stress s t and
length (see figure). The beam is a channel section with
maximum compressive stress s c due to the
dimensions as shown in the figure. The moment of iner-
beam’s own weight.
tia about the z axis (the neutral axis) equals 8.13 in 4.
(b) If the width b1 is doubled, what happens to the
stresses? (a) Calculate the maximum tensile stress s t and
(c) If the height h is doubled, what happens to the maximum compressive stress sc due to the
stresses? uniform load.
(b) Find the required span length a that results in
q the ratio of larger to smaller compressive stress
b1
being equal to the ratio of larger to smaller ten-
C
h sile stress for the beam. Assume that the total
L length L 5 a 1 b 5 18 ft remains unchanged.
b2
PRoblEm 5.5-20 q = 200 lb/ft

5.5-21 A cantilever beam, a C12 3 30 section, is

A C
subjected to its own weight and a point load at B. B
Find the maximum permissible value of load P at B
(kips) if the allowable stress in tension and compres-
sion is s a 5 18 ksi. a = 12 ft b = 6 ft
P
q = 30 lb/ft
x y
0.787 in.
A B z
x
9 ft C 2.613 in.

y PRoblEm 5.5-23
12 in.
z
o
5.5-24 A cantilever beam AB with a rectangular
0.51 in. 3.17 in. cross section has a longitudinal hole drilled through-
0.501 in.
out its length (see figure). The beam supports a load
Section x-x P 5 600 N . The cross section is 25 mm wide and
PRoblEm 5.5-21 50 mm high, and the hole has a diameter of 10 mm.
524
Copyright 2018 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be copied, scanned, or duplicated, in whole or in part. WCN 02-200-203
 h a n g e Vi h a n g e Vi
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F- w F- w
PD

PD
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!

!
W

W
O

O
N

N
y

y
recalculate S, taking into account the weight of long and that the balks are simply supported with a
bu

bu
to

to
k

k
the beam. Select a new beam if necessary. span of 3.0 m. The allowable bending stress inw the
lic

lic
C

C
w

w
m

m
w
w

w
o

o
.c .c
wood is 15 MPa.
.d o .d o
c u -tr a c k c u -tr a c k
(b) Repeat part (a), but now assume that the design
requires that the W shape must be used in weak (a) If the balks have a square cross section, what is
axis bending (i.e., it must bend about the 2–2 their minimum required width bmin?
(or y) axis of the cross section).
(b) Repeat part (a) if the balk width is 1.5 b and
5.6-7 A simple beam AB is loaded as shown in the the balk depth is b; compare the cross-sectional
figure. areas of the two designs.
(a) Calculate the required section modulus S if 5.6-9 A floor system in a small building consists
s allow 5 18, 000 psi, L 5 32 ft, P 5 2900 lb , of wood planks supported by 2-in. (nominal width)
and q 5 450 lb/ft. Then select a suitable I-beam joists spaced at distance s and measured from cen-
(S shape) from Table F-2(a), Appendix F, and ter to center (see figure). The span length L of each
recalculate S taking into account the weight of joist is 12 ft, the spacing s of the joists is 16 in., and
the beam. Select a new beam size if necessary. the allowable bending stress in the wood is 1250 psi.
(b) What is the maximum load P that can be The uniform floor load is 120 lb/ft 2 , which includes
applied to your final beam selection in part (a)? an allowance for the weight of the floor system itself.
(a) Calculate the required section modulus S for the
joists, and then select a suitable joist size (sur-
q P q faced lumber) from Appendix G, assuming that
each joist may be represented as a simple beam
carrying a uniform load.
A B
(b) What is the maximum floor load that can be
applied to your final beam selection in part (a)?
L L L L
— — — —
4 4 4 4
PRoblEm 5.6-7
Planks

5.6-8 A pontoon bridge (see figure) is constructed

of two longitudinal wood beams, known as balks,
that span between adjacent pontoons and support s
the transverse floor beams, which are called chesses.
For purposes of design, assume that a uniform floor s
L
load of 7.5 kPa acts over the chesses. (This load s
includes an allowance for the weights of the chesses Joists
and balks.) Also, assume that the chesses are 2.5 m
PRoblEms 5.6-9 and 5.6-10

5.6-10 The wood joists supporting a plank floor

Chess (see figure) are 38 mm 3 220 mm in cross sec-
Pontoon tion (actual dimensions) and have a span length of
L 5 4.0 m . The floor load is 5.0 kPa, which includes
the weight of the joists and the floor.
(a) Calculate the maximum permissible spacing s of
the joists if the allowable bending stress is
Balk 14 MPa. (Assume that each joist may be repre-
sented as a simple beam carrying a uniform load.)
(b) If spacing s 5 406 mm, what is the required
depth h of the joist? Assume all other variables
PRoblEm 5.6-8 remain unchanged.
529
Copyright 2018 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be copied, scanned, or duplicated, in whole or in part. WCN 02-200-203
 h a n g e Vi h a n g e Vi
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O

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N
5.7 Nonprismatic Beams
y

y
(b) Repeat part (a) if concentrated load P is applied
bu

bu
to

to
k

k
upward at A and downward uniform load
lic

lic
C

C
w

w
m

m
w
Introductory Problems w
w

w
o

o
.c .c
q ( x ) 5 2 P /L is applied over the entire beam as
.d o .d o
c u -tr a c k c u -tr a c k

5.7-1 A tapered cantilever beam AB of length L has shown in the figure part b. What is the ratio of
square cross sections and supports a concentrated the maximum stress to the stress at the location
load P at the free end (see figure part a). The width of maximum moment?
and height of the beam vary linearly from hA at the
free end to hB at the fixed end.
Determine the distance x from the free end A to the
cross section of maximum bending stress if hB 5 3hA. P = 2.4 kN
B
(a) What is the magnitude s max of the maximum Wind A
bending stress? What is the ratio of the maxi- load
mum stress to the largest stress B at the support? x
(b) Repeat part (a) if load P is now applied as a uni- L = 8.0 m
form load of intensity q 5 P /L over the entire
t = 10.0 mm
beam, A is restrained by a roller support, and
B is a sliding support (see figure part b).

q = P/L dA = 90 mm dB = 270 mm

B
A
hA A B (a)
hB
x 2P
Sliding q(x) = —
P x L
support
L L
t
B
(a) (b) A
PRoblEm 5.7-1 P
d

