Lincoln University College Malaysia

Faculty of Engineering Structural Analysis -I (BCE 2123)

Civil Engineering Technology

TABLE OF CONTENTS

TABLE OF CONTENTS ............................................................................................................ i

LIST OF FIGURES ...................................................................................................................ii

LIST OF TABLES ....................................................................................................... iii

1. EXPERIMENT 14 MOMENT INFLUENCE LINE FOR SIMPLY

SUPPORTED BEAM .............................................................................................. 1

1.1 AIM: ................................................................................................................. 1

1.2 LEARNING OUTCOMES .............................................................................. 1

1.3 INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................ 1

1.4 THEORY .......................................................................................................... 1

1.5 APPARATUS .................................................................................................. 3

1.6 PROCEDURES ................................................................................................ 4

1.7 RESULT AND OBSERVATIONS .................................................................. 4

1.7.1 Experimental observation for Part I ........................................................... 4

1.7.2 Experimental observation for Part II .......................................................... 5

1.8 SAMPLE CALCULATION ............................................................................. 6

1.8.1 Sample Calculation for Part I ..................................................................... 6

1.8.2 Sample Calculation for Part II .................................................................... 6

1.9 DISCUSSIONS ................................................................................................ 9

1.9.1 Part I ........................................................................................................... 9

1.9.2 Part II ........................................................................................................ 10

1.10 CONCLUSION .......................................................................................... 10

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Lincoln University College Malaysia
Faculty of Engineering Structural Analysis -I (BCE 2123)
Civil Engineering Technology

LIST OF FIGURES

Figure 1: Variation of Moment at a Cut Section with a Moving Unit Load ------------ 1
Figure 2: Moment at Cut Section for Case I and II ----------------------------------------- 2
Figure 3: Moment Influence Line for Cut Section ------------------------------------------ 3
Figure 4: Influence Line Experiment Apparatus -------------------------------------------- 3
Figure 5: Forces arrangement for Location 1 ------------------------------------------------ 7
Figure 6: Forces arrangement for Location 2-4 with associated values of y ------------ 8
Figure 7: Experimental and Theoretical Moment values ---------------------------------- 9

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Lincoln University College Malaysia
Faculty of Engineering Structural Analysis -I (BCE 2123)
Civil Engineering Technology

LIST OF TABLES

Table 1: Experimental and Theoretical Computed Moments, Part I ---------------------- 4

Table 2: Experimental and Theoretical Computed Moments, Part II --------------------- 5
Table 3: Experimental and Theoretical Variation of Moments ---------------------------10

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Lincoln University College Malaysia
Faculty of Engineering Structural Analysis -I (BCE 2123)
Civil Engineering Technology

1. EXPERIMENT 14
MOMENT INFLUENCE LINE FOR SIMPLY SUPPORTED BEAM

1.1 AIM:

1.1.1 Part 1: To plot moment influence line.

1.1.2 Part 2: To apply the use of a moment influence on a simply supported beam.

1.2 LEARNING OUTCOMES

a) Application of engineering knowledge in practical application

b) To enhance the technical competency in civil engineering through laboratory application.
c) Communicate effectively in group.
d) To identify problem, solving and finding out appropriate solution through laboratory
application.

1.3 INTRODUCTION

Moving loads on beam are common features of design. Many road bridges are constructed from
beam, and as such have to be designed to carry a knife edge load, or a string of wheel loads, or
a uniformly distributed load, or perhaps the worst combination of all three. To find the critical
moment in section, influence line is used.

1.4 THEORY

Influence line is defined as a line representing the changes in either moment, shear force,
reaction or displacement at a section of a beam when a unit load moves on the beam.
Part 1: This experiment examines how moment varies at a cut section as a unit load moves
from one end another (see Figure 1). From the diagram, moment influence equation can be
written.

Figure 1: Variation of Moment at a Cut Section with a Moving Unit Load

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Lincoln University College Malaysia
Faculty of Engineering Structural Analysis -I (BCE 2123)
Civil Engineering Technology

Determination of beam reaction

Take the moment about 'B' , anticlockwise direction  +  and clockwise direction  - 
x
 M B  0,  RAl   l  x   0  RA  1 
l
x x
   Fy  0, RA  RB  1  0  1   RB  1  0  RB 
l l
Moment derivation at cut section;
For a unit load between, 0  x  a  (See Figure 2 (a))
 x
 M x  0, M x  RA a  1 a  x   0  M x  1   a   a  x 
 l
l  x  a 
Mx  a  x ..............................(1)
l
For a unit load between, a  x  l  (See Figure 2 (b))
 x
 M x  0,  M x  RBb  1 x  a   0  M x    b   x  a 
l
x
M x  b   x  a ..............................(2)
l

Figure 2: Moment at Cut Section for Case I and II

Part 2: If the beam is loaded as shown below, the moment at the ‘cut’ can be calculated
using the influence line. (See Figure 3).

