Deflection of Beams

A structure or member must carry loads safely (not break) and meet the
performance requirement (not deform excessively).
Frequently, the design of a beam for instance is governed by the amount of
its permissible deflection.
For example, the live-load deflection of beams that carry plaster ceiling
usually are limited to deflection of their length to minimize the cracking of
plaster ceilings.
Probably the most important thing for the structural engineer’s interest in
deflection evaluation is that the calculation of deflection is essential to the
analysis of statically indeterminate structures. A structure is statically
indeterminate when the equations of static equilibrium available are not
sufficient to determine all the internal resistance forces and reactions.
Deflection condition equations representing consistent deflections can be
used for this purpose.
Generally beam deflections are caused primarily by the bending action of
applied loads. In some instances, however, where a beam’s cross-sectional
dimensions are not small compared with its length, deflections due to shear
become significant and must be calculated.
METHODS FOR DETERMINING BEAM DEFLECTION
There are numerous methods of computing deflections in a structure.
The most common and useful in structural analysis are:
1. Double integration
2. Macaulay’s method
3. Moment area method
4. Principle of Virtual Work
In elastic analysis the deflected shape of a simply supported beam is
normally assumed to be a circular arc of radius R (R is known as the
radius of curvature), as shown in Figure 1.
Consider the beam AB to be subject to a variable bending
moment along its length. The beam is assumed to deflect
as indicated.
R is the radius of curvature,

L is the span,

I is the second moment of area about the axis of bending,

E is the modulus of elasticity,

ds is an elemental length of beam measured a distance of

x from the left-hand end
M is the value of the bending moment at position x.

The slope of the beam at position x is given by:

Differentiating the slope with respect to x gives:

Equation (1) — bending moment (Mx)

Integrating Equation (1) with respect to x gives:

Equation (2) — EI × slope (EIθ)

 Integrating Equation (2) with respect to x gives

Equation (3) — EI × deflection (EIδ)

Equations (1) and (2) result in two constants of integration C1 and C2;
these are determined by considering boundary conditions such as
known values of slope and/or deflection at positions on the beam.
Double integration of Eq. (1) then yields the equation of the deflection curve of
the neutral plane of the beam. In the majority of problems concerned with
beam deflections, the bending moment varies along the length of a beam and
therefore M in Eq. (3) must be expressed as a function of x before integration
can commence.
For a beam of a given material and cross section, EI is constant
Determine the deflection curve and the deflection of the free end of the cantilever shown
below; the flexural rigidity of the cantilever is EI.

The load W causes the cantilever to

deflect such that its neutral plane takes
up the curved shape shown Fig. (b);
the deflection at any section X is then
v while that at its free end is vtip.

The axis system is chosen so that the

origin coincides with the built-in end
where the deflection is clearly zero.
 Recall from equation 1 above that;

Eqn. 1
The bending moment, M, at the section X is,

Eqn. 2

Substituting for M in Eq. (1) we obtain

𝒅𝟐 𝒚
𝑬𝑰 𝟐 = −𝑾(𝑳 − 𝒙) Eqn. 3
𝒅𝒙
Integrating Eq. (3) with respect to x gives
𝒅𝒚 𝒙𝟐
𝑬𝑰 = −𝑾 𝑳𝒙 − + 𝒄𝟏
𝒅𝒙 𝟐
where C1 is a constant of integration which is obtained from the boundary condition that;
dy/dx = 0 at the built-in end where x = 0. Hence C1 = 0 and
𝒅𝒚 𝒙𝟐
𝑬𝑰 = −𝑾 𝑳𝒙 − Eqn. 4
𝒅𝒙 𝟐
Integrating Eq. (4) we obtain 𝑳𝒙𝟐 𝒙𝟑
𝑬𝑰𝒚 = −𝑾 − + 𝒄𝟐
𝟐 𝟔
in which C2 is again a constant of integration. At the built-in end; y = 0 when x = 0 so that C2 = 0.
Hence the equation of the deflection curve of the cantilever is
𝑾
𝒚=− 𝟑𝑳𝒙𝟐 − 𝒙𝟑 Eqn. 5
𝟔𝑬𝑰
The deflection, vtip, at the free end is obtained by setting x = L in Eq. (5). Thus

and is clearly negative and downwards.

Determine the deflection curve and the deflection of the free end of the cantilever shown.

The bending moment, M, at any section X is given by

Substituting for M in eq. 1. and rearranging we have

By Integration yields

𝟑
𝒅𝒚 𝒘 𝟐 𝒙
𝑬𝑰 =− 𝑳 𝒙 − 𝑳𝒙𝟐 + + 𝒄𝟏
𝒅𝒙 𝟐 𝟑
When x = 0 at the built-in end, dy/dx = 0, so that C1 = 0 and

𝒅𝒚 𝒘 𝟐 𝒙𝟑
𝑬𝑰 =− 𝑳 𝒙 − 𝑳𝒙𝟐 +
𝒅𝒙 𝟐 𝟑
By Integrating further, we have;

𝒘 𝟐 𝒙𝟐 𝑳𝒙𝟑 𝒙𝟒
𝑬𝑰𝒚 = − 𝑳 − + + 𝒄𝟐
𝟐 𝟐 𝟑 𝟏𝟐
and since y = 0 when x = 0,C2 = 0. The deflection curve of the beam therefore has the equation
𝒘
𝒚=− 𝟔𝑳𝟐 𝒙𝟐 − 𝟒𝑳𝒙𝟑 + 𝒙𝟒
𝟐𝟒𝑬𝑰
and the deflection at the free end where x = L is
which is again negative and downwards.
Determine the deflection curve and the mid-span deflection of the simply supported beam shown in Fig below.
Figure below shows a simply supported beam carrying a concentrated load W at mid-span.
Determine the deflection curve of the beam and the maximum deflection.
The simply supported beam shown in figure below carries a concentrated load W at a distance a from the
left-hand support. Determine the deflected shape of the beam, the deflection under the load and the
maximum deflection.
Determine the deflection curve of the beam AB shown in Figure below when
it carries a distributed load that varies linearly in intensity from zero at the
left-hand support to w0 at the right-hand support.
Determine the position and magnitude of the maximum
deflection of the simply supported beam shown in Fig. below in
terms of its flexural rigidity EI.