Shri Ramdeobaba Kamla Nehru Engineering College, Nagpur, Civil Engineering Department

EXPERIMENT No. 7
Aim To draw influence line diagram of central reaction in a two span continuous beam.

Apparatus Continuous beam support, weight pulley, hanger & dial gauge.

Diagram

x W

L L
RA RB RC

ILD for RB
Theory An influence line is a graphical representation of any function such as reaction, shear
force at a section bending moment at a section deflection at a section or stress at a
point, when unit load is moving over the span. It shows the variation of function for
moving unit load. Influence line constructed for unit loads are called unit influence
line.

Influence line constructed by first calculating the ordinates which represent the value
of the desired function due to a unit load as it moves across the structure. These
ordinates are the plotted under the load at each critical position of the load and the
line connecting the extremities of these ordinates is the influence line for desired
function.

Procedure
1. Make beam simply supported at A & C. by removing central support B.
2. Attach a dial gauge at the center B.
3. Place load at the measured distance from A and read the dial gauge reading for the
deflection at center.
4. Repeat the procedure for various positions of load (same magnitude) and study the
reaction at central support B.
5. Plot a graph between distance on y-axis & ILD ordinate on x-axis.

Observation

W = _______ gm

L = _______ mm

Structural Analysis II 1
 Shri Ramdeobaba Kamla Nehru Engineering College, Nagpur, Civil Engineering Department

For portion AB
Load positions at distance from ‘A’ Deflection
Sl. No. Ordinates of ILD (δ/δ)
(cm) (δ) mm
1.

2.

3.

4.
At B 1.0

For Portion BC
Load positions at distance from ‘A’ Deflection
Sl. No. Ordinates of ILD (δ/δ)
(cm) (δ) mm
5.
At B 1.0
6.

7.

8.

Calculation

Result The influence line diagram shows the deflection at all points of load application,
which shows values of central support reaction for moving unit load.

Discussion _______________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________

Structural Analysis II 2