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Lincoln University College Malaysia
Faculty of Engineering Structural Analysis -I (BCE 2123)
Civil Engineering Technology

Figure 3: Moment Influence Line for Cut Section

Moment at cut Section ,

M x  F1 y1  F2 y2  F3 y3 ..............................(3)
 y1 , y2 and y3are ordinates derived from the influence line in terms of x1 , x2 , x3 , a , b and l  .

1.5 APPARATUS

influence line experiment apparatus shown in Figure 4, weights and scales.

Figure 4: Influence Line Experiment Apparatus

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Lincoln University College Malaysia
Faculty of Engineering Structural Analysis -I (BCE 2123)
Civil Engineering Technology

1.6 PROCEDURES

Part 1:
1. Check the Digital Force Meter reads zero with no load.
2. Place hanger with any mass between 150-300g at the first grooved hanger
support at the left support and record the Digital Force reading in Table 1.
3. Repeat the procedure to the next grooved hanger until to the last grooved
hanger at the right hand support
4. Complete the calculation in Table 1.

Part 2:
1. Place three load hangers with any load between 50g to 400g on it and
place it at any position between the supports. Record the positions and the
Digital Force Display reading in Table 2.
2. Repeat the procedure with three other locations.
3. Complete the calculation in Table 2.

1.7 RESULT AND OBSERVATIONS

1.7.1 Experimental observation for Part I

The experimental results as well as the theoretical computed values for moment at the cut
section using influence line method for part 1 of the experiment are shown in Table 1.

Table 1: Experimental and Theoretical Computed Moments, Part I

Load location Digital Force Moment at Experimental Theoretical

from left hand Reading (N) cut section influence line Influence lines
support (m) (N) value (N) value (Nm)
0.04 0.2 0.025 0.013 0.013
0.06 0.3 0.038 0.019 0.019
0.08 0.4 0.05 0.025 0.026
0.10 0.5 0.063 0.032 0.032
0.12 0.6 0.075 0.038 0.038
0.14 0.7 0.088 0.045 0.045
0.16 0.8 0.10 0.051 0.051
0.18 0.9 0.113 0.058 0.057

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Lincoln University College Malaysia
Faculty of Engineering Structural Analysis -I (BCE 2123)
Civil Engineering Technology

0.20 1.0 0.125 0.064 0.064

0.22 1.1 0.138 0.07 0.07
0.24 1.2 0.15 0.077 0.076
0.26 1.3 0.163 0.083 0.083
0.30 1.5 0.188 0.10 0.096
0.32 1.3 0.163 0.083 0.082
0.34 1.1 0.138 0.07 0.07
0.36 0.8 0.10 0.051 0.055
0.40 0.4 0.05 0.025 0.027

Notes :
1- Moment at cut section = Digital force reading x 0.125
Moment (Nm)
2- Experimental Influence line values =
Load (N)
3- Calculate the theoretical value using the equation 1 for load position 40 – 260 mm
and equation 2 for load position 320mm and 400mm

1.7.2 Experimental observation for Part II

Table 2 shows the experimental result values for moment as well as the theoretical computed
values.

Table 2: Experimental and Theoretical Computed Moments, Part II

Location Position of hanger from Digital Experimental Theoretical

left hand support (m) force Moment moment
100 200 300 reading (N) (Nm) (Nm)
grams grams grams
1 40 100 200 2.1 0.263 0.261
2 80 160 260 2.9 0.363 0.366
3 360 340 80 2.1 0.263 0.260
4 260 400 60 1.6 0.200 0.190
Notes :
1- Moment at cut section = Digital force reading x 0.125
2-Theoretical moment is calculated using equation  3

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Lincoln University College Malaysia
Faculty of Engineering Structural Analysis -I (BCE 2123)
Civil Engineering Technology

1.8 SAMPLE CALCULATION

The sample calculation is provided for part I and part II for more clarification and easy
understanding on how the moment at a cut section using influence line method can be
experimentally and theoretically obtained.

