CHAPTER 5 (a)

BEAM DEFLECTION

Learning Outcomes:
At the end of this lecture, student should be

able to;

Understand beam deflection

Explain double integration method
State the boundary condition for simply

supported beam
Determine the slope and deflection in every
loaded situation as below:
a.Simply support, with concentrated load at
center of the beam.
b.Simply support, with uniform distributed load.
2

Beam Deflection
Beam deflection is defined as the distance

from the neutral plane origin to the position of

neutral plane when the load is applied.
F

ymax

Neutral
axis
origin
Neutral axis
after load
applied

F = Load
y=
Deflection

General Formula
M = EI d2y
dx2

Moment Equation

Where;
M = Moment (Nm)
I = Second moment of area @ moment inertia (m 4)
E = Young Modulus (Pa)
* EI also known as flexural rigidity
4

Double Integration Method

EI d2y = M (Moment Equation)
dx2
If the beam has uniform cross-section and M can be expressed
mathematically as x function, therefore;
EI dy = Mdx + A (Slope Equation)
dx
EIy = Mdx + Ax + B (Deflection Equation)
Notes: dy/dx = Slope (no unit)
y = Deflection (m or mm)
5

Case 1: Simply supported beam, with

concentrated load at center (boundary
conditions included)
x=0

F (N)

x=L
dy/dx = max
y=0

x=0
dy/dx = max
y=0
A

B
x = L/2
dy/dx = 0
y = max

RA = F/2

RB = F/2

Consider this simply supported beam AB, with length L and carry the concentrated
load at center. Take A as the reference point and by balancing the moment and
force we get;
RA = RB = F/2
On the x-x section (distance x is based on point A), it is known that the moment at this section is;
M xx = Fx / 2

General Formula
a) EI d2y = M
dx2

Solution
Substitute M = Fx / 2 into eq. (a)

(Moment Eq.)

EI d2y = Fx / 2
dx2

b) EI dy = Mdx + A (Slope Eq.)

dx
c) EIy = Mdx + Ax + B

(Deflection Eq.)

Integrate once we get;

EI dy = Fx2 + A
dx
4
Integrate once again we get;
EIy = Fx3 + Ax + B
12

Boundary Conditions
a) To find the variables A and B
EI dy = Fx2 + A .. (Slope Eq.)
dx
4
When;

x = L/2 ,

dy/dx = 0

Thus; EI (0) = F(L/2)2 + A

4
A = - FL2
16
8

EIy = Fx3 + Ax + B
12

(Deflection Eq.)

Substitute A = - FL2
16
EIy = Fx3 FL2x + B
12
16
When;
Thus;

x = 0,

y=0

EI (0) = F(0)3 FL2(0) + B

12
16
B=0
9

Therefore, the COMPLETE slope and deflection

equations are;

i)

EI dy = Fx2 - FL2
dx
4
16

. (Slope Eq.)

ii)

EIy = Fx3 FL2x

12
16

..... (Deflection Eq.)

10

b) To find the Maximum slope and deflection

i) Maximum Slope

EI dy = Fx2 - FL2
dx
4
16
When;

x = 0,

x=L

EI dy = F(0)2 - FL2
dx
4
16
dy = - FL2
dx
16EI

-ve sign indicates that

the deflections is below
the undeformed neutral
axis
11

ii) Maximum deflection

EIy = Fx3 FL2x
12
16
When; x = L/2
EIy = F(L/2)3 FL2 (L/2)
12

16

EIy = - FL3
48
y = - FL3
48EI

-ve sign indicates that

the deflections is below
the undeformed neutral
axis

12

Case 2: Simply supported beam, with

uniformly distributed load (boundary
conditions included)
x=0
x=0
dy/dx = max
y=0

x=L
dy/dx = max
y=0

w (N/m)

B
x = L/2
dy/dx = 0
y = max

RA = FL/2

RB = FL/2

Consider this simply supported beam AB, with length L and carry the uniformly
distributed load along the beam. Take A as the reference point and by balancing the
moment and force we get;
RA = RB = FL/2
On the x-x section (distance x is based on point A), it is known that the moment at this section is;
M xx = wLx / 2 Wx2/2

13

General Formula
a) EI d2y = M
dx2

(Moment Eq.)

b) EI dy = Mdx + A (Slope Eq.)

dx

Solution
Substitute M = wLx wx2 into eq.
(a)
2
2
EI d2y = wLx wx2
dx2
2
2
Integrate once we get;

c) EIy = Mdx + Ax + B

(Deflection Eq.)

EI dy = wLx2 - wx3 + A
dx
4
6
Integrate once again we get;
EIy = wLx3 wx4 + Ax + B
12
24
14

Boundary Conditions
a) To find the variables A and B
EI dy = wLx2 - wx3 + A .. (Slope Eq.)
dx
4
6
When;

x = L/2 ,

dy/dx = 0

Thus; EI (0) = wL(L/2)2 w(L/2)3 + A

4
6
A = - wL3
24
15

EIy = wLx3 wx4 + Ax + B

12
24

(Deflection Eq.)

Substitute A = - wL3
24
EIy = wLx3 wx4 wL3x + B
12
24
24
When;
Thus;

x = 0,

y=0

EI (0) = wL(0)3 w(0)4 wL3(0) + B

12
24
24
B=0
16

Therefore, the COMPLETE slope and deflection

equations are;

i)

EI dy = wLx2 - wx3 wL3

dx

ii)

. (Slope Eq.)

24

EIy = wLx3 wx4 wL3x

12
24
24

..... (Deflection Eq.)

17

b) To find the Maximum slope and deflection

i) Maximum Slope

EI dy = wLx2 - wx3 - wL3

dx
4
6
When x = 0,
EI dy = wL(0)2 - w(0)3 wL3
dx
4
6

24

24

dy = - wL3
dx
24EI
When x = L
dx
dy = + wL3
dx
24EI

EI dy = wL(L)2 - w(L)3 wL3

4
6
24

+ve sign indicates that

the deflections is above
the undeformed neutral
axis

18

ii) Maximum deflection

EIy = wLx3 wx4 wL3x
12
24
24
When; x = L/2
EIy = wL(L/2)3 w(L/2)4 - wL3(L/2)
12
24

24

EIy = - 5wL4
384
y = - 5wL4
384EI

-ve sign indicates that

the deflections is below
the undeformed neutral
axis
19

Exercise
1. A simply supported beam is 4m long and has a load of 200KN at the middle. The
flexural stiffness is 300MPa. Calculate the slope at the ends and the deflection at the
middle.
(Answer: 6.67 x 10-4 , 0.89 mm)
2. A simply supported beam is 8m long with a load of 500KN at the middle. The
deflection at the middle is 2 mm downwards. Calculate the slope at the ends.
(Answer : 750 x 10-6)
3. A simply supported beam is 4m long with a UDL of 4KN/m. The dimension of the
beam is 300mm x 100mm. Calculate the maximum slope and deflection. Given E =
200 GPa.
(Answer: 2.13 x 10-3 , 2.7 x 10-3m)
4. A simply supported beam is 5m long with UDL of 200 N/m. The flexural stiffness
is 100MPa. Calculate the slope at the ends and the deflection at middle.
(Answer: 1.04 x 10-5, 1.63 x 10-5 m

20