Lecture notes: Structural Analysis II

where the beam was acted upon by a distributed loading q(x). The internal forces that arise in
section cuts are depicted in Fig. 2.

q(x)
M M+dM

Q Q+dQ

R(x)
dx

Figure 2 Differential element of length dx

Considering the equilibrium of the differential element, the sum of the vertical forces gives:
ΣV = 0 Q − ( Q + dQ ) + RN( x) ⋅ dx − q ( x) ⋅ dx = 0 ;
k⋅ y( x)
dQ
= k⋅y−q .
dx

Considering the equilibrium of moments along the left section of the element we get:
dx 2 dx 2
ΣM = 0 dM − ( Q + dQ ) ⋅ dx − q +r =0;
2 2
0 0 0
dM
=q.
dx

Using now the well known differential equation of a beam in bending:

d2y M
2
=− ’
dx EI
it can be written:
dQ d 2 M d4y
= = − EI .
dx dx 2 dx 4

Finally, from the summation of the vertical forces ΣV = 0 :

d4y
− EI = k⋅y−q;
dx 4
k q ( x)
y IV + 4 ⋅y= .
4 EI
N EI
α4
In the above equation the parameter α includes the flexural rigidity of the beam as well as the
elasticity of the foundation. This factor is called the characteristic of the system with dimension
length-1. In that respect 1/ α is referred to as the so called characteristic length. Therefore, α ⋅ x
will be an absolute number.

The differential equation of equilibrium of an infinitely small element becomes:

2011 S. Parvanova, University of Architecture, Civil Engineering and Geodesy - Sofia 112