CPIT SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING

Christchurch Polytechnic Institute of Technology

Superposition Beam Deflection

The total deflection of a beam can be found by adding the
deflections resulting from each load acting alone on the beam.

Example
Part 1: Calculate the end deflection for the cantilever shown if EI = 345 Nm2 [15.53 mm]
50 N

10 N

300 mm

700 mm

Part 2: Calculate the deflection at 300 mm from the wall. [2.48 mm]
Part 3: Calculate the load on a simple support placed under the free end. [16 N]
Problem 1
Calculate the deflection at the following distances from the wall:
300, 500, 700, 800 mm. [5.14 mm; 12.44 mm; 20.93 mm; 25.43 mm]
900 N
500 mm

600 N
300 mm

EI = 6.83 x 103 Nm2

Problem 2
a) Calculate the deflection under the 5 N load. [4.151 mm]
b) Calculate the deflection at the end of the beam. [6.076 mm]
c) Calculate the load on a prop placed under the 5 N load to obtain a zero deflection at the
END of the beam. [9.938 N]
d) What is the deflection at the 5 N load with the prop in place? [0.1 mm]
10 N
500 mm

5N
250 mm
EI = 345 Nm

1 Superposition Beam
S Tomsett Date 22 May 2014

Deflection.docx

Copyright CPIT 2010

250 mm
2

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CPIT SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING

Christchurch Polytechnic Institute of Technology

Problem 3
Two simply supported beams are joined at their centres and load of 100 kN is applied. Calculate the force
taken by each beam and the deflection at the load. (Hint Deflections are equal at the centre and the total
force is spread between the two beams) [33.3 and 66.6 kN, 55.55 mm]
100 kN
2 m long
-6
4
I = 1 x 10 m
E = 200 GPa

4 m long
-6
4
I = 4 x 10 m

Problem 4
Two cantilevers and pinned together and support a 50 kN load at the pin. Both beams have E = 200 GPa,
I = 12 x 10-6 m4 and are 150 mm deep.
Determine the load in each beam, the deflection at the pin and the stress in each beam. [38.6 kN 11.4 kN,
2.74 mm, 85.7 MPa 192.8 MPa]
If the beam with the highest stress was made stronger (larger I value) what would happen the stress in
that beam?
[Would go up]
50 kN
1.2 m

Problem 5
Determine the stress in the wire.

0.8 m

[ 88.5 MPa]

5 m long
100 x 10-6 m2
E = 100 GPa

15 kN

1 Superposition Beam
S Tomsett Date 22 May 2014

Deflection.docx

Beam
0.6 m long
I = 500 x 10-9 m2
E = 200 GPa

Copyright CPIT 2010

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