Tishik International University

faculty of engineering
Civil engineering department

Influence Line
Ahmed Othman
Third Stage

2019-2020
Table of Contents

1 Introduction ............................................................................................................................. 2

2 Procedure for Analysis ............................................................................................................ 3

2.1 Tabulate Values ................................................................................................................ 3

2.2 Influence-Line Equations ................................................................................................. 3

3 Examples (equation and tabulate)............................................................................................ 4

4 Influence line by Müller-Breslau ............................................................................................. 7

5 Examples (Müller-Breslau) ..................................................................................................... 8

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 Influence Line

1 Introduction

If a structure is subjected to a live or moving load, however, the variation of the shear and
bending moment in the member is best described using the influence line. An influence
line represents the variation of either the reaction, shear, moment, or deflection at a
specific point in a member as a concentrated force moves over the member. Once this
line is constructed, one can tell at a glance where the moving load should be placed on
the structure so that it creates the greatest influence at the specified point. Furthermore,
the magnitude of the associated reaction, shear, moment, or deflection at the point can
then be calculated from the ordinates of the influence-line diagram. For these reasons,
influence lines play an important part in the design of bridges, industrial crane rails,
conveyors, and other structures where loads move across their span.

Although the procedure for constructing an influence line is rather basic, one should
clearly be aware of the difference between constructing an influence line and constructing
a shear or moment diagram. Influence lines represent the effect of a moving load only at
a specified point on a member, whereas shear and moment diagrams represent the effect
of fixed loads at all points along the axis of the member.

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2 Procedure for Analysis

Either of the following two procedures can be used to construct the influence line at a specific
point P in a member for any function (reaction, shear, or moment). For both of these procedures
we will choose the moving force to have a dimensionless magnitude of unity.

2.1 Tabulate Values

 Place a unit load at various locations, x, along the member, and at each location use
statics to determine the value of the function (reaction, shear, or moment) at the specified
point.
 If the influence line for a vertical force reaction at a point on a beam is to be constructed,
consider the reaction to be positive at the point when it acts upward on the beam.
 If a shear or moment influence line is to be drawn for a point, take the shear or moment
at the point as positive according to the same sign convention used for drawing shear and
moment diagrams.
 All statically determinate beams will have influence lines that consist of straight line
segments. After some practice one should be able to minimize computations and locate
the unit load only at points representing the end points of each line segment.
 To avoid errors, it is recommended that one first construct a table, listing “unit load at x”
versus the corresponding value of the function calculated at the specific point; that is,
“reaction R,” “shear V,” or “moment M.” Once the load has been placed at various
points along the span of the member, the tabulated values can be plotted and the
influence-line segments constructed.

2.2 Influence-Line Equations

 The influence line can also be constructed by placing the unit load at a variable position
x on the member and then computing the value of R, V, or M at the point as a function of
x. In this manner, the equations of the various line segments composing the influence
line can be determined and plotted.

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3 Examples (equation and tabulate)

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4 Influence line by Müller-Breslau

Muler-Breslau’s principle: The influence line for a force (or moment) response function is given
by the deflected shape of the released structure obtained by removing the restraint corresponding
to the response function from the original structure and by giving the released structure a unit
displacement (or rotation) at the location and in the direction of the response function, so that
only the response function and the unit load perform external work. •Valid only for influence
lines for response functions involving forces and moments, e.g. reactions, shears, bending
moments or forces in truss members, not valid for deflections.

The influence line for a function (reaction, shear, moment) is to the same scale as the deflected
shape of the beam when the beam is acted on by the function. To draw the deflected shape
properly, the ability of the beam to resist the applied function must be removed.

For example, consider the following simply supported beam

Let’s try to find the shape of

the influence line for the
vertical reaction at A.

Remove the ability to resist

movement in the vertical
direction at A by using a
guided roller

The influence line of point A will

be like this figure

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5 Examples (Müller-Breslau)

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6 Applications

Influence lines are important in designing beams and trusses used in bridges, crane rails,
conveyor belt, floor girders, and other structures where loads will move along their span.

The influence lines show where a load will create the maximum effect for any of the functions
studied.

Influence lines are both scalar and additive. This means that they can be used even when the load
that will be applied is not a unit load or if there are multiple loads applied. To find the effect of
any non-unit load on a structure, the ordinate results obtained by the influence line are multiplied
by the magnitude of the actual load to be applied. The entire influence line can be scaled, or just
the maximum and minimum effects experienced along the line. The scaled maximum and
minimum are the critical magnitudes that must be designed for in the beam or truss.

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7 References

1. OBrien, Eugene J., M. J. Quilligan, and Raid Karoumi. "Calculating an influence

line." Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers-Bridge Engineering. Thomas
Telford Ltd, 2006.
2. Al-Shahrabi, A. M., and M. N. Kirsanov. "Line of influence of the deflection for
cantilever truss." Вестник научных конференций. No. 2-1. ООО Консалтинговая
компания Юком, 2016.
3. Mueller, Antje, et al. "The influence of glucan polymer structure and solution
conformation on binding." Glycobiology 10.4 (2000).
4. Structural Analysis by R C Hibbeler 8th edition (Book).

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