5.7-2 A tall signboard is supported by two verti- x

cal beams consisting of thin-walled, tapered circular
L = 8.0 m
tubes (see figure part a). For purposes of this anal-
ysis, each beam may be represented as a cantilever (b)
AB of length L 5 8.0 m subjected to a lateral load
PRoblEm 5.7-2
P 5 2.4 kN at the free end. The tubes have a con-
stant thickness t 5 10.0 mm and average diameters
d A 5 90 mm and d B 5 270 mm at ends A and B, Representative Problems
respectively. 5.7-3 A tapered cantilever beam AB with rectangu-
Because the thickness is small compared to the lar cross sections is subjected to a concentrated load
diameters, the moment of inertia at any cross sec- P 5 50 lb and a couple M 0 5 800 lb-in. acting at the
tion may be obtained from the formula I 5 p d 3t /8 free end (see figure part a). The width b of the beam is
(see Case 22, Appendix E); therefore, the sec- constant and equal to 1.0 in., but the height varies lin-
tion modulus may be obtained from the formula early from hA 5 2.0 in. at the loaded end to hB 5 3.0 in.
S 5 p d 2t /4. at the support.
(a) At what distance x from the free end does the (a) At what distance x from the free end does the
maximum bending stress occur? What is the maximum bending stress s max occur? What is
magnitude s max of the maximum bending the magnitude s max of the maximum bending
stress? What is the ratio of the maximum stress stress? What is the ratio of the maximum stress
to the largest stress s B at the support? to the largest stress s B at the support?
534
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y

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788 Chapter 9 Deflections of Beams
bu

bu
to

to
k

k
lic

lic
C

C
w

w
m

m
w w
w

w
o

o
.d o .c .d o .c
c u -tr a c k c u -tr a c k

9.1 Introduction
When a beam with a straight longitudinal axis is loaded by lateral forces, the axis
is deformed into a curve, called the deflection curve of the beam. In Chapter 5,
the curvature of the bent beam was used to find the normal strains and stresses
in the beam. However, a method for finding the deflection curve itself was not
presented. In this chapter, the equation of the deflection curve and also deflec-
tions at specific points along the axis of the beam will be determined.
The calculation of deflections is an important part of structural analysis
and design. For example, finding deflections is an essential ingredient in the
analysis of statically indeterminate structures (Chapter 10). Deflections are
also important in dynamic analyses, as when investigating the vibrations of
aircraft or the response of buildings to earthquakes.
Deflections are sometimes calculated in order to verify that they are within
tolerable limits. For instance, specifications for the design of buildings usu-
ally place upper limits on the deflections. Large deflections in buildings are
unsightly (and even unnerving) and can cause cracks in ceilings and walls. In
the design of machines and aircraft, specifications may limit deflections in
order to prevent undesirable vibrations.

9.2 Differential Equations of the Deflection Curve

Most procedures for finding beam deflections are based on the differential equa-
tions of the deflection curve and their associated relationships. Consequently,
the discussion here begins by deriving the basic equation for the deflection curve
of a beam.
FiguRE 9-1 Consider a cantilever beam with a concentrated load acting upward at
the free end (Fig. 9-1a). Under the action of this load, the axis of the beam
Deflection curve of a cantilever
beam deforms into a curve, as shown in Fig. 9-1b. The reference axes have their ori-
P gin at the fixed end of the beam, with the x axis directed to the right and the
y axis directed upward. The z axis is directed outward from the figure (toward
A B
the viewer).
As in previous discussions of beam bending in Chapter 5, assume that the
(a) x-y plane is a plane of symmetry of the beam, and assume that all loads act in
this plane (the plane of bending).
y The deflection v is the displacement in the y direction of any point on the
v
axis of the beam (Fig. 9-1b). Because the y axis is positive upward, the deflec-
tions are also positive when upward.1
x
A B To obtain the equation of the deflection curve, express the deflection v
as a function of the coordinate x. The deflection v at any point m1 on the
(b) deflection curve is shown in Fig. 9-2a. Point m1 is located at distance x from
the origin (measured along the x axis). A second point m2, located at distance
x 1 dx from the origin, is also shown. The deflection at this second point is
v 1 dv, where dv is the increment in deflection as you move along the curve
from m1 to m2.

1
As mentioned in Section 5.1, the traditional symbols for displacements in the x, y,
and z directions are u, v, and w, respectively. The advantage of this notation is that it
emphasizes the distinction between a coordinate and a displacement.
Copyright 2018 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be copied, scanned, or duplicated, in whole or in part. WCN 02-200-203
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y

y
Section 9.2 Differential Equations of the Deflection Curve 789
bu

bu
to

to
k

k
lic

lic
C

C
w

w
m

m
w w
w

w
o

o
.d o .c .d o .c
c u -tr a c k c u -tr a c k

When the beam is bent, there is not only a deflection at each point along
the axis but also a rotation. The angle of rotation u of the axis of the beam is
the angle between the x axis and the tangent to the deflection curve, as shown
for point m1 in the enlarged view of Fig. 9-2b. For the choice of axes (x posi-
tive to the right and y positive upward), the angle of rotation is positive when
counterclockwise. (Other names for the angle of rotation are angle of inclination
and angle of slope.)
The angle of rotation at point m2 is u 1 du , where du is the increase in angle
as you move from point m1 to point m2. It follows that if you construct lines
normal to the tangents (Figs. 9-2a and b), the angle between these normals is
du. Also, as discussed earlier in Section 5.3, the point of intersection of these
normals is the center of curvature O9 (Fig. 9-2a) and the distance from O9 to the
curve is the radius of curvature r. From Fig. 9-2a, it follows that
r du 5 ds (9-1)
in which du is in radians and ds is the distance along the deflection curve between
points m1 and m2. Therefore, the curvature k (equal to the reciprocal of the radius
of curvature) is given by the equation
1 du
k5 5 (9-2)
r ds
The sign convention for curvature is pictured in Fig. 9-3, which is repeated from
Fig. 5-6 of Section 5.3. Note that curvature is positive when the angle of rotation
increases as you move along the beam in the positive x direction.
The slope of the deflection curve is the first derivative dv/dx of the expres-
sion for the deflection v. In geometric terms, the slope is the increment dv in
the deflection (as you go from point m1 to point m2 in Fig. 9-2) divided by the
increment dx in the distance along the x axis. Since dv and dx are infinitesi-
mally small, the slope dv/dx is equal to the tangent of the angle of rotation u
(Fig. 9-2b). Thus,
dv dv
5 tan u u 5 arctan (9-3a,b)
dx dx

FiguRE 9-2
Deflection curve of a beam
O′

dθ dθ
m2 θ + dθ

ρ
ds
y m1 θ
v m2 v + dv v + dv
m1 ds
x v
A B
x
x dx x dx

(a) (b)
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 h a n g e Vi h a n g e Vi
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F- w F- w
PD

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er

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!
W

W
O

O
N

N
y

y
790 Chapter 9 Deflections of Beams
bu

bu
to

to
k

k
lic

lic
C

C
w

w
m

m
w w
w

w
o

o
.d o .c .d o .c
c u -tr a c k c u -tr a c k

FiguRE 9-3 In a similar manner, the following relationships are obtained:

Sign convention for curvature dx dv
y cos u 5 sinu 5 (9-4a,b)
ds ds
Note that when the x and y axes have the directions shown in Fig. 9-2a, the slope
+ dv/dx is positive when the tangent to the curve slopes upward to the right.
Equations (9-2) through (9-4) are based only upon geometric consider-
Positive ations; therefore, they are valid for beams of any material. Furthermore, there
curvature are no restrictions on the magnitudes of the slopes and deflections.
x
O
(a) Beams with Small Angles of Rotation
The structures encountered in everyday life, such as buildings, automobiles,
y
aircraft, and ships, undergo relatively small changes in shape while in service.
The changes are so small as to be unnoticed by a casual observer. Consequently,
–
the deflection curves of most beams and columns have very small angles of
rotation, very small deflections, and very small curvatures. Under these condi-
Negative tions, some mathematical approximations that greatly simplify beam analysis
curvature can be made.
x Consider, for instance, the deflection curve shown in Fig. 9-2. If the angle
O
(b)
of rotation u is a very small quantity (and hence the deflection curve is nearly
horizontal), the distance ds along the deflection curve is practically the same
as the increment dx along the x axis. This same conclusion can be obtained
directly from Eq. (9-4a). Since cos ≈ 1 when the angle u is small, Eq. (9-4a)
gives
ds < dx (9-5)
With this approximation, the curvature becomes [see Eq. (9-2)]
1 du
k5 5 (9-6)
r dx
Also, since tan u < u when u is small, the following approximation to Eq. (9-3a)
can be made:
dv
u < tanu 5 (9-7)
dx
Thus, if the rotations of a beam are small, assume that the angle of rotation u
and the slope dv/dx are equal. (Note that the angle of rotation must be measured
in radians.)
Take the derivative of u with respect to x in Eq. (9-7) to get

du d 2v
5 (9-8)
dx dx 2
Combine this equation with Eq. (9-6) to obtain a relation between the curvature
of a beam and its deflection:
1 d 2v
k5 5 (9-9)
r dx 2

This equation is valid for a beam of any material, provided the rotations are
small quantities.
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Section 9.2 Differential Equations of the Deflection Curve 791
bu

bu
to

to
k

k
lic

lic
C

C
w

w
m

m
w w
w

w
o

o
.d o .c .d o .c
c u -tr a c k c u -tr a c k

If the material of a beam is linearly elastic and follows Hooke’s law, the
curvature [from Eq. 5-13, Chapter 5] is
1 M
k5 5 (9-10)
r EI
in which M is the bending moment and EI is the flexural rigidity of the beam.
Equation (9-10) shows that a positive bending moment produces positive cur-
vature and a negative bending moment produces negative curvature, as shown
earlier in Fig. 5-10.
Combining Eq. (9-9) with Eq. (9-10) yields the basic differential equation of
the deflection curve of a beam:
d 2v M
5 (9-11)
dx 2 EI
This equation can be integrated in each particular case to find the deflection v, pro- FiguRE 9-4
vided the bending moment M and flexural rigidity EI are known as functions of x. Sign conventions for bending
As a reminder, the sign conventions to be used with the preceding equations moment M, shear force V, and
are repeated here: (1) The x and y axes are positive to the right and upward, intensity q of distributed load
respectively; (2) the deflection v is positive upward; (3) the slope dv/dx and angle +M –M
of rotation u are positive when counterclockwise with respect to the positive
x axis; (4) the curvature k is positive when the beam is bent concave upward;
and (5) the bending moment M is positive when it produces compression in the
upper part of the beam.
+V –V
Additional equations can be obtained from the relations between bending
moment M, shear force V, and intensity q of distributed load. In Chapter 4, the
following equations between M, V, and q [see Eqs. (4-1) and (4-4)] were derived:
dV dM +q –q
5 2q 5V (9-12a,b)
dx dx
The sign conventions for these quantities are shown in Fig. 9-4. Differentiate
Eq. (9-11) with respect to x and then substitute the preceding equations for shear
force and load to obtain additional equations. In so doing, consider two cases:
nonprismatic beams and prismatic beams.

Nonprismatic Beams
In the case of a nonprismatic beam, the flexural rigidity EI is variable; therefore,
Eq. (9-11) is now written in the form

d 2v
EI x 5M (9-13a)
dx 2
where the subscript x is inserted as a reminder that the flexural rigidity may vary
with x. Differentiate both sides of this equation and use Eqs. (9-12a and b) to
obtain

d  d 2v  dM
EI 5 5V (9-13b)
dx  x dx 2  dx

d2  d 2v  dV
 EI x 2 5 5 2q (9-13c)
dx 2 dx  dx
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y

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792 Chapter 9 Deflections of Beams
bu

bu
to

to
k

k
lic

lic
C

C
w

w
m

m
w w
w

w
o

o
.d o .c .d o .c
c u -tr a c k c u -tr a c k

The deflection of a nonprismatic beam can be found by solving (either analyti-

cally or numerically) any one of the three preceding differential equations. The
choice usually depends upon which equation provides the most efficient solution.

Prismatic Beams
In the case of a prismatic beam (constant EI), the differential equations become
d 2v d 3v d 4v
EI 5M EI 5V EI 5 2q (9-14a,b,c)
dx 2 dx 3 dx 4

To simplify the writing of these and other equations, primes are often used to
denote differentiation:
dn d 2n d 3n d 4n
n9 ; n ′′ ; n ′′′ ; n ′′′′ ; (9-15)
dx dx 2 dx 3 dx 4
Using this notation produces the differential equations for a prismatic beam in
the forms:
EIv ′′ 5 M EIv ′′′ 5 V EIv ″″ 5 2q (9-16a,b,c)
Refer to these equations as the bending-moment equation, the shear-force
equation, and the load equation, respectively.
In the next two sections, the preceding equations are used to find deflec-
tions of beams. The general procedure consists of integrating the equations
and then evaluating the constants of integration from boundary and other
conditions pertaining to the beam.
When deriving the differential equations [Eqs. (9-13), (9-14), and (9-16)], it
was assumed that the material followed Hooke’s law and that the slopes of the
deflection curve were very small. Also any shear deformations were assumed to
be negligible; consequently, only the deformations due to pure bending were con-
sidered. All of these assumptions are satisfied by most beams in common use.

Exact Expression for Curvature

If the deflection curve of a beam has large slopes, you cannot use the approxima-
tions given by Eqs. (9-5) and (9-7). Instead, the exact expressions for curvature
and angle of rotation must be used [see Eqs. (9-2) and (9-3b)]. Combine those
expressions to get
1 du d (arctan v ′ ) dx
k5 5 5 (9-17)
r ds dx ds

From Fig. 9-2, note that

ds 2 5 dx 2 1 dv 2 or ds 5 [ dx 2 1 dv 2 ]1/2 (9-18a,b)
Dividing both sides of Eq. (9-18b) by dx gives
1/2
ds   dv  
2
dx 1
5 1 1    5 [1 1 ( v ′ ) 2 ]1/2 or 5 (9-18c,d)
dx   dx   ds [1 1 ( v ′ ) 2 ]1/2
Also, differentiation of the arctangent function (see Appendix C) gives
d v ′′
(arctan v ′ ) 5 (9-18e)
dx 1 1 (v ′ )2
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Section 9.3 Deflections by Integration of the Bending-Moment Equation 793
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.d o .c .d o .c
c u -tr a c k c u -tr a c k

Substitution of expressions Eqs. (9-18d and e) into the equation for curvature
from Eq. (9-17) yields
1 v ′′
k5 5 (9-19)
r [1 1 ( v ′ )2 ]3/2
Comparing this equation with Eq. (9-9), note that the assumption of small rota-
tions is equivalent to disregarding ( v9)2 in comparison to one. Equation (9-19)
should be used for the curvature whenever the slopes are large.2

9.3 Deflections by Integration

of the Bending-Moment Equation
To solve the differential equations of the deflection curve and obtain deflec- FiguRE 9-5
tions of beams, the first equation you will use is the bending-moment equation Boundary conditions at simple
(Eq. 9-16a). Since this equation is of second order, two integrations are required. supports
The first integration produces the slope v9 5 dv / dx, and the second produces
the deflection v.
Begin the analysis by writing the equation (or equations) for the bending A B
moments in the beam. Since statically determinate beams are considered
first in this chapter, obtain the bending moments from free-body diagrams
and equations of equilibrium, using the procedures described in Chapter 4.
In some cases, a single bending-moment expression holds for the entire A B
length of the beam, as illustrated in Examples 9-1 and 9-2. In other cases,
the bending moment changes abruptly at one or more points along the axis
of the beam. Then write separate bending-moment expressions for each vA = 0 vB = 0
region of the beam between points where changes occur, as illustrated in
Example 9-3.
Regardless of the number of bending-moment expressions, the general
procedure for solving the differential equations is as follows. For each region
of the beam, substitute the expression for M into the differential equation FiguRE 9-6
and integrate to obtain the slope v9. Each such integration produces one con- Boundary conditions at a fixed
support
stant of integration. Next, integrate each slope equation to obtain the cor-
responding deflection v. Again, each integration produces a new constant.
Thus, there are two constants of integration for each region of the beam. A B
These constants are evaluated from known conditions pertaining to the
slopes and deflections. The conditions fall into three categories: (1) bound-
ary conditions, (2) continuity conditions, and (3) symmetry conditions. A B
Boundary conditions pertain to the deflections and slopes at the supports of
a beam. For example, at a simple support (either a pin or a roller), the deflec-
tion is zero (Fig. 9-5), and at a fixed support, both the deflection and the slope vA = 0
are zero (Fig. 9-6). Each such boundary condition supplies one equation that v ′A = 0
can be used to evaluate the constants of integration.

2
The basic relationship stating that the curvature of a beam is proportional to the bend-
ing moment (Eq. 9-10) was first obtained by Jacob Bernoulli, although he obtained an
incorrect value for the constant of proportionality. The relationship was used later by
Euler, who solved the differential equation of the deflection curve for both large deflec-
tions (using Eq. 9-19) and small deflections (using Eq. 9-11).
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794 Chapter 9 Deflections of Beams
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bu
to

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k

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lic

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w w
w

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.d o .c .d o .c
c u -tr a c k c u -tr a c k

FiguRE 9-7 Continuity conditions occur at points where the regions of integration meet,
Continuity conditions at point C
such as at point C in the beam of Fig. 9-7. The deflection curve of this beam
is physically continuous at point C; therefore, the deflection at point C as
determined for the left-hand part of the beam must be equal to the deflection
A C B at point C as determined for the right-hand part. Similarly, the slopes found
for each part of the beam must be equal at point C. Each of these continuity
conditions supplies an equation for evaluating the constants of integration.
Symmetry conditions also may be available. For instance, if a simple beam
A B
supports a uniform load throughout its length, the slope of the deflection curve
at the midpoint must be zero. This condition supplies an additional equation,
C as illustrated in Example 9-1.
Each boundary, continuity, and symmetry condition leads to an equation
At point C: (v)AC = (v)CB
containing one or more of the constants of integration. Since the number of
(v′)AC = (v′)CB
independent conditions always matches the number of constants of integration,
you can always solve these equations for the constants. (The boundary and
continuity conditions alone are always sufficient to determine the constants.
Any symmetry conditions provide additional equations, but they are not inde-
pendent of the other equations. The choice of which conditions to use is a
matter of convenience.)
Once the constants are evaluated, they can be substituted back into the
expressions for slopes and deflections, thus yielding the final equations of the
deflection curve. These equations then can be used to obtain the deflections
and angles of rotation at particular points along the axis of the beam.
The preceding method for finding deflections is sometimes called the
method of successive integrations. The following examples illustrate this method
in detail.
Note: Sketches of deflection curves, such as those shown in the following
examples and in Figs. 9-5, 9-6, and 9-7, are greatly exaggerated for clarity.
However, it always should be kept in mind that the actual deflections are very
small quantities.

Example 9-1

Determine the equation of the deflection curve for a simple beam AB supporting a
uniform load of intensity q acting throughout the span of the beam (Fig. 9-8a).
Also, determine the maximum deflection d max at the midpoint of the beam and the
angles of rotation u A and u B at the supports (Fig. 9-8b). Note: The beam has length L
and constant flexural rigidity EI.

Solution:
Use a four-step problem-solving approach.
1. Conceptualize [hypothesize, sketch]: The beam is statically determinate. Begin
by finding reaction RA. The left-hand free-body diagram in Fig. 9-9 is then
used to obtain an expression for internal moment M(x).
Bending moment in the beam: The bending moment at a cross-section a
distance x from the left-hand support is obtained from the free-body diagram

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Section 9.3 Deflections by Integration of the Bending-Moment Equation 795
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.d o .c .d o .c
c u -tr a c k c u -tr a c k

FiguRE 9-8 of Fig. 9-9. Since the reaction at the support is qL/2, the
Example 9-1: Deflections of a simple beam equation for the bending moment is
with a uniform load qL  x qLx qx 2
M5 ( x ) 2 qx   5 2 (9-20)
q 2  2 2 2
2. Categorize [simplify, classify]: Use the expression
A B for internal moment M(x) in the bending-moment
equation [Eq. (9-16a)] to find expressions for slopes and
L deflections for this beam.
(a) Differential equation of the deflection curve: Substitute the
expression for the bending moment (Eq. 9-20) into the
y differential equation (Eq. 9-16a) to obtain
δmax
A B
x qLx qx 2
EIv ′′ 5 2 (9-21)
2 2
θA θB
3. Analyze [evaluate; select relevant equations; carry out
L L mathematical solution]: This equation can now be inte-
— —
2 2 grated to obtain the slope and deflection of the beam.
(b) Slope of the beam: Multiply both sides of the differential
equation by dx to get
FiguRE 9-9
qLx qx 2
Example 9-1: Free-body diagram used in EIv ′′ dx 5 dx 2 dx
determining the bending moment M 2 2
q Integrate each term to obtain
M
qx 2
∫ ∫ ∫
qLx
A EI v ′′dx 5 dx 2 dx
2 2
V
or
qL x
—
2 qLx 2 qx 3
EIv ′ 5 2 1 C1 (a)
4 6
in which C1 is a constant of integration.
To evaluate the constant C1, observe from the symmetry of the beam and its
load that the slope of the deflection curve at mid-span is equal to zero. Thus,
the following symmetry condition applies here:
L
v′ 5 0 when x5
2
This condition may be expressed more succinctly as
 L
v′   5 0
 2

Applying this condition to Eq. (a) gives

qL  L  2 q  L3 qL3
05   2   1 C1 or C1 5 2
4 2 6 2 24

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796 Chapter 9 Deflections of Beams
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k

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lic

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w

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.d o .c .d o .c
c u -tr a c k c u -tr a c k

The equation for the slope of the beam [Eq. (a)] then becomes
qLx 2 qx 3 qL3
EIv9 5 2 2 (b)
4 6 24
or
q
v9 5 2 ( L3 2 6Lx 2 1 4x 3 ) (9-22)
24 EI
As expected, the slope is negative (that is, clockwise) at the left-hand end of the
beam ( x 5 0), positive at the right-hand end ( x 5 L ), and equal to zero at the
midpoint ( x 5 L / 2).
Deflection of the beam: The deflection is obtained by integrating the equation
for the slope. Thus, multiply both sides of Eq. (b) by dx and integrate to obtain
qLx 3 qx 3 qL3 x
EIv 5 2 2 1 C2 (c)
12 24 24
The constant of integration C2 may be evaluated from the condition that the
deflection of the beam at the left-hand support is equal to zero; that is, v 5 0
when x 5 0, or

v (0) 5 0

Applying this condition to Eq. (c) yields C2 5 0 ; hence, the equation for the
deflection curve is
qLx 3 qx 4 qL3 x
EIv 5 2 2 (d)
12 24 24
or
qx
v 52 ( L3 2 2 Lx 2 1 x 3 ) (9-23)
24 EI
This equation gives the deflection at any point along the axis of the beam.
Note that the deflection is zero at both ends of the beam (x 5 0 and x 5 L)
and negative elsewhere (recall that downward deflections are negative).

Maximum deflection: From symmetry, the maximum deflection occurs at the

midpoint of the span (Fig. 9-8b). Thus, set x equal to L/2 in Eq. (9-23) to obtain
 L 5qL4
v  52
 2 384 EI
in which the negative sign means that the deflection is downward (as expected).
Variable d max represents the magnitude of this deflection and is expressed as
 L 5qL4
d max 5 v   5 (9-24)
 2 384 EI
Angles of rotation: The maximum angles of rotation occur at the supports of
the beam. At the left-hand end of the beam, the angle u A, which is a clockwise

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Section 9.3 Deflections by Integration of the Bending-Moment Equation 797
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.d o .c .d o .c
c u -tr a c k c u -tr a c k

angle (Fig. 9-8b), is equal to the negative of the slope v9. Thus, substitute x 5 0
into Eq. (9-22) to find
qL3
u A 5 2v9(0) 5 (9-25)
24 EI
In a similar manner, obtain the angle of rotation u B at the right-hand end of the
beam. Since u B is a counterclockwise angle, it is equal to the slope at the end:
qL3
u B 5 v9( L ) 5 (9-26)
24 EI
4. Finalize [conclude; examine answer—Does it make sense? Are units correct?
How does it compare to similar problem solutions?]: Because the beam and
loading are symmetric about the midpoint, the angles of rotation at the ends
are equal.
This example illustrates the process of setting up and solving the differen-
tial equation of the deflection curve. It also illustrates the process of finding
slopes and deflections at selected points along the axis of a beam.
Note: Now that formulas for the maximum deflection and maximum angles
of rotation have been derived [see Eqs. (9-24), (9-25), and (9-26)], you can eval-
uate those quantities numerically and observe that the deflections and angles
are indeed small, as the theory requires.
Consider a steel beam on simple supports with a span length L 5 6 ft. The
cross section is rectangular with width b 5 3 in. and height h 5 6 in. The inten-
sity of uniform load is q 5 8000 lb/ft, which is relatively large because it pro-
duces a stress in the beam of 24,000 psi. (Thus, the deflections and slopes are
larger than would normally be expected.)
Substitute into Eq. (9-24), and use E 5 30 3 10 6 psi to find that the
maximum deflection is d max 5 0.144 in., which is only 1/500 of the span
length. Also, from Eq. (9-25), the maximum angle of rotation is computed as
u A 5 0.0064 radians, or 0.37 8, which is a very small angle.
Thus, the assumption that the slopes and deflections are small is validated.

Example 9-2

Determine the equation of the deflection curve for a cantilever beam AB subjected
to a uniform load of intensity q (Fig. 9-10a).
Also, determine the angle of rotation u B and the deflection d B at the free end
(Fig. 9-10b). Note: The beam has length L and constant flexural rigidity EI.

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798 Chapter 9 Deflections of Beams
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k

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lic

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w

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.d o .c .d o .c
c u -tr a c k c u -tr a c k

FiguRE 9-10 Solution:

Example 9-2: Deflections of a cantilever Use a four-step problem-solving approach.
beam with a uniform load
1. Conceptualize: The beam is statically determinate. Begin by
q finding reaction force RA and reaction moment M A. The left-
hand free-body diagram in Fig. 9-11 is then used to obtain an
B expression for internal moment M(x).
A
L Bending moment in the beam: The bending moment at distance x
from the fixed support is obtained from the free-body diagram
(a)
of Fig. 9-11. Note that the vertical reaction at the support
y is equal to qL and the moment reaction is equal to qL2 / 2.
Consequently, the expression for the bending moment M is
A B x
qL2 qx 2
M 52 1 qLx 2 (9-27)
δB 2 2
θB 2. Categorize: Use the expression for internal moment M(x) in
(b)
the bending moment equation (Eq. 9-14a) to find expressions
FiguRE 9-11 for slopes and deflections for this beam.
Example 9-2: Free-body diagram used
in determining the bending moment M
Differential equation of the deflection curve: When the preceding
expression for the bending moment is substituted into the differ-
q
ential equation (Eq. 9-16a), the following equation is obtained:
M
qL2 qx 2
A EIv ′′ 5 2 1 qLx 2 (9-28)
qL2 2 2
— V
2 qL
3. Analyze: Now integrate both sides of this equation to obtain
x
the slopes and deflections.
Slope of the beam: The first integration of Eq. (9-28) gives the following equa-
tion for the slope:
qL2 x qLx 2 qx 3
EIv9 5 2 1 2 1 C1 (a)
2 2 6
The constant of integration CI can be found from the boundary condition that
the slope of the beam is zero at the support; which is expressed as

v9(0) 5 0

When this condition is applied to Eq. (a), the result is C1 5 0 . Therefore, Eq. (a)
becomes
qL2 x qLx 2 qx 3
EIv9 5 2 1 2 (b)
2 2 6
and the slope is
qx
v9 5 2 (3L2 2 3Lx 1 x 2 ) (9-29)
6 EI

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Section 9.3 Deflections by Integration of the Bending-Moment Equation 799
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to

to
k

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lic

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w

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.d o .c .d o .c
c u -tr a c k c u -tr a c k

As expected, the slope obtained from this equation is zero at the support
( x 5 0) and negative (i.e., clockwise) throughout the length of the beam.

Deflection of the beam: Integration of the slope equation [Eq. (b)] yields
qL2 x 2 qLx 3 qx 4
EIv 5 2 1 2 1 C2 (c)
4 6 24
The constant C2 is found from the boundary condition that the deflection of
the beam is zero at the support:
v (0) 5 0

When this condition is applied to Eq. (c), the result is C2 5 0 . Therefore, the
equation for the deflection v is
qx 2
v 52 (6L2 2 4Lx 1 x 2 ) (9-30)
24 EI
As expected, the deflection obtained from this equation is zero at the support
( x 5 0) and negative (that is, downward) elsewhere.

Angle of rotation at the free end of the beam: The clockwise angle of rotation
u B at end B of the beam (Fig. 9-10b) is equal to the negative of the slope at that
point. Thus, use Eq. (9-29) to get
qL3
u B 5 2v9( L ) 5 (9-31)
6 EI
This angle is the maximum angle of rotation for the beam.

Deflection at the free end of the beam: Since the deflection d B is downward
(Fig. 9-10b), it is equal to the negative of the deflection obtained from Eq. (9-30):

qL4
d B 5 2v ( L ) 5 (9-32)
8 EI
This deflection is the maximum deflection of the beam.
4. Finalize: Equations (9-29) to (9-32) are listed as Case 1 in Table H-1, Appendix H.

Example 9-3

A simple beam AB supports a concentrated load P acting at distances a and b from

the left-hand and right-hand supports, respectively (Fig. 9-12a).
Determine the equations of the deflection curve, the angles of rotation u A and
u B at the supports, the maximum deflection d max , and the deflection dC at the mid-
point C of the beam (Fig. 9-12b). Note: The beam has length L and constant flexural
rigidity EI.

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800 Chapter 9 Deflections of Beams
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k

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lic

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w

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.d o .c .d o .c
c u -tr a c k c u -tr a c k

FiguRE 9-12 Solution:

Example 9-3: Deflections of a simple beam Use a four-step problem-solving approach.
with a concentrated load
1. Conceptualize: Internal shear V(x) and moment M(x) are
P discontinuous at load point P. Two free-body diagrams
A B are required to obtain moment expressions over the entire
length of the beam (see Figs. 9-13a and b).

Bending moments in the beam: In this example, the bending

a b moments are expressed by two equations—one for each part of
L the beam. Use the free-body diagrams of Fig. 9-13 to arrive at
(a) Pbx
M5 (0 # x # a ) (9-33a)
L
y
Pbx
A θA θB M5 2 P( x 2 a ) (a # x # L ) (9-33b)
C D B x L
δC
2. Categorize:
L δmax Differential equations of the deflection curve: The differential
—
2 equations for the two parts of the beam are obtained by
x1 substituting the bending-moment expressions [Eqs. (9-33a
and b)] into Eq. (9-16a). The results are
(b)
Pbx
EIv ′′ 5 (0 # x # a ) (9-34a)
FiguRE 9-13 L
Example 9-3: Free-body diagrams used in Pbx
determining the bending moments EIv ′′ 5 2 P( x 2 a ) (a # x # L ) (9-34b)
L
A M
3. Analyze:
Slopes and deflections of the beam: The first integrations of
V
x the two differential equations yield the following expres-
Pb
— sions for the slopes:
L x<a
Pbx 2
(a) EIv9 5 1 C1 (0 # x # a ) (a)
2L
P Pbx 2 P( x 2 a )2
a EIv9 5 2 1 C2 (a # x # L ) (b)
A M 2L 2
in which C1 and C2 are constants of integration. A second
V pair of integrations gives the deflections:
x
Pb
— Pbx 3
L x>a EIv 5 1 C1x 1 C3 (0 # x # a ) (c)
6L
(b) Pbx 3 P( x 2 a )3
EIv 5 2 1 C2 x 1 C 4 ( a # x # L ) (d)
6L 6

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Section 9.3 Deflections by Integration of the Bending-Moment Equation 801
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bu
to

to
k

k
lic

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w

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o

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.d o .c .d o .c
c u -tr a c k c u -tr a c k

These equations contain two additional constants of integration, making a

total of four constants to be evaluated.

Constants of integration: The four constants of integration can be found from

the following four conditions:

i. At x 5 a, the slopes v9 for the two parts of the beam are the same.
ii. At x 5 a, the deflections v for the two parts of the beam are the same.
iii. At x 5 0, the deflection v is zero.
iv. At x 5 L, the deflection v is zero.

The first two conditions are continuity conditions based upon the fact that
the axis of the beam is a continuous curve. Conditions (iii) and (iv) are bound-
ary conditions that must be satisfied at the supports.
Condition (i) means that the slopes determined from Eqs. (a) and (b) must
be equal when x 5 a; therefore,
Pba 2 Pba 2
1 C1 5 1 C2 or C1 5 C2
2L 2L
Condition (ii) means that the deflections found from Eqs. (c) and (d) must be
equal when x 5 a; therefore,
Pba 3 Pba 3
1 C1a 1 C3 5 1 C2 a 1 C 4
6L 6L
Inasmuch as C1 5 C2, this equation gives C3 5 C 4.
Next, apply condition (iii) to Eq. (c) and obtain C3 5 0 ; therefore,
C3 5 C 4 5 0 (e)
Finally, apply condition (iv) to Eq. (d) and obtain
PbL2 Pb 3
2 1 C2 L 5 0
6 6
Therefore,
Pb( L2 2 b 2 )
C1 5 C2 5 2 (f)
6L
Equations of the deflection curve: Now substitute the constants of integration
[Eqs. (e) and (f)] into the equations for the deflections [Eqs. (c) and (d)] and
obtain the deflection equations for the two parts of the beam. The resulting
equations, after a slight rearrangement, are
Pbx
v 52 ( L2 2 b 2 2 x 2 ) (0 # x # a ) (9-35a)
6LEI
Pbx P( x 2 a )3
v 52 ( L2 2 b 2 2 x 2 ) 2 (a # x # L ) (9-35b)
6LEI 6 EI

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802 Chapter 9 Deflections of Beams
bu

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to

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k

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lic

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C

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w

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m

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w w
w

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o

o
.d o .c .d o .c
c u -tr a c k c u -tr a c k

The first of these equations gives the deflection curve for the part of the beam
to the left of the load P, and the second gives the deflection curve for the part
of the beam to the right of the load.
The slopes for the two parts of the beam can be found either by substituting
the values of C1 and C2 into Eqs. (a) and (b) or by taking the first derivatives
of the deflection equations [Eqs. (9-35a and b)]. The resulting equations are
Pb
v9 5 2 ( L2 2 b 2 2 3x 2 ) (0 # x # a ) (9-36a)
6LEI
Pb P( x 2 a )2
v9 5 2 ( L2 2 b 2 2 3x 2 ) 2 (a # x # L ) (9-36b)
6LEI 2 EI
The deflection and slope at any point along the axis of the beam can be calcu-
lated from Eqs. (9-35) and (9-36).

PAngles of rotation at the supports: To obtain the angles of rotation u A and u B at

the ends of the beam (Fig. 9-12b), substitute x 5 0 into Eq. (9-36a) and x 5 L
A B
into Eq. (9-36b):
Pb( L2 2 b 2 ) Pab( L 1 b )
u A 5 2v9(0) 5 5 (9-37a)
6LEI 6LEI
a b
Pb(2 L2 2 3bL 1 b 2 ) Pab( L 1 a )
L u B 5 v9( L ) 5 5 (9-37b)
6LEI 6LEI
(a)
FiguRE (9-12b Repeated) Note that the angle u A is clockwise and the angle u B is counter-
y clockwise, as shown in Fig. 9-12b.
A θA C D θB B x The angles of rotation are functions of the position of the load
δC and reach their largest values when the load is located near the
midpoint of the beam. In the case of the angle of rotation u A,
L δmax the maximum value of the angle is
—
2
x1 PL2 3
(u A ) max 5 (9-38)
27 EI
(b)
and occurs when b 5 L / 3 5 0.577 L (or a 5 0.423L). This value of
b is obtained by taking the derivative of u A with respect to b [using
the first of the two expressions for u A in Eq. (9-37a)] and then setting it
equal to zero.

Maximum deflection of the beam: The maximum deflection d max occurs at

point D (Fig. 9-12b) where the deflection curve has a horizontal tangent. If the
load is to the right of the midpoint, that is, if a . b, point D is in the part of the
beam to the left of the load. Locate this point by equating the slope v9 from
Eq. (9-36a) to zero and solving for the distance x, which is now denoted as x1.
In this manner, obtain the following formula for x1:

L2 2 b 2
x1 5 (a $ b) (9-39)
3

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Section 9.3 Deflections by Integration of the Bending-Moment Equation 803
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k

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lic

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w

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m

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w w
w

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o

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.d o .c .d o .c
c u -tr a c k c u -tr a c k

From this equation, note that as the load P moves from the middle of the beam
( b 5 L / 2) to the right-hand end ( b 5 0), the distance x1 varies from L/2 to
L / 3 5 0.577 L. Thus, the maximum deflection occurs at a point very close to
the midpoint of the beam, and this point is always between the midpoint of the
beam and the load.
The maximum deflection d max is found by substituting x1 [from Eq. (9-39)]
into the deflection equation [Eq. (9-35a)] and then inserting a minus sign:
Pb( L2 2 b 2 )3/2
d max 5 2( v ) x5x1 5 (a $ b) (9-40)
9 3 LEI
The minus sign is needed because the maximum deflection is downward
(Fig. 9-12b), whereas the deflection v is positive upward.
The maximum deflection of the beam depends on the position of the load P,
that is, on the distance b. The maximum value of the maximum deflection (the
“max-max” deflection) occurs when b 5 L / 2 and the load is at the midpoint of
the beam. This maximum deflection is equal to PL3 / 48 EI .

Deflection at the midpoint of the beam: The deflection dC at the midpoint C

when the load is acting to the right of the midpoint (Fig. 9-12b) is obtained by
substituting x 5 L / 2 into Eq. (9-35a), as
 L Pb(3L2 2 4b 2 )
dC 5 2v   5 (a $ b) (9-41)
 2 48 EI
4. Finalize: Because the maximum deflection always occurs near the midpoint of
the beam, Eq. (9-41) yields a close approximation to the maximum deflection.
In the most unfavorable case (when b approaches zero), the difference between
the maximum deflection and the deflection at the midpoint is less than 3% of
the maximum deflection, as demonstrated in Problem 9.3-9.

Special case (load at the midpoint of the beam): An important special case occurs
when the load P acts at the midpoint of the beam ( a 5 b 5 L / 2) . Then the follow-
ing results are obtained from Eqs. (9-36a), (9-35a), (9-37), and (9-40), respectively:
P  L
v9 5 2 ( L2 2 4x 2 )  0 # x #  (9-42)
16 EI 2
Px  L
v 52 (3L2 2 4x 2 )  0 # x #  (9-43)
48 EI 2
PL2
uA 5 uB 5 (9-44)
16 EI
PL3
d max 5 dC 5 (9-45)
48 EI
Since the deflection curve is symmetric about the midpoint of the beam, the
equations for v9 and v are given only for the left-hand half of the beam in
Eqs. (9-42) and (9-43). If needed, the equations for the right-hand half can be
obtained from Eqs. (9-36b) and (9-35b) by substituting a 5 b 5 L / 2.

Copyright 2018 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be copied, scanned, or duplicated, in whole or in part. WCN 02-200-203
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804 Chapter 9 Deflections of Beams
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to

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k

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lic

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w

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m

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w w
w

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.d o .c .d o .c
c u -tr a c k c u -tr a c k

9.4 Deflections by Integration of the Shear-Force

and Load Equations
The equations of the deflection curve in terms of the shear force V and the load q
[Eqs. (9-16b and c), respectively] also may be integrated to obtain slopes and deflec-
tions. Since the loads are usually known quantities, whereas the bending moments must
be determined from free-body diagrams and equations of equilibrium, many analysts
prefer to start with the load equation. For this same reason, most computer programs
for finding deflections begin with the load equation and then perform numerical inte-
grations to obtain the shear forces, bending moments, slopes, and deflections.
The procedure for solving either the load equation or the shear-force equa-
tion is similar to that for solving the bending-moment equation, except that
more integrations are required. For instance, with the load equation, four inte-
grations are needed in order to arrive at the deflections. Thus, four constants of
integration are introduced for each load equation that is integrated. As before,
these constants are found from boundary, continuity, and symmetry condi-
tions. However, these conditions now include conditions on the shear forces
and bending moments as well as conditions on the slopes and deflections.
Conditions on the shear forces are equivalent to conditions on the third
derivative (because EIv ′′′ 5 V ). In a similar manner, conditions on the bend-
ing moments are equivalent to conditions on the second derivative (because
EIv ′′ 5 M ). When the shear-force and bending-moment conditions are added
to those for the slopes and deflections, there are always enough independent
conditions to solve for the constants of integration.
The following examples illustrate the techniques of analysis in detail. The
first example begins with the load equation and the second begins with the
shear-force equation.

Example 9-4

Determine the equation of the deflection curve for a cantilever beam AB supporting
a triangularly distributed load of maximum intensity q0 (Fig. 9-14a).
Also, determine the deflection d B and angle of rotation u B at the free end
(Fig. 9-14b). Use the fourth-order differential equation of the deflection curve (the
load equation). Note: The beam has length L and constant flexural rigidity EI.

Solution:
Use a four-step problem-solving approach.
1. Conceptualize: The cantilever beam is statically determinate. Use the load equa-
tion to find the deflection curve of the beam. An expression for load intensity
q(x) can be obtained as shown in Fig. 9-14a.

Differential equation of the deflection curve: The intensity of the distributed

load is given by (see Fig. 9-14a):
q0 ( L 2 x )
q( x ) 5 (9-46)
L

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 h a n g e Vi h a n g e Vi
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Section 9.4 Deflections by Integration of the Shear-Force and Load Equations 805
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w w
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.d o .c .d o .c
c u -tr a c k c u -tr a c k

2. Categorize: Consequently, the fourth-order differential equa-

tion [Eq. (9-16c)] becomes

q0 ( L2x )
EIv -9 5 2q ( x ) 5 2 (a)
L
3. Analyze:
Cantilever portion of roof structure (Courtesy of Shear force in the beam: The first integration of Eq. (a) gives
the National Information Service for Earthquake
q0
Engineering EERC, University of California, EIv ′′′ 5 ( L 2 x )2 1 C1 (b)
Berkeley) 2L
The right-hand side of this equation represents the shear
FiguRE 9-14 force V [see Eq. (9-16b)]. Because the shear force is zero at
Example 9-4: Deflections of a cantilever
x 5 L, the boundary condition is:
beam with a triangular load

y v ′′′( L ) 5 0
(L – x)
q0 q0
L Use this condition with Eq. (b), to get C1 5 0 . Therefore,
Eq. (b) simplifies to
x q0
A B EIv ′′′ 5 ( L 2 x )2 (c)
x L–x 2L
L
and the shear force in the beam is
(a)
q0
y V 5 EIv ′′′ 5 ( L 2 x )2 (9-47)
2L
A B
x Bending moment in the beam: Integrate a second time to
δB obtain the following equation from Eq. (c):
θB q0
(b)
EIv ′′ 5 2 ( L 2 x )3 1 C2 (d)
6L
This equation is equal to the bending moment M [see Eq. (9-16a)]. The
bending moment is zero at the free end of the beam, so the boundary
condition is

v ′′( L ) 5 0
Apply this condition to Eq. (d) to obtain C2 5 0 , so the bending moment is

q0
M 5 EIv ′′ 5 2 ( L 2 x )3 (9-48)
6L

Slope and deflection of the beam: The third and fourth integrations yield

q0
EIv9 5 ( L 2 x ) 4 1 C3 (e)
24L
q0
EIv 5 2 ( L 2 x )5 1 C 3 x 1 C 4 (f)
120 L

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 h a n g e Vi h a n g e Vi
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806 Chapter 9 Deflections of Beams
bu

bu
to

to
k

k
lic

lic
C

C
w

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m

m
w w
w

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o

o
.d o .c .d o .c
c u -tr a c k c u -tr a c k

The boundary conditions at the fixed support, where both the slope and
deflection are equal to zero, are
v9(0) 5 0 v (0) 5 0
Apply these conditions to Eqs. (e) and (f), respectively, to find
q0 L3 q0 L4
C3 5 2 C4 5
24 120
Substitute these expressions for the constants into Eqs. (e) and (f) to obtain the
equations for the slope and deflection of the beam:
q0 x
v9 5 2 (4L3 2 6L2 x 1 4Lx 2 2 x 3 ) (9-49)
24LEI
q0 x 2
v 52 (10 L3 2 10 L2 x 1 5Lx 2 2 x 3 ) (9-50)
120 LEI
Angle of rotation and deflection at the free end of the beam: The angle of rota-
tion u B and deflection d B at the free end of the beam (Fig. 9-14b) are obtained
from Eqs. (9-49) and (9-50), respectively, by substituting x 5 L. The results are

q0 L3 q0 L4
u B 5 2v9( L ) 5 d B 5 2v ( L ) 5 (9-51a,b)
24 EI 30 EI
4. Finalize: The required slopes and deflections of the beam were found by solving
the fourth-order differential equation of the deflection curve. This was shown
to be an efficient approach for use with the linearly varying distributed load.

Example 9-5

A simple beam AB with an overhang BC supports a concentrated load P at the end of

the overhang (Fig. 9-15a). The main span of the beam has length L and the overhang
has length L/2.
Determine the equations of the deflection curve and the deflection dC at the end of
the overhang (Fig. 9-15b). Use the third-order differential equation of the deflection
curve (the shear-force equation). Note: The beam has constant flexural rigidity EI.

FiguRE 9-15
P y
Example 9-5:
Deflections of a A B C B
A C
beam with an x
overhang δC
L
L —
P 3P 2
— —
2 2
(a) (b)

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