Deflection of Beams

Equation of the Elastic Curve

The governing second order differential equation for the elastic curve
of a beam deflection is

d2 y
EI =M
dx2

where EI is the flexural rigidity, M is the bending moment, and y is

the deflection of the beam (+ve upwards).

Boundary Conditions

Fixed at x = a:

Deflection is zero ) y =0
x=a
dy
Slope is zero ) =0
dx x=a

Simply supported at x = a:

Deflection is zero ) y =0
x=a

A fourth order differential equation can also be written as

d4 y
EI = w
dx4

where is w is the distributed load.

Here, two more boundary conditions are needed in terms of
bending moment and shear force.
Boundary Conditions

Free at x = a:

d2 y
Bending moment is zero ) M = EI =0
dx2
x=a

d3 y
Shear force is zero ) V = EI =0
dx3
x=a

Simply supported at x = a:

d2 y
Bending moment is zero ) M = EI =0
dx2
x=a

Notes on Integration
Z Z Z
( ax + b)dx = axdx + bdx + C1

ax2
+ bx + C1
=
2
Z ✓ 2 ◆ Z Z Z
ax ax2
+ bx + C1 dx = dx + bxdx + C1 dx + C2
2 2
ax3 bx2
= + + C1 x + C2
6 2

Problem 1.

Calculate the tip deflection for the cantilever beam shown below.

Figure 106: Problem 1.

Bending moment
M= Px
Hence,

d2 y
EI = M = Px
dx2
dy Px2
EI = + C1 [integrating with respect to x] P
dx 2
Px3
EIy = + C1 x + C2 [integrating again with respect to x]
6
M
Use boundary condition dy/dx = 0 and y = 0 at x = L.
x
V
dy Figure 107: Problem 1: Free-body
=0 diagram.
dx
x= L
PL2
) C1 =
2

y =0
x= L
PL3
) + C1 L + C2 = 0
6
PL3
) C2 =
3
Hence, the equations of the deflection and slope becomes
✓ ◆
1 Px3 PL2 x PL3
y= +
EI 6 2 3
✓ 2 2 ◆
dy 1 Px PL
= +
dx EI 2 2

The tip deflection and the rotation

PL3
y =
3EI
x =0

dy PL2
=
dx 2EI
x =0

Problem 2.

Calculate the maximum deflection for the beam shown.

The support reactions are

Ay = By = P/2

0  x  L/2:
Bending moment
Px
M=
2
 P
y

x
A B

Ay By
Figure 108: Problem 2.

Hence, M

d2 y Px x
V
EI =M=
dx2 2
dy Px2
EI = + C1 [integrating with respect to x]
dx 4
Px3 Ay = P/2
EIy = + C1 x + C2 [integrating again with respect to x]
12 Figure 109: Problem 2: For 0  x 
L/2.
Use boundary condition y = 0 at x = 0.

C2 = 0
V
L/2  x  L:
M
Bending moment
P( L x) L x
M=
2
Hence,

d2 y P( L x) PL Px By = P/2
EI =M= =
dx2 2 2 2 Figure 110: Problem 2: For L/2  x 
dy PLx Px2 L.
EI = + C3 [integrating with respect to x]
dx 2 4
PLx2 Px3
EIy = + C3 x + C4 [integrating again with respect to x]
4 12
Use boundary condition y = 0 at x = L.

PL3 PL3
0= + C3 L + C4
4 12
PL3
C3 L + C4 =
6
Now, use compatibility condition that deflections and slopes from
both these equations at x = L/2 should match.
 Or, due to the symmetry of the problem slope at x = L/2 should
be zero, i.e., dy/dx = 0 at x = L/2. From the equation for the first
half of the beam

dy PL2
EI = + C1 = 0
dx 16
x = L/2
PL2
) C1 =
16
Similarly, from the equation for the second half of the beam

dy PL2 PL2
EI = + C3 = 0
dx 4 16
x = L/2
3PL2
) C3 =
16
PL3 PL3
) C4 = C3 L =
6 48
Hence, the equations of the elastic curve
8 ⇣ 3 ⌘
< 1 Px PL2 x
EI ⇣ 12 16 for 0  x  L/2
y= 3 2 2 3
⌘
:1 Px
+ PLx 3PL x
+ PL
for L/2  x  L
EI 12 4 16 48

Hence, maximum deflection at the midspan

PL3 PL3 PL3

y = = [using the first equation]
96EI 32EI 48EI
x = L/2

PL3
) |y|max =
48EI
PL3 PL3 3PL3 PL3 PL3
Check: y = + + = [using the second equation]
96EI 16EI 32EI 48EI 48EI
x = L/2

Slope at the left end

dy PL2
=
dx 16EI
x =0

Slope at the right end

dy PL2
=
dx 16EI
x= L

Problem 3.

