Bending Deflection –

Macaulay Step Functions

AE1108-II: Aerospace Mechanics of Materials

Dr. Calvin Rans

Dr. Sofia Teixeira De Freitas

Aerospace Structures
& Materials
Faculty of Aerospace Engineering
 Recall Moment-Curvature Relationship
z
2
d v
M   EI 2

dz
1.2kN

v (beam displacement)

V(z)
V(x) 0
What if the moment -0.2kN

equation is not continuous? -0.8kN

-1kN

M(z)
M(x) 0
4 moment equations due -80 kNmm

to discontinuities
 8 constants of integration -120 kNmm
-180 kNmm

1 2 3 4
What if we had a mathematical
switch that we could integrate?

We could formulate a discontinuous

function as a continuous one!
Macaulay’s Step Function

fn  z    z  a or za 
n n
 

Such that when: za fn  z   0

za fn  z    z  a 
n

 z  a
n 1 constant of integration

  z  a dz  A
n
And:
n 1

 z2 
  z  a  dz   2  az   A
n
NOTE:
Macaulay’s Step Function
Examples
0 o[x a
0
M
MM =M z - a] 0

Mo
Mo M
0
zx == aa
a
zx
P
M zx == aa
0

 P=-P[x
z  a- a]
1
a M M

zx
Macaulay’s Step Function
Examples (cont)
w
M zx =
= aa
0
w
M   2z  a 
M = -w [x - a]22
a
2
xz
w w
M M
=
a a
w
b b
xz M =w-w [x - a]2 2+ ww[x - b]2 2
M   2 z  a   2  z  b 
2 2
 Example Problem
z
Using Macaulay’s step functions, determine
the deflection at L/2 (flexural rigidity = EI)

Equilibrium:

F

 RA  RB  P

M A  Pa  RB L
FBD:
Pb Pa
 RA  , RB 
L L
Macaulay Moment Function:
0 (always off)
(always on)
M  RA  z  0  P  z  a   RB  z  L 
Pb
 z  P  z  a
L
Example Problem (cont) z

Moment-Curvature:
d 2 v Pb
M   EI 2  z  P  z  a Pb Pa
dz L
L L
dv Pb 2 P
z   z  a  A
2
 EI 
dz 2L 2

Pb 3 P
z   z  a   Az  B
3
 EIv  
6L 6

Boundary Conditions A

6L
 L b 
Pb 2 2
@ z  0, v  0;  B  0
Pb 3 P
@ z  L, v  0; L   L  a   AL
3
0  
6L 6
=b
Example Problem (cont)
Displacement at L/2:
1  Pb 3 P Pb 2 2 
v 
EI  6 L
z   z  a 
6
3

6L
 L b z


1   
3
   
3
  
v  L2   

Pb L P L
      a  
EI  6 L  2  6  2   6 L
Pb
 L  b  
2 2 L
 2  


1 Pb P  L   
3

 
EI  48
 3L  4b      a  
2 2

6  2   
0 if a ≥ L/2