INFLUENCE LINES FOR STATICALLY

DETERMINATE STRUCTURES
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Influence Lines for Beams

Influence Lines for Floor Girders
Influence Lines for Trusses
Maximum Influence at a Point Due to a Series
of Concentrated Loads
Absolute Maximum Shear and Moment

Influence Line

Unit moving load

A
B

Example 6-1
Construct the influence line for
a) reaction at A and B
b) shear at point C
c) bending moment at point C
d) shear before and after support B
e) moment at point B
of the beam in the figure below.
C
A
B
4m

4m

4m

SOLUTION
Reaction at A

1
x

A
Ay
x

Ay

0.5

12

-0.5

By

8m

4m

Ay (8) + 1(8 x ) = 0,

+ MB = 0:

1
Ay = 1 x
8

Ay
1
0.5

8m

12 m
x

4m
-0.5
4

 Reaction at B
1
x

A
Ay
x

By

0.5

12

1.5

8m

+ MA = 0:

By

4m

B y (8) 1x = 0,

By

By =

1
x
8

1.5
1
0.5
x
4m

8m

12 m

 Shear at C

0 x<4

4 < x 12

1
x

A
Ay

4m

4m

By

4m

1
x
0 x4

A
1
Ay = 1 x
8
4m

x
4 < x 12

C
MC
VC

A
1
Ay = 1 x
8
4m

+ Fy = 0:

MC
VC

+ Fy = 0:

1
1 x 1 VC = 0
8
1
VC = x
8

1
1 x VC = 0
8
1
VC = 1 x
8
6

0 x<4

4 < x 12

1
x

1
VC = x
8

A
Ay

4m

4m

VC
0.5
4m

1
VC = x
8

-0.5

By

1
VC = 1 x
8

4m

VC

4-

-0.5

4+

0.5

12

-0.5

1
VC = 1 x
8

8m

12 m

-0.5

 Bending moment at C
0 x<4

4 < x 12

1
x

A
Ay

4m

4m

By

4m

1
x
0 x4

A
1
Ay = 1 x
8
4m

x
4 < x 12

C
MC
VC

A
1
Ay = 1 x
8
4m

+ MC = 0:

MC
VC

+ MC = 0:

1
M C + 1(4 x) (1 x )(4) = 0
8
1
MC = x
2

1
M C (1 x)( 4) = 0
8
1
MC = 4 x
2
8

0 x<4

4 < x 12

1
x

1
x
2

MC = 4

1
x
2

12

-2

4m

MC =

MC

4m
1
x
2

MC = 4

By

MC

MC =

A
Ay

4m

1
x
2

2
8m

12 m

4m
-2

Or using equilibrium conditions:

Reaction at A

1
x

A
Ay

By

8m

4m

Ay (8) + 1(8 x ) = 0,

+ MB = 0:

1
Ay = 1 x
8

Ay
1
0.5

8m

12 m
x

4m
-0.5
10

 Reaction at B
1
x

A
Ay

8m

Ay

By

4m

+ Fy = 0:

1
0.5

Ay + B y 1 = 0

B y = 1 Ay

8m

12 m
x

4m
By

-0.5
1.5

B y = 1 Ay

1
0.5
x
4m

8m

12 m
11

 Shear at C

0 x<4

4 < x 12

1
x

A
Ay

4m

4m

By

4m

1
x
0 x4

A
1
Ay = 1 x
8
4m

x
4 < x 12

C
MC

Ay 1 VC = 0
VC = Ay 1

VC

A
1
Ay = 1 x
8
4m

+ Fy = 0:

MC
VC

+ Fy = 0:

Ay VC = 0
VC = Ay
12

C
A
B
4m

4m

4m

Ay
1
0.5

8m

12 m
x

4m
VC = Ay 1

-0.5

VC = Ay

VC
0.5
4m

-0.5

8m

12 m

-0.5

13

 Bending moment at C
0 x<4

4 < x 12

1
x

A
Ay

4m

4m

By

4m

1
x
0 x4

A
1
Ay = 1 x
8
4m

x
4 < x 12

C
MC

Ay (4) + 1( 4 x ) + M C = 0

M C = 4 Ay (4 x)

VC

A
1
Ay = 1 x
8
4m

+ MC = 0:

MC
VC

+ MC = 0:

