UNIVERSITY COLLAGE OF TECHNOLOGY SARAWAK

SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY

EEM3961
ENGINEERING LABORATORY 2
LABORATORY REPORT

LAB CODE

DM4

LAB NAME

REACTION OF PROPPED
CANTILEVER BEAM

GROUP NO

NAME

JAYLE FRANCIS

ID NO

BME 15090005

DATE OF EXPERIMENT

11/5/2016

DATE OF SUBMISSION

23/5/2016

LECTURER/INSTRUCTO

MS TAHARAH BINTI EDIN

CONTENT

2
OBJECTIVE
2
THEORY
2
APPARATUS
3
PROCEDURE
4
RESULT AND DISCUSSION
7
CONCLUSION
8
REFFERENCE

DM4: REACTION OF PROPPED CANTILEVER

BEAM
OBJECTIVE
1. To determine the fixed end moment and reaction at the supports of a propped
cantilever beam.
2. To compare the experimental and theoretical results.

THEORY
The fixed end moment at the support of a propped cantilever beam is given by:
MF = - W * a * (L2 a2) / (2L2) (1)
The reaction at the simple support is given by:
RA = W { 1 - [(L-a)2 * (2L+a)] / (2*L3)} (2)

APPARATUS
1. A support that can measure moment and a support that is able to measure
reaction.
2. A steel beam
3. A set of weight

PROCEDURE
2

1. The two supports were fixed tightly to the base with the distance between
them equals to the span of the beam.
2. The load cell was checked so that it was properly secured to the pivoting
plate.
3. The ends of the beam were placed between the clamping plates of the
supports and two screws were tightened to fix the beam.
4. The load hanger was clipped at the position where the beam was to be
loaded.
5. The load cell wires were connected from the fixed support to the digital
indicator and the indicator was switched on.
6. Tare button was pressed to set the digital indicator reading to zero.
7. A suitable load was placed on the load hanger and the reading of each load
cell was recorded.
8. The load on the load hanger was increased and the pier reaction was
recorded.
9. The experiment was repeated for a few more load increments.

RESULT AND DISCUSSION

Beam span

0.50 m

Distance of the load from support B, a

0.20 m

Fixed end moment (Experimental)

0.21 m

Table 1: Data for reaction of cantilever

Load
W, (N)
10
20
30
40
50

Load Cell Reading

At Pinned Support
At Fixed Support
2.1
4.5
4.2
8.9
6.3
13.3
8.4
17.6
10.5
22

Table 2: Comparison of experimental and theoretical fixed end moments

Load on the

Load Cell

Experiment Fixed

Theoretical Fixed

Beam, W(N)
10
20
30
40
50

Reading, N
4.5
8.9
13.3
17.6
22

End Moment
0.95
1.87
2.79
3.70
4.62

End Moment
0.96
1.92
2.88
3.84
4.80

Table 3: Comparison of experimental and theoretical pin support reaction

Load on the Beam,

Experimental Reaction

Theoretical Reaction at

W(N)
10
20
30
40
50

at Pinned Support
2.1
4.2
6.3
8.4
10.5

Pinned Support
2.08
4.16
6.24
8.32
10.40

Reaction at the Fixed Support versus Load

12

10

f(x) = 0.21x + 0

Reaction Force (N)

0
5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

50

55

Applied Load (N)

Experiment

Linear (Experiment)

Theoretical

Linear (Theoretical)

Percentage error using the slope obtained from the above graph:
error

valueexperiment value
|theoreticaltheoretical
|100
value
0.2080.21
|
100
0.208 |

0.96

Fixed End Moment versus Load

6.00

5.00
f(x) = 0.1x
f(x) = 0.09x
4.00

Reaction Moment (Nm)

3.00

2.00

1.00

0.00
5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

50

55

Applied Load (N)

Experiment

Linear (Experiment)

Theoretical

Linear (Theoretical)

Percentage error using the slope obtained from the above graph:
error

valueexperiment value
|theoreticaltheore
|100
tical value
0.0960.0926
|
|100
0.096

3.54

CONCLUSION
For a beam loaded with a single point load as above, the relationship between the
fixed end moment and load as well as the reaction at the pinned support and load
are:i.
ii.

The fixed end moment is directly proportional to load

The reaction at the pinned support is directly proportional to load

The change in the magnitude of the fixed end moment and the reaction at the fixed
support if the load moves away from the pinned support is:
i.

From the equation above the fixed end moment is

aw ( a2 L ) ( aL )
M F=
2 L2
Let a=xL0 x 1
xL w ( xL2 L ) ( xLL )
M F=
2 L2
M F =Lw

In this case
MF

x 3x

+x
2
2
Lw

is constant and

x3 3 x 2

+ x , 0 x 1
2
2

The graph of

x3 3 x2

+ x , 0 x 1 is:
2
2

From the graph we can see, the maximum fixed end moment is occur
at a 0.42 L which is

M F =0.1924500897299 wL and fixed end

moment is equal to zero at point at a=0 and a=L . In the

7

nutshell, if a>0.42 L , fixed end moment will increase, else, fixed

end moment will decrease if the load moves away from the pinned
ii.

support.
From the equation above the reaction at the fixed support is
w ( a33 a 2 L+2 L3 )
RF =
2 L3
Let a=xL0 x 1
RF =
RF =

w ( ( xL )3 3 ( xL )2 L+2 L3 )
2L

w ( x 33 x 2 +2 )
2

In this case w
3

RF

is constant and

( x 3 x +2 )
2

The graph of

,0 x 1

( x3 3 x 2 +2 )
2

,0 x 1 is:

From the graph we can see, the maximum fixed support reaction is
occur at a=0 which is

RF =w and fixed support reaction is equal

to zero at point at a=L . In the nutshell, fixed support reaction

increase if the load moves away from the pinned support.

REFERENCE
Hibbeler, R. (2001). Engineering Mecchanics: Dynamics. Prentice Hall: Pearson.

Hibbeler, R. (2001). Engineering Mechanis: Static. Prentice Hall: Pearson.

Hibbeler, R. C. (2011). Mechanis of Materials (8th ed.). Prentice Hall: Pearson.