1.8.1 Sample Calculation for Part I

Moment at cut section  0.2  0.125  0.025 Nm

Experimental Influence line values
Moment  Nm  0.025
Mx    0.013m
Load  N  1.962
Theoretical Influence lines value;
Equation (1) for load position between 40 mm  x  260 mm
l  x  a 
Mx  a  x x  0.04 m, a  0.3 m and l  0.44 m
l
 0.44  0.04   0.3  0.3  0.04  0.013 Nm
Mx   
0.44
Equation (2) for load position between 320 mm  x  400 mm
x
M x  b   x  a x  0.32 m, a  0.3 m and l  0.44 m
l
0.32
Mx   0.14   0.32  0.3  0.082 Nm
0.44

1.8.2 Sample Calculation for Part II

Calculation of Forces;
m1  100 g  F1  100  9.81 103  0.981 N
m2  200 g  F1  200  9.81 103  1.962 N
m3  300 g  F1  300  9.81 103  2.943 N

For Location (1)

Experimental moment at cut section  Nm   Digital force reading  0.125
 2.1 x 0.125  0.263 Nm
Moment at cut section ;
 x
 M x  0, M x  1   a  1  a  x 
 l
 x 
 1   a   0.3  x 
 0.44 

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Lincoln University College Malaysia
Faculty of Engineering Structural Analysis -I (BCE 2123)
Civil Engineering Technology

0.3
 0.3  x  0.3  x  M x  0.318 x
0.44
when x  0.3  M x  0.318  0.3  0.0954 Nm
Use triangle similarity theorem to find the value of y1 , y2 and y3 .
x1 y 0.095 x1 0.095  0.04
For y1 ,  1  y1    0.013m
a 0.095 a 0.3
x y 0.095 x3 0.095  0.1
For y2 , 2  2  y2    0.032m
a 0.095 a 0.3
x y 0.095 x3 0.095  0.2
For y3 , 3  3  y3    0.063m
a 0.095 a 0.3
Theoritical moment at cut section  Nm 
M x  F1 y1  F2 y2  F3 y3  M x  0.981 0.013  1.962  0.032  2.943  0.063  0.261Nm

Figure 5 shows the forces arrangement for location (1) in which the x value for each force was
measured from left side and based on the location of force the value of y can be determined.

Figure 5: Forces arrangement for Location 1

Figure 6 shows the calculation steps on how to fined the y values at each location and also it
shows the values for the experimental and theoretical moments at cut sections.

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Lincoln University College Malaysia
Faculty of Engineering Structural Analysis -I (BCE 2123)
Civil Engineering Technology

Figure 6: Forces arrangement for Location 2-4 with associated values of y

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Lincoln University College Malaysia
Faculty of Engineering Structural Analysis -I (BCE 2123)
Civil Engineering Technology

1.9 DISCUSSIONS

1.9.1 Part I

2. On the graph, plot the theoretical and experimental value against distance from left and
support. Comment on the shape of graph. What does it tell u about how moment varies at
the cut section as a load moved on the beam?
Figure 7 shows the plotted graph for the theoretical and experimental moment against the
distance from the left.

0.120

0.100
moment (Nm)

0.080

0.060 Series1
Series2
0.040

0.020

0.000
0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5
Distance from left(m)

Figure 7: Experimental and Theoretical Moment values

From the graph, a peak shaped graph can be obtained. The peak is the weakest point of the
beam where there is a hinge in the beam. As load is being moved on the beam, the influence
line which was constructed can be used to obtain the value of the moment. As load is
moved across near to it, the moment will increase. So does the other way round when load
is moving further than the hinge, the value of moment will decrease as the load is moving
towards the support at the end. As the load is moving along towards the hinge from both
side of support, it will come to a peak where the value of moment is the same.
3. Comment on the experimental results and compare it to the theoretical results. The
experimental results that we obtained are quite accurate and compare to the theoretical
results, the experimental results are only slightly different with theoretical results. When
we were conducted the experiment, we tried to minimize the error by ensuring the Digital
Force Meter reads zero with no load before we place the hangers.

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Lincoln University College Malaysia
Faculty of Engineering Structural Analysis -I (BCE 2123)
Civil Engineering Technology

1.9.2 Part II

1 Calculate the percentage difference between experimental and theoretical results in Table 2.
Comment on why the results differ.
Table 3 shows the variation percentage between the experimental and theoretical values
for the moments.

Table 3: Experimental and Theoretical Variation of Moments

Experimental Theoretical Percentage

Moment (Nm) moment (Nm) Different (%)
0.263 0.261 0.77
0.363 0.366 0.82
0.263 0.26 1.15
0.2 0.19 5.26

The experimental results are slightly different from theoretical results are due to human error
and instrument sensitivity as the reading of the instrument keep changing when we conducted
the experiment.

1.10 CONCLUSION

As a conclusion, both objectives were achieved. Moment influence line could be plot and the
influence line can be used to determine the moment. It can be also to identify the reaction and
behaviour of a beam in terms of its moment reaction value. This method is useful to check
every cross section for a particular beam.

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