Principal of Virtual Work

Developed by John Bernoulli in

1717
Based
on
conservation
of
energy
Used to obtain displacement
and slope at various points on a
deformable body

 Real loads cause no movement of

the supports but they can strain the
material beyond the elastic limit.
A series of external loads, P1, P2 and
P3, will cause internal loadings, u
within the body.
The
external
loads
will
be
displaced, e, and the internal
loadings will undergo displacement,
.
Conservation of energy states that:
Ue = Ui
Thus; P e = u
Suppose displacement at point A, ,
need to be determined.

Application of real loads

Application of virtual unit load

Place an imaginary or external

virtual force P which acts in the
same direction as and has a
unit magnitude, i.e. P = 1.
External virtual load, P, will
create an internal virtual load,
u, and each of them will
undergo real displacement,
and dL, respectively, when the
real loads are applied.
Thus; 1. = u.dL
This method is called Method of
Virtual Force.

Internal Virtual Work

Material behaviour is assumed linear-elastic and stress does not exceed proportional limit.
Equations of elastic strain energy can be used to formulate equations of internal virtual work.
Strain energy expressions are one-half the product of the stress resultant and its
displacement because the loading was applied gradually.
For internal virtual work expressions, the virtual load is applied fully before the real loads
cause displacement.
Lowercase symbols, n, , m, and t, are the internal virtual loadings.

Exercise 1

Solution

Exercise 2

Solution

Exercise 3

Solution

Exercise 4

Solution

Exercise 5

Solution

Solution (Cont..)