Calculate the maximum deflection for the beam shown.

 Figure 111: Problem 3.

w0 = 5 KN/m

x
A B

L = 10 m

We will convert all units to N and m. So, our y will be in m. (5 ⇥ 103 ) · x = 5000x N
The vertical support reactions are Ay = By = w0 L/2 = 25 kN.
w0 = 5 KN/m
Bending moment at a distance of x from left end
⇣x⌘
M= (5000x ) · + 25000x
2
= 2500x2 + 25000x

Hence, M
x/2
d2 y V
EI = M = 2500x2 + 25000x
dx2 x
dy 2500x3
EI = + 12500x2 + C1 [integrating with respect to x]
dx 3
Ay = 25 kN
2500x4 12500x3
EIy = + + C1 x + C2 [integrating again] Figure 112: Problem 3: Free-body
12 3 diagram.
Use boundary conditions y = 0 at x = 0 and x = L = 10 m.

y =0
x =0
) C2 = 0

y =0
x =10 m
2500 · (10)4 12500 · (10)3
) + + C1 · (10) = 0
12 3
C1 = 208.33 ⇥ 103

Hence, the equations of the elastic curve and the slope of the curve
✓ ◆
1 2500x4 12500x3 3
y= + (208.33 ⇥ 10 ) x
EI 12 3
✓ ◆
dy 1 2500x3
= + 12500x2 208.33 ⇥ 10 3
dx EI 3
 Maximum deflection at the midspan

651.04 ⇥ 103
y =
EI
x =5 m

651.04 ⇥ 103 5wL4

) |y|max = =
EI 384EI

Problem 4.

Calculate the maximum deflection at the tip for the beam shown.
We will convert all units to N and m. So, our y will be in m.

Figure 113: Problem 4.

w0 = 10 KN/m
y

L=5m

1
2 (2x ) x = x2 kN = 1000x2 N
Bending moment
w0 x
w= L = 2x KN/m

x 1000x3
M= 1000x2 · =
3 3

Hence,
M
x/3
V
d2 y 1000x3
EI 2 = M = x
dx 3
dy 250x4 Figure 114: Problem 4: Free-body
EI = + C1 [integrating with respect to x]
dx 3 diagram.
50x5
EIy = + C1 x + C2 [integrating again with respect to x]
3
 Use boundary conditions dy/dx = 0 and y = 0 at x = L = 5 m.

dy
=0
dx
x =5 m
250 · (5)4
) + C1 = 0
3
) C1 = 52.083 ⇥ 103

y =0
x =5 m
50 · (5)5
) + C1 · (5) + C2 = 0
3
C2 = 208.33 ⇥ 103

Hence, the equations of the elastic curve and the slope of the curve
✓ ◆
1 50x5
y= + (52.083 ⇥ 103 ) x 208.33 ⇥ 10 3
EI 3
✓ ◆
dy 1 250x4 3
= + 52.083 ⇥ 10
dx EI 3

Maximum deflection at the tip

208.33 ⇥ 103
y =
EI
x =0

208.33 ⇥ 103 w L4
) |y|max = = 0
EI 30EI

Problem 5.

Estimate the deflection curve for the beam shown.

Figure 115: Problem 5.

w0
y

x
A B
L/2

Ay By
 Using the equations for equilibrium

 Fy = 0
1 L w L
Ay + By = · w0 · = 0
2 2 4
 MA = 0
w0 L L w L2
By · L = · = 0
4 3 12
w0 L
) By =
12
w0 L w0 L w L
) Ay = = 0
4 12 6
⇣ ⌘
0  x  L/2: 1 2w0 x
x= w0 x 2
2 L L
Bending moment 2w0 x
w= L

w0 x2 x w0 Lx
M= · +
L 3 6
w0 Lx w0 x3
=
6 3L

Hence, M
x/3
V
d2 y w0 Lx w0 x3 x
EI 2 = M =
dx 6 3L
dy w0 Lx2 w0 x 4
EI = + C1 [integrating with respect to x] w0 L
dx 12 12L Ay = 6
w0 Lx3 w0 x 5 Figure 116: Problem 5: For 0  x 
EIy = + C1 x + C2 [integrating again] L/2.
36 60L

L/2  x  L:
Bending moment

w0 L V
M= ( L x)
12 M
w L2 w0 Lx
= 0 L x
12 12

Hence,

By = P/2
d2 y w L2 w0 Lx
EI 2
=M= 0 Figure 117: Problem 5: For L/2  x 
dx 12 12 L.
dy w0 L2 x w0 Lx2
EI = + C3 [integrating with respect to x]
dx 12 24
w0 L 2 x 2 w0 Lx3
EIy = + C3 x + C4 [integrating again]
24 72
 Use boundary conditions y = 0 at x = 0 and x = L.

y =0
x =0
) C2 = 0

y =0
x= L
w0 L 4
) C3 L + C4 =
36
Next, use the compatibility condition that at x = L/2 deflection
and slope from both of these expressions should match.
0 1 0 1

EI @y A = EI @y A
x = L/2 expression 1 x = L/2 expression 2
w0 L L3 w0 L 5 L w L3L2 LL 2 w0 L
) · · + C1 · = 0 · · + C3 · + C4
36 8 60L 32 2 24 4 72 8 2
17w0 L4 C1 L 11w0 L4 C3 L w0 L 4
) + = [C4 = C3 L]
5760 2 576 2 36
C L 127w0 L4 C3 L
) 1 =
2 5760 2
127w0 L 3
) C1 + C3 =
0 12880 0 1
dy dy
EI @ A = EI @ A
dx dx
x = L/2 expression 1 x = L/2 expression 2
w0 L L2
w0 L4
w L L2 w0 L L 2
) · · ( ) + C1 = 0 · · + C3
12 4 12L 16 12 2 24 4
w L 3 w L 3
) 0 + C1 = 0 + C3
64 32
w0 L 3
) C1 C3 =
64
Solving for C1 and C3 gives

41w0 L3
C1 =
2880
43w0 L3
C3 =
1440
w0 L 4
) C4 =
480
Hence, the equations for the elastic curve
8 ⇣ ⌘
< 1 w0 Lx3 w0 x 5 41w0 L3 x
for 0  x  L/2
EI ⇣ 36 60L 2880 ⌘
y=
: 1 w0 L 2 x 2 w0 Lx3 43w0 L3 x w0 L 4
for L/2  x  L
EI 24 72 1440 + 480
Method of Superposition

Method of superposition can be used if you have two or more loads

acting on the beam.

Problem 6.

Estimate the deflection of the beam as shown.

P Figure 118: Problem 6.

w0

Using method of superposition combine results from the following

two cases:

P Figure 119: Problem 6: Method of

superposition.
w0

L L/2

For the first case:

Figure 120: Problem 6: Case I

w0

L
 We will use the fourth order governing differential equation.

d4 y
EI = w = w0
dx4
d3 y
) EI 3 = w0 x + C1
dx
d2 y w0 x 2
) EI 2 = + C1 x + C2
dx 2
dy w0 x 3 C x2
) EI = + 1 + C2 x + C3
dx 6 2
w0 x 4 C1 x3 C x2
) EIy = + + 2 + C3 x + C4
24 6 2
Use boundary conditions dy/dx = 0 and y = 0 at x = L and
d2 y
bending moment M = EI dx2 = 0 at x = 0 and shear force V =
d3 y
EI dx3 = 0 at x = 0.

d3 y
V = EI =0
dx3
x =0
) C1 = 0
d2 y
M = EI =0
dx2
x =0
) C2 = 0
dy
=0
dx
x= L
w0 L 3
) C3 =
6

y =0
x= L
w0 L 4
) + C3 L + C4 = 0
24
w L4 w0 L 4 w0 L 4
) C4 = 0 =
24 6 8
Hence, for the first case
✓ ◆
1 w0 x 4 w L3 x w0 L 4
y= + 0
EI 24 6 8
✓ ◆
dy 1 w0 x 3 w L3
= + 0
dx EI 6 6
 For the second case:

L/2
Figure 121: Problem 6: Case II

0  x  L/2:
Bending moment M = 0. Hence,

d2 y
EI =M=0
dx2
dy
EI = C1 [integrating with respect to x]
dx
M
EIy = C1 x + C2 [integrating again]
x
V
L/2  x  L:
Figure 122: Problem 6, Case II: For
Bending moment 0  x  L/2.
M= P( x L/2)

Hence,

d2 y PL
EI 2
= M = Px +
dx 2
P
dy Px2 PLx
EI = + + C3 [integrating with respect to x]
dx 2 2
Px3 PLx2
EIy = + + C3 x + C4 [integrating again]
6 4 M

Use boundary conditions dy/dx = 0 and y = 0 at x = L. L/2 V

x
dy
=0
dx Figure 123: Problem 6, Case II: For
x= L L/2  x  L.
PL2 PL2
) + + C3 = 0
2 2
) C3 = 0

y =0
x= L
PL3 PL3
) + + C4 = 0
6 4
PL3
) C4 =
12
Next, use the compatibility condition that at x = L/2 the slope and
the deflection should match.
0 1 0 1
dy dy
EI @ A = EI @ A
dx dx
x = L/2 expression 1 x = L/2 expression 2
PL2 PL2 PL2
) C1 = + =
0 8 1 4 8 0 1

EI @y A = EI @y A
x = L/2 expression 1 x = L/2 expression 2
C1 L PL3 PL3
) + C2 = + + C4
2 48 16
5PL3
) C2 =
48
Hence, for the second case, the equations for the elastic curve
8 ⇣ 2 ⌘
< 1 PL x 5PL3 for 0  x  L/2
EI ⇣ 8 48 ⌘
y= 3 2 3
:1 Px PLx PL
for L/2  x  L
EI 6 + 4 12

Combining case I and II, the elastic curves for the original beam
8 ⇣ ⌘
<1 w0 x 4 w0 L 3 x w0 L 4 PL2 x 5PL3
EI ⇣ 24 + 6 8 + 8 48 for 0  x  L/2
y= 4 3 4 3 2 3
⌘
:1 w0 x w0 L x w0 L Px PLx PL
EI 24 + 6 8 6 + 4 12 for L/2  x  L

The tip deflection and rotation

w0 L 4 5PL3
y =
8EI 48
x =0

dy w0 L 3 PL2
= +
dx 6EI 8EI
x =0

Statically Indeterminate Beams

Clever use of superposition can be utilized here.

Problem 7.

Calculate the support reaction Ay here.

Method I:
Let us use the method of superposition and divide the problem
into the following two cases.
From Problem 5, the deflection for the first case
✓ ◆
1 w0 x 4 w0 L 3 x w0 L 4
y= +
EI 24 6 8
 Figure 124: Problem 7.

w0

x
A B

Figure 125: Problem 7: Method of

superposition.
w0

Ay

Hence, the tip deflection in this case

w0 L 4
y =
8EI
x =0
For the second case, use the result from Problem 1. The tip deflec-
tion in this case
A y L3
y =
3EI
x =0
However, due to the presence of the roller support at A, the deflec- w0 x
tion at A should be zero. This leads to
w0
A y L3w0 L 4
=0
3EI 8EI
3w0 L
Ay =
8
Method II: Assume the unknown reaction at A as Ay and calculate
the bending moment as follows: M
Bending moment at a distance of x from left end x/2
⇣x⌘ V
M = ( w0 x ) · + Ay x x
2
w0 x 2
= + Ay x
2 Ay
Hence, Figure 126: Problem 7: Free-body
diagram.
d2 y w0 x2
EI =M= + Ay x
dx2 2
dy w0 x 3 Ay x2
EI = + + C1 [integrating with respect to x]
dx 6 2
w0 x 4 Ay x3
EIy = + + C1 x + C2 [integrating again]
24 6
 Use boundary conditions y = 0 at x = 0 and dy/dx = 0, y = 0 at
x = L.

y =0
x =0
C2 = 0
dy
=0
dx
x= L
A y L2
w0 L 3
) ++ C1 = 0
6 2
w L3 A y L2
) C1 = 0
6 2

y =0
x= L
w0 L 4 A y L3
) + + C1 L + C2 = 0
24 6 !
w0 L 4 A y L3 w0 L 4 A y L3
) + + =0
24 6 6 2
3w0 L
) Ay =
8

Problem 8.

Calculate the support reaction at A.

Figure 127: Problem 8.

w0 = 10 KN/m
y

x
A B

L=5m

Using method of superposition this problem can be divided into

two cases.
From Problem 4, the tip deflection for case I

w0 L 4 208.33 ⇥ 103
y = =
30EI EI
x =0
 Figure 128: Problem 8: Method of
superposition.
w0

Ay

From Problem 1, the tip deflection for case II

A y L3 41.67Ay
y = =
3EI EI
x =0

However, due to the presence of the roller support at A, the deflec-

tion at A should be zero. This leads to
41.67Ay 208.33 ⇥ 103
=0
EI EI
Ay = 5000 N = 5 kN