Using this calculator you can visualise the shear force, bending moment and deflection of a simply supported beam when a triangular load is applied spanning distance 'a' to 'b' from the left support.
Calculation
Applied force is negative (-) in the downwards direction.
Type 1 loading condition
Simply Supported Beam with Triangular Load
Type 2 loading condition
Simply Supported Beam with Triangular Load
Free body diagram
Free body diagram
Inputs
Geometry and Loading
Length of beam,
L
:10.00 m
Distance from left support to the zero load end,
a
:2.00 m
Distance from left support to the maximum load end,
b
:7.00 m
Magnitude of maximum load,
F
:-15.00 kN / m
Beam Properties
Elastic Modulus,
E
:200 GPa
Second Moment of Inertia,
I
:3.54e+7 mm^4
Outputs
Note, self-weight loading is excluded.
Geometry and Loading
Resultant force of triangular load,
w
:-37.50 kN
Span of load,
d
:5.00 m
Distance,
f
:5.33 m
Distance,
g
:4.67 m
Maximum Forces and Deflection
Max Shear
:-20.00 kN
Max Moment
:74.85 kN m
Max Deflection
:-101.62 mm
Ra
:17.50 kN
Rb
:20.00 kN
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Explanation
Using Macaulay's Theorem and the Double Integration Method, we can create the equations for shear force, bending moment and deflection as follows:
Want to know how to derive the equations? Keep reading!
Derivation
Step 1: Find the beam support reactions by taking moments at each end.
Type 1 loading condition
Simply Supported Beam with Triangular Load
Type 2 loading condition
Simply Supported Beam with Triangular Load
Free body diagram
Free body diagram
Distance formulas for Type 1
Distance formulas for Type 2
Beam support reactions (same for Type 1 and Type 2):
ΣM@x=0=0Rb×L=−w×fRb=L−w×fwhere: w=21F×d
ΣM@x=L=0Ra×L=−w×gRa=L−w×gwhere: w=21F×d
Step 2: Find the shear force
V(x)
and bending moment
M(x)
equations by using the table of Macaulay's Singularity Functions on the homepage. Because the load is not applied up to the right end of the beam, there are a few extra steps to consider:
Change the FBD so that the load does a wrap-around the beam and stops at
b
from the left support for type 1 (and
e
from the right support for type 2) on the underside of the beam
Cut a section 'A' just before the right support reaction for type 1 (and left support reaction for type 2)
Apply Macaulay's Theorem as normal to get the
V(x)
and
M(x)
equations considering only the forces present on the left side of the section cut for type 1 (and right side of the section cut for type 2)
Find slope,
m
given by:
m=x2−x1y2−y1=b−aF−0=dF
Type 1 loading condition
Free body diagram adjusted for Macaulay's Theorem
Type 2 loading condition
Free body diagram adjusted for Macaulay's Theorem
Type 1 loading condition:
V(x)=Ra<x−0>0+2dF<x−a>2−F<x−b>1−2dF<x−b>2
M(x)=Ra<x−0>1+6dF<x−a>3−2F<x−b>2−6dF<x−b>3
Type 2 loading condition:
V(x)=Rb<x−0>0+2dF<x−c>2−F<x−e>1−2dF<x−e>2
M(x)=Rb<x−0>1+6dF<x−c>3−2F<x−e>2−6dF<x−e>3
Step 3: Perform the Double Integration Method to find the deflection equation.
Integrate the Bending moment equations once to get the Slope Equation.
Apply the Boundary Conditions to find the constants
C1
and
C2
i) Type 1 loading condition:
BC 1: @ x=0, Y(x)=00=EI1[6Ra<0−0>3+120dF<0−a>5−24F<0−b>4−120dF<0−b>5+C1(0)+C2]0=EI1[0+0+0+0+0+C2]C2=0
BC 2: @ x=L, Y(x)=00=EI1[6Ra<L−0>3+120dF<L−a>5−24F<L−b>4−120dF<L−b>5+C1(L)+C2]0=EI1[6RaL3+120dF(L−a)5−24F(L−b)4−120dF(L−b)5+C1L]C1=−[6RaL2+120dLF(L−a)5−24LF(L−b)4−120dLF(L−b)5]
ii) Type 2 loading condition:
BC 2: @ x=L, Y(x)=00=EI1[6Rb<L−0>3+120dF<L−c>5−24F<L−e>4−120dF<L−e>5+C1(L)+C2]0=EI1[6RbL3+120dF(L−c)5−24F(L−e)4−120dF(L−e)5+C1L]C1=−[6RbL2+120dLF(L−c)5−24LF(L−e)4−120dLF(L−e)5]
You are now ready to plot the curves to determine the overall shear force, bending moment and deflection of a simply supported beam with a triangular load!