Unit 5 – Slope and Deflection of Beams

Introduction
Whenever beam is subjected to bending moment the beam will deflect under the load this
deflection should be within the limit according to IS standard it should be less than span/350
or 20mm least value is considered. Thus the beam should be sufficiently stiff. This criteria of
design is known as stiffness criteria and stiffness of beam depends on moment of inertia.

Deflection of beam is in curved shape and its radius is given by bending equation

In many cases deflection of beams at some particular point is required.

Slope deflection of beam bent in to circular arc

Consider the beam AB of length L subjected to bending moment M. Let beam bent in to
circular arc of radius R.
I= Moment of inertia of beam section. Y= deflection of beam at centre.
ia.= maximum slope of beam at A. (angle between tangent to AB at A)
Now from geometry of figure AC. CB = CD.CE

As y is very small we can neglect

From bending equation put in above equation

This equation will give the deflection at centre C.

Slope : Slope at A and B is equal to angle of tangent at A with AB
From fig For small angle
 Unit 5 – Slope and Deflection of Beams

Relation between slope deflection and radius of curvature when beam bends

• Consider the small portion of beam ‘PQ’ of length ds, OX and OY reference axes.

• Let tangent at P and Q makes an angle ψ and ψ+dψ with X axis.

• Normal at P and Q meet at C so C is centre of curvature.

• From geometry of figure CP=CQ= R ------radius of curvature and angle PCQ= dψ.

Now,
PQ = ds = R dψ

Let PR = dx and QR = dy

Differentiating w. r. t. x
 Unit 5 – Slope and Deflection of Beams

From equation 1. and 2.

Putting this value in equation 3.

From bending equation

This is known as deflection equation of beam.

 Unit 5 – Slope and Deflection of Beams

The deflection equation gives the relation between the bending moment at
any point in terms of deflection. First integration of it gives the slope at any
point in the beam and when above equation is integrated two times it gives
deflection.

Double integration method of deflection

Deflection equation of beam is given by

Integrate this equation

Integrate slope equation,

This equation gives the deflection at any point.

 Unit 5 – Slope and Deflection of Beams

Case 1 . Slope and deflection of cantilever subjected to point load at free end

Consider a cantilever AB of length L subjected to point load W at free end B.

Let I= moment of inertia of beam. E = Young’s modulus of beam material.
Consider a section X at a distance x from the fixed end.
Bending moment at section X
Putting this bending moment in deflection equation

Slope:-
Integrating above equation we get,

For cantilever at fixed end A i.e. x = 0, ,

Above equation is the slope equation for cantilever. Negative sign indicates down
ward slope.
From above slope is maximum at x = L or at free end B.
Maximum slope is given by

Negative sign because of downward direction thus slope at B is

Deflection:-
Integration of slope equation will give the deflection

For cantilever at fixed end A i.e. x = 0, ,

 Unit 5 – Slope and Deflection of Beams

This is the deflection equation for cantilever. Negative sign indicates deflection is
down ward.
From above, deflection is maximum at x = L or at free end B.

Thus maximum deflection in cantilever subjected to point load W at free end is

Case 2 . Slope and deflection of cantilever subjected to point load at a

distance a from fixed end

Consider a cantilever of length L carrying a point load at a distance ‘a’ from fixed end
Let, ib = slope at B. yb = deflection at B.

Beam will bend between A and B and it remains straight from B to C.

Deflection at B,

-------1.

Slope at B,

-------2
 Unit 5 – Slope and Deflection of Beams

Let B1C1 perpendicular to CC2. From figure

B1C2 is straight and tangent at B thus from triangle C1B1C2

For small slope

From equation 2.

From figure deflection at C is

 Unit 5 – Slope and Deflection of Beams

Case 3. Slope and deflection of cantilever subjected to UDL over whole span

Figure shows the cantilever AB of length L, subjected to uniformly distributed load W N/mm
over whole span. Let I be the moment of inertia of beam.
Consider any section X at a distance x from fixed end A. Bending moment at section X

According to deflection equation bending moment at any section is

Slope:
Integrating above equation

Constant of integration C1 is calculated from boundary values. At fixed end A

Putting in equation 1.

This is the slope equation. Now slope is maximum at free end i.e. x=L.

Deflection
Integrating slope equation
 Unit 5 – Slope and Deflection of Beams

At fixed end A

Putting in equation 4.

This is the deflection equation. Now deflection is maximum at free end i.e. x=L.

Case 3. Slope and deflection of cantilever subjected to UDL over a distance

‘a’ from fixed end

Deflection at B

Slope at B

Slope at B = Slope at C
Let BC1 be perpendicular to CC2

for small slope ib

 Unit 5 – Slope and Deflection of Beams

Deflection at C

Case 3. Slope and deflection of cantilever subjected to UDL over a distance

‘a’ from free end

Slope :

Slope at free end due to downward UDL over whole span

Slope at free end due to upward UDL on (L-a) distance

Slope at free end due to upward UDL on distance ‘a’ from free end
 Unit 5 – Slope and Deflection of Beams

Deflection:

Deflection at C due to UDL over whole span

Deflection due to upward load over length (L-a) from fixed end

Resultant deflection

Problem 1. Find the slope and deflection at the free end of cantilever as shown in figure.
Take E=2X105 N/mm2 and I=5X1010 mm4.

Slope at free end

Slope at free end= slope due to point load +slope due to UDL

.
Deflection at free end

Deflection at free end= Deflection due to point load + Deflection due to UDL

Problem 2. A cantilever of length 2m carries UDL of 25KN/m for a length of 1.25m from the
fixed end and point load of 1KN at free end. Find the slope and deflection at free end if
section is rectangular with 12cm wide and 24cm deep. Take E=1X104 N/mm2
 Unit 5 – Slope and Deflection of Beams

Moment of inertia of section @NA

Slope at free end=slope due to UDL+ slope due to point load

Deflection at free end= Deflection due to point load + Deflection due to UDL

Problem 3. A cantilever of rectangular section 100mmX200mm and 2m long is loaded with

point load of 1KN at its free end and UDL of 2KN/m on a length of 1m from its mid point to
free end. Find the slope and deflection at free end. Take E=2X105 N/mm2
 Unit 5 – Slope and Deflection of Beams

Moment of inertia mm4

Slope at free end

rad

Deflection:
Resultant deflection at free end

Problem 4. A cantilever of length 2m carries UDL of 20KN at free end and 30KN at middle
Find the slope and deflection at free end. Take E=2X105 N/mm2 and I=15650X104 mm4
Problem 5. Find the maximum deflection and slope of cantilever 5m long is loaded with 4KN at 4m
from fixed end. Take EI=40X107N-m2.

Case 3 . Slope and deflection of simply supported beam subjected to point

load at centre

Consider simply supported beam AB of length L subjected to point load at mid span.
Support reactions at A and B are

Consider half part of beam and taking section X-X at a distance x from B.
Bending moment at X-X
 Unit 5 – Slope and Deflection of Beams

From deflection equation

Slope
Integrating above equation

This is the slope equation.

For finding constant of integration C1 put

This is the slope equation for beam.

Slope is maximum at x=0 i.e. at supports A and B.

Deflection
Integrate the slope equation

At x=0 deflection y=0 thus C2=0,

 Unit 5 – Slope and Deflection of Beams

Thus the deflection equation becomes

Deflection is maximum at centre i.e. x=L/2 putting in above equation

Case 4 . Slope and deflection of simply supported beam subjected to UDL

over whole span.

Consider simply supported beam of length L subjected to UDL of intensity W per unit length.
Support reactions are,

Consider section -X at a distance ‘x’ from support B. bending moment at x

According to deflection equation

 Unit 5 – Slope and Deflection of Beams

Slope:
Integration of equation 1 is gives the slope

This gives the slope at distance x.

Maximum slope is at supports A and B i.e. x=0 and x=L.

putting x=0 in equation 2. We get slope at B and A i.e. ia=ib

Or

Deflection:
Integration of slope equation gives the deflection.

Deflection equation
 Unit 5 – Slope and Deflection of Beams

Deflection is maximum at centre i.e. at x=L/2.

Thus maximum deflection is

Downward deflection

Problem1. A beam of 3.6 m long and having rectangular cross-section 30cm deep and
12.5cm wide rests on supports at ends caries a point load at its centre. If maximum bending
stress set up is 16N/mm2 find the value of W and deflection at centre. Take E=1.2X104
N/mm2.

Support reactions

Moment of inertia of section

Bending moment at centre is maximum

Maximum bending moment

Bending stress is maximum at extreme fibers of the section

Maximum bending stress

Deflection at centre
 Unit 5 – Slope and Deflection of Beams

Problem 2. A simply supported beam of uniform rectangular cross-section 200mm wide and
300mm deep is simply supported at ends. It carries UDL of 9KN/m run over entire span of
5m. If value of E for beam material is 1X104N/mm2 find slope at ends and maximum
deