MENG IN STRUCTURAL

ENGINEERING

CEE 6211 –P2 INFLUENCE LINES FOR

BEAMS AND TRUSSES
By

Dr M N Mulenga
FEIZ, MASCE, RENG
 Influence Lines
An influence line for any given point or
section of structure is a curve whose
ordinates represent to scale the variation
of a function such as shear force,
bending moment, deflection, etc., at a
point or section, as the unit load moves
across the structure.

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 Influence Line for Determinate
Structures: Simply Supported Beam

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 IL (Cont’d)
IL for reactions at the supports:
Let a unit load wave from the left end A to the right end B of the beam.

As ’x’ increases, Vb increases and Va decreases.

At x=0, Vb=0, Va=1
At x=l, Vb= 1,Va = 0
Thus IL is shown in the figure

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Uses of an Influence Line Diagram
• To determine the value of the quantity for a
given system of loads on the span of the
structure.
• To determine the position of live load for the
quantity to have the maximum value and
hence to compute the maximum value of the
quantity.

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IL for Shear for a SS Girder

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 IL for Shear
Let a unit load moving along the span of a
simply supported girder AB of span l.
Let D be position on a given section.
When the unit load is between A and D,

When the unit load is between D and B,

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 IL for BM at a section

Load between A and D

When x=0, Md = 0
When x= a,

• When the unit load is between D and B,

• When x=a,
• When x=l, Md=0

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IL for BM at D

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Simply Supported Overhanging Beam

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 Example 1
Determine the maximum reaction at support B, the maximum
shear at point C and the maximum positive moment that can be
developed at point C on the beam shown due to:
a) A single concentrated live load of 8000 N
b) A uniform live load of 3000 N/m
c) A beam weight (dead load) of 1000 N/m

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Example 1

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Example 1

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IL for Mc

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 Müller Breslau Principle for Qualitative IL
The principle objectives:
1. Drawing qualitative influence lines
2. Understand the behaviour of the beam under rolling loads
3. Construction of influence line when the beam is loaded with
uniformly distributed load having shorter or longer length
than the span of the beam.

In 1886, Heinrich Müller Breslau proposed a technique to draw

influence lines quickly. The Müller Breslau Principle states that:
the ordinate value of an influence line for any function on any
structure is proportional to the ordinates of the deflected shape
that is obtained by removing the restraint corresponding to the
function from the structure and introducing a force that causes
a unit displacement in the positive direction.
Let us say, our objective is to obtain the influence line for the
support reaction at A for the beam shown in Figure 1.
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 ILs
Let us say, our objective is to obtain the influence line for the
support reaction at A for the beam shown in Figure 1.

Figure 1: Simply supported beam

First of all remove the support corresponding to the reaction

and apply a force (Figure 1) in the positive direction that will
cause a unit displacement in the direction of RA. The resulting
deflected shape will be proportional to the true influence line
(Figure 2) for the support reaction at A.

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ILs

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 ILs
• The deflected shape due to a unit
displacement at A is shown in Figure 2 and
matches with the actual influence line shape
as shown in Figure 3. Note that the deflected
shape is linear, i.e., the beam rotates as a rigid
body without any curvature. This is true only
for statically determinate systems.

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 Overhanging Beam
Here we are interested to draw the qualitative influence line
for shear at section C of overhang beam as shown in Figure 4.
Figure 4: Overhanging beam

As discussed earlier, introduce a roller at section C so that it

gives freedom to the beam in vertical direction as shown in
Figure 5.

Figure 5: Deflected shape of beam

Now apply a force in the positive direction that will cause a
unit displacement in the direction of VC. The resultant
deflected shape is shown in Figure 5. Again, note that the
deflected shape is linear. Figure 6 shows the actual influence,
which matches with the qualitative influence.
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IL for Shear at C

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Qualitative IL for Moment at C

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 Maximum Shear in beam supporting UDL
If UDL is rolling on the beam from one end to other
end, then there are two possibilities. Either
Uniformly distributed load is longer than the span
or uniformly distributed load is shorter than the
span.
Depending upon the length of the load and span,
the maximum shear in beam supporting UDL will
change. Following section will discuss these two
cases. It should be noted that for maximum values
of shear, maximum areas should be loaded.

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 UDL longer than the span
Let us assume that the simply supported beam
as shown in Figure 10 is loaded with UDL of w
moving from left to right where the length of
the load is longer than the span. The influence
lines for reactions RA, RB and shear at section C
located at x from support A will be as shown in
Figures 11, 12 and 13, respectively. UDL of
intensity w per unit length for the shear at
supports A and B will be given by:

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Max Negative Shear

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RA and RB

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• Suppose we are interested to know shear at
given section at C. As shown in Figure 13,
maximum negative shear can be achieved
when the head of the load is at the section C.
And maximum positive shear can be obtained
when the tail of the load is at the section C.
As discussed earlier the shear force is
computed by intensity of the load multiplied
by the area of influence line diagram covered
by load.
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Maximum Positive and Negative Shear
• Hence, maximum negative shear is given by:

• Maximum positive shear is given by:

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 Influence Lines for Statically
Indeterminate Beams
• Comparison Between Indeterminate and
Determinate
• Influence line for Statically
Indeterminate Beams
• Qualitative Influence Lines for Frames

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Influence Lines for Statically
Indeterminate Beams

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 IL for Trusses
The maximum design force in a member of a
structure subjected to a system of stationary
loads is completely determined. However, a
member such as bridge girder or a crane gantry
girder are subjected to moving loads, and the
maximum design force in such members
depends on the location of the load. The
determination of the location of the moving
load that produces the maximum design force in
a member is reached by using Influence Lines.

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IL for Trusses

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 IL for Trusses
As moving loads traverse a pin jointed truss, the
loads are transferred to the truss panel nodes by a
system of stringers and cross beams. The moving
load is transferred from one panel point to the next
as the load moves across the stringer. Hence, the
influence line for axial force in a member is
completed by connecting the influence line
ordinates at the panel points on either side of a
panel with a straight line.
All the methods used for computing stresses
induced by the fixed loads may be employed for the
construction of the Influence Line.

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 IL for Trusses
Example
Construct the influence lines for the forces in
the members which are marked O4, U4, D3, V2,
D6 and D7.

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Truss and Sections through truss

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 IL
• When the unit load is at the right hand side of joint 4, it
is more convenient to consider the equilibrium of the
left hand part of the truss as free body diagram (Fig.
2a).
• Free body diagram is the part of the truss into
consideration with depicted external loads and
introduced unknown member forces. This part is acted
upon solely by the support reaction A. Placing the
origin of moments at point 4 and equating to zero ΣM
of all forces acting to the left of section I-I. we obtain:
ΣM4 =0

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Member O4

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Other Members

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ILs

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IL for U4

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IL for D3

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 IL for V2
• Pass a section II-II across three bars, and the
section cut passes the road in panel 2-4.
• The direction of member force V2 for the left
hand portion of the truss is opposite to the
positive shear force. Thus, the force V2 equals
to –Q2-4 (Fig. 3f,g).

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 IL for D6
• Pass section cut III-III in panel 4-6 (Fig. 2). The origin of
moments for D6 is the intersection of both the chords,
namely joint 9. When the moving load is to the right of
joint 6, use the equilibrium of the left hand portion of
the truss:
• When the load is to the left of joint 4. the force D6 can
be obtained by the equilibrium equation relative to the
right hand portion of the truss:
• Both the lines between points 0-4 and 6-8 of the
influence line intersect each other below the origin of
moments (below point 9) (Fig. 3h). The part of
influence line between joints 4 and 6 will be obtained
by connecting the values at these points.

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IL for D6

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 IL for Auxilliary Systems
• The auxiliary systems remain idle as long as the unit
load is outside of the panel which they reinforce. The
axial forces of auxiliary members are nonzero only
when the load is within the limits of that panel.
• Thus, the influence lines for the members being a part
of auxiliary systems are always triangular with nonzero
value at the intermediate joint of the panel and zero
value at the joints of the main truss.
• The influence lines for members of auxiliary systems
will be obtained by using the method of joints for the
considered isolated auxiliary truss.

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 Influence lines for members D3, U4,
O4 and V2
• All of these members belong to the auxiliary truss
in panel 2-4 (Fig. 4). The member forces of this
truss are zero when the unit load is in joint 2 and
4, and the members are loaded only when the
unit load is in joint 3. Using the method of joints
when the unit load is in joint 3 all force members
will be derived. After that the influence lines for
every member can be constructed (Fig. 4).
• Likewise the influence lines for the other auxiliary
members D6 and D7 are derived and depicted in
Fig. 4.

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IL for D7

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 IL for Members of Original Truss
The influence lines for the members belonging
simultaneously to the main truss and to the
auxiliary systems should be obtained by the
summation of influence lines pertaining to the
main and auxiliary trusses (which have been
already constructed separately). These influence
lines are presented in Fig. 5.

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IL for members of original truss

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 KINEMATIC METHOD OF IL
Basic concepts
• The kinematic method of influence line
construction for any given function is
based on the most general principles of
theoretical mechanics – the principle of
virtual displacements.
• In accordance with this principle, the total
work performed by any given system of
forces along virtual displacements of a
body in equilibrium must be zero.
• The virtual displacements are infinitely
small. In that respect, when a plate rotates
an angle dφ about point O, point A of a
plate located on a distance r from point A
shifts to A2 along a circular arc (Fig. 6).
Since the angle dφ is very small, we may
assume that point A moves along the
tangent of the arc, neglecting distance A1-
A2 (A1-A2≈0). For the same reason tan
dφ≈dφ or A-A1=r·dφ.

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Three pinned connected plates
• Consider three pin-connected plates
simply supported to the ground (Fig. 7).
The problem is to find the influence line
for member force in plate 3 (plate 3 is
unloaded; the internal forces are
represented by axial force only). In
accordance with the kinematic method we
should remove the constraint representing
the required force. In that respect the
plate 3 is replaced by its axial force X. The
system is instantaneously unstable
(mechanism). Plate 1 is fixed at point (1),
which is a main pole for this plate likewise
plate 2 can be rotated about point (2).
Plates 1 and 2 can rotate one another
about their relative poles (1,2). The unit
load is represented by force F. Let us
assume that the virtual rotation of plate 1
is φ1 the rotation of plate 2 is φ2.

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 Three Pinned
The full virtual displacement of point F, where the force F is
applied, is normal to line (1), denoted δF. The full virtual
displacement of points X1 and X2 are respectively δx,1 and
δx,2, normal to lines connecting these points with main poles
(1) and (2). Since the system is in equilibrium, the total virtual
work performed by system of forces must be zero:
F .δ’ F + X.δ’ x,1 +X.δ’ x,2=0
where δ’F is the projection of the full displacement δF in
the direction of the applied unit load F, δ’ x,1 and δ’ x,2 are
projections of the displacements, δ x,1 and δ x,2 in the
direction of member force X.
δ’ x = δ ’x, 1 + δ ’ x,2 is relative displacement of both the
member forces X, or: since -F .δ’ F =X.δ’ x, and since F=1, it
follows that X=− δ ’ F/ X.δ’ x

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 Muller-Breslau Principle
Therefore, if we introduce a unit relative
displacement δ’x in the direction of eliminated
constraint, in such a way that the force performs a
negative work (δ’x=−1), the member force X will be
equal to the vertical displacement of the point
where the unit load is applied. δ’ F (X=δ’ F). This
relationship postulates the Muller-Breslau Principle:
The influence line for any constraint in a structure is
the graph of vertical displacements of points of road
lane obtained by application of a unit virtual
displacement at the point (points) of application of
the constraint.

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 Construction of IL
The sequence for the construction of influence line
should is as follows:
1) Eliminate the constraint corresponding to the function
under consideration and replace it by the relevant
force (forces) in order to establish equilibrium;
2) Introduce a unit displacement in the mechanism in the
direction of eliminated constraint in such a way that
the force, replacing this constraint, performs negative
work;
3) Draw the graph of virtual displacement for the
mechanism obtained. This graph is the Influence Line in
demand.

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 Main Features
Main features of vertical displacements graph of
the road lane are as follows:
1) Every plate of the road lane corresponds to a
straight line in the vertical displacements
graphics;
2) This line intersects the reference line (graph axis)
under the main pole of the plate;
3) The lines from the vertical displacements
graphics corresponding to the two plates from
the road lane of the mechanism intersect one
another under the relative pole (centre) of the
plates.

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IL Ordinates

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Ordinates

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Kinematic IL for O4, U4

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IL for D3

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IL for V2

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ILs for D6 and D7

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The most unfavourable position for Load
• Using influence lines it is possible to find for a specific
quantity the most unfavourable position of the load. If
this is possible for a single load, then this is also
possible for a set of loads or an infinite set of loads- the
distributed load.
• In this section we will first look at the most
unfavourable position of the above mentioned loads.
• As a starting point we will use the statically
determinate structure shown in the figure. In this
figure we have already drawn several influence lines.
Check the correctness of these influence lines.

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 Unit Load
• Using these influence lines the position for
which the quantity reaches its maximum value
can be read. To determine for example the
maximum support reaction at A, the load has
to be applied at the left end of the left
cantilever.

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ILs

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 Uniformly Distributed Load
A uniformly distributed load is nothing more
than a set of concentrated loads packed closely
together. To determine, for example, the
maximum support reaction at A due to a
distributed load, the distributed load has to be
applied over the entire part of the structure
where the influence line is positive (below the
axis). This is shown in the figure.

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 Uniformly Distributed Load
The vertical support reaction at A can be found
with:

In this case the integral is equal to the area of the

triangular area of the influence line multiplied with
the magnitude q of the distributed load:

Check this answer is also based up on equilibrium.

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QUALITATIVE IL FOR FRAMES

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 Frames
• The use of influence lines to find the most
unfavourable positions of distributed loads is also
illustrated with the example of a braced frame is
shown. To find the unfavourable position of
distributed loads for the bending moment at Z,
first sketch the influence line for the bending
moment at Z.
• To find this influence line, a unit rotation is
applied at a hinge which is positioned at Z and
with a simple frame analysis the deflection xx can
be found which represents the influence factor.
From this, the spans with maximum loading
become clear as it is also indicated in the figure.

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Most unfavourable position of vertical
load for Moment at Z

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 Load Systems
• A load system is a set of (mobile) concentrated
loads which have a fixed relative position to
each other. These systems may represent a
large moving truck or a train on a bridge. In the
figure a load system is shown.

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 IL for Mc
• The influence line for the bending moment at
C is shown in the figure. The question is to
determine the most unfavourable position of
the load system for the bending moment at C.

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 Load System
• The most unfavourable position of the system can
be found by trying a few positions. Here the
sensitiveness of the position of the load system
on the bending moment will be examined.
• To do so, the system is put at a starting position
as is shown in the next figure. Then the system is
moved over a small distance x. This displacement
will increase the contribution to the bending
moment of the left concentrated load and
decrease the contribution of the right
concentrated load. This results in a total
influence factor of the load system which
depends on x:
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Total Influence Factor

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 IL for Mc
• From this expression, it can be seen that moving
the load system by 1.0 m to the right results in the
maximum influence factor for the load system. For
this case the result is easily seen. The slope of the
left part is steeper than the right part.
• By moving the system to the right, we increase the
contribution of the left load more than we
decrease the contribution of the right load. The
maximum influence of the left load is therefore
the most unfavourable position of the load
system. This approach can be summarised as
follows:

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 Most unfavourable position
• Increase of the influence = total load left ×
1.875/3.0
• Decrease of the influence = total load right ×
1.875/5.0
For load systems consisting of two concentrated
loads the most unfavourable position can be found
rather quickly in this way. It becomes slightly more
difficult if the system consists of more concentrated
loads. However the same approach can be used if
the resultants of loads for each segment of the
influence line are treated like in the previous
outlined example.
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END

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