Ay (4) + M C = 0
M C = 4 Ay
14

C
A
B
4m

4m

4m

Ay
1
0.5

8m

12 m
x

4m
M C = 4 Ay (4 x) M C = 4 Ay

-0.5

MC
2
8m

12 m

4m
-2

15

 Shear before support B

x
C
A
Ay

4m
x

4m

4m

1
MB

8m

Ay

By

VB

MB

Ay

8m

VB-

VB- = Ay

VB- = Ay-1
Ay 1

0.5

8m

12 m
x

VB-

4m

-0.5
x

-0.5

-1.0

-0.5
16

 Shear after support B

x
C
A
Ay

4m

4m

By

4m

MB

MB
VB+

4m

VB+

VB+ = 0
Ay 1

4m
VB+ = 1

0.5

8m

12 m
x

4m
VB+

-0.5
x
17

 Moment at support B
x
C
A
Ay

4m
x

4m

4m

1
MB

8m

Ay

By

VB

MB

8m

Ay

MB = 8Ay

MB = 8Ay-(8-x)
Ay 1

VB-

0.5

8m

12 m
x

MB

4m

-0.5
x

1
-4

18

Influence Line for Beam

Reaction

P=1
C

B
x'

y = 1

P=1
y'

sB =

y
L

1
L

Ay

By
Ay (1) 1( y ' ) + B y (0) = 0
Ay = y '

19

P=1
C

x'

L
P=1

y'

A
Ay

sA =

y
L

1
L

y = 1
B
By

Ay (0) 1( y ' ) + B y (1) = 0

By = y '
20

- Pinned Support
C

B
b

a
L

B
A
RA
RA

1
b
L

x
21

- Fixed Support
A

B
a

b
L

RA
RA

1
x
22

 Shear

P=1
C

B
b

a
L
VC
y=1

P=1
yR

y'

yL
Ay

sA =

1
L

sB =

1
L
B

By
VC

Ay (0) + VC ( yL ) + VC ( yR ) 1( y ' ) + B y (0) = 0

VC ( yL + yR ) = y '

y=1
VC = y '

slopes :

s A = sB

23

- Pinned Support
C

B
b

a
L
VC

VC

VC

1
1

Slope s B =

1
L

b
L

-a
L
1
Slope s A =
L
Slope at A = Slope at B

-1
24

- Fixed Support
A

B
a

b
L
VB

VB
VB

1
x
25

 Bending Moment

P=1
C

B
b

a
L

= A + B = 1
P=1
h

MC

MC

y'
B

A
Ay

A =

h
a

Ay (0) + M C ( A ) + M C ( B ) + 1( y ' ) + B y (0) = 0

1
M C ( A + B ) = y '
M C = y'

B =

h
b

By

h h
( + ) =1
a b

h( a + b)
= 1,
ab

h=

ab
( a + b)
26

- Pinned Support
C

B
b

a
L
Hinge

A
MC

MC

MC

C = A + B = 1

ab
a+b

A =

b
L

A =

a
L

27

- Fixed Support
A

B
a

b
L

B
MC

MC

MB
1

x
-b
28

 General Shear
C

A
L/4

D
L/4

E
L/4

L/4

L/4

G
L/4

H
L/4

L
VC

VD

3/4
1

x
-1/4

2/4
1

VE

VBL

x
-2/4

1/4
x

1
-3/4

x
-1

29

A
L/4
VBL

D
L/4

E
L/4

L/4

L/4

G
L/4

H
L/4

L
x
-1

VBR

1
x

VF

1
x

VG

1
x
30

 General Bending Moment

C

A
L/4

D
L/4

E
L/4

B
L/4

F
L/4

G
L/4

H
L/4

L
MC

3L/16

= sA + sB = 1

A = 3/4

B = 1/4
4L/16

MD

= sA + sB = 1

A = 1/2
ME

B = 1/2
3L/16

A = 1/4

= A + B = 1
B = 3/4

31

A
L/4

D
L/4

E
L/4

B
L/4

L/4

L/4

L/4

L
MB
x

3L/4

MF

2L/4
MG
1

x
L/4
32

Example 6-2
Construct the influence line for
- the reaction at A, C and E
- the shear at D
- the moment at D
- shear before and after support C
- moment at point C
A

B
2m

Hinge

2m

C
2m

E
4m

33

SOLUTION

B
A
2m

RA

RA

C
2m

2m

E
4m

34

A
2m

2m

2m

E
4m

RC
8/6
RC

4/6
x

35

2m

2m

E
2m

4m
RE
1
2/6

RE

x
-2/6

36

VD
A

2m

2m

VD

2m

4m

4/6

2/6

VD

x
=

sE = 1/6

sC = 1/6

-2/6

-1

sE = sC
37

Or using equilibrium conditions:

A

Hinge

B
2m

MD

2m
VD

C
2m

4m

MD

E
4m
1
VD

RE
VD = 1 -RE

VD = -RE

x
4m
RE
1

2/6

RE

x
-2/6
VD

4/6

2/6
x
-2/6
38

MD

MD

D
2m

2m

2m

4m

(2)(4)/6 = 1.33

D = C+E = 1

2
MD

C = 4/6

2/6 = E

-1.33
39

Or using equilibrium conditions:

A

Hinge

B
2m

MD

2m
VD

2m

4m

MD
RE

MD = 4RE

4m
1
VD

x
4m
RE

MD = -(4-x)+4RE

1
2/6

RE

x
-2/6
MD

8/6
x

-8/6

40

VCL
A

B
2m

D
2m

VCL

2m

4m

VCL
x
-1

-1

41

Or using equilibrium conditions:

1
A
B
2m

2m
1

RA
RA

VCL = RA - 1

2m

E
4m

MB

MB

VCL

RA

VCL
VCL = RA

x
VCL
x
-1

-1
42

VCR
A

B
2m

D
2m

VCR
2m

1
VCR

0.333

4m

0.667
x

43

Or using equilibrium conditions:

A

B
2m

2m

2m

4m
1

MC

MC
VCR

VCR
RE

VCR = -RE

VCR = 1 -RE

RE
1

2/6=0.33

RE

x
-2/6 = -0.333
1
VCR

0.333

0.667
x

44

MC C MC

B
2m

2m

D
2m

E
4m

MC
1

-2

45

Or using equilibrium conditions:

A

B
2m

2m

2m

4m
1
x'

MC

MC
VCR

6m

VCR
RE

MC = 6RE

6m
M C = 6 RA x'

RE
1

2/6=0.33

RE

x
-2/6 = -0.333
MC
1
-2

46

Example 6-3
Construct the influence line for
- the reaction at A and C
- shear at D, E and F
- the moment at D, E and F

2m

2m

Hinge

2m

E
2m

2m

2m

47

SOLUTION

D
A

2m

RA

RA

2m

2m

2m

2m

2m

1
0.5
x
-0.5

-1

48

RC
2m

2m

2m

2m

0.5
RC

2m

2m

1.5

49

VD
A

VD
2m

2m

VD

2m

2m

2m

2m

0.5

x
-0.5

-1

50

VE
A

VE
2m

2m

2m

2m

2m

0.5
1

VE

2m

=
-0.5

-0.5

-1

51

VF
A

VF
2m

2m

2m

2m

2m

2m

VF
=

52

D
MD
2m

MD
2m

2m

2m

2m

2m
2

MD

1
x

D = 1
-1
-2

53

2m

ME

B ME

2m

ME C

2m

2m

(2)(2)/4 = 1

2m

2m

E = 1
x

B = 0.5

C = 0.5

-1
-2
54

2m

2m

C ME

2m

2m

2m

ME

2m

MF

F = 1

-2

55

Example 6-4
Determine the maximum reaction at support B, the maximum shear at point C and
the maximum positive moment that can be developed
at point C on the beam shown due to
- a single concentrate live load of 8000 N
- a uniform live load of 3000 N/m
- a beam weight (dead load) of 1000 N/m

C
4m

B
4m

4m

56

SOLUTION

8000 N

3000 N/m

1000 N/m
A
4m

B
4m

4m

RB

1.5
0.5

1
0.5(12)(1.5) = 9

(RB)max

= (1000)(9) + (3000)(9) + (8000)(1.5)

= 48000 N = 48 kN
57

3000 N/m

3000 N/m

8000 N
1000 N/m

A
4m

B
4m

4m

VC
0.5
0.5(4)(0.5) = 1

-0.5

(VC)max

0.5(4)(-0.5) = -1

0.5(4)(-0.5) = -1

-0.5

= (1000)(-2+1) + (3000)(-2) + (8000)(-0.5)

= -11000 N = 11 kN
58

8000 N

3000 N/m
1000 N/m

4m
MC

4m

4m

2
+(1/2)(8)(2) = 8

x
(1/2)(4)(2) = 4

-2

(MC)max positive

= (8000)(2) + (3000)(8) + (8-4)(1000)

= 44000 Nm = 44 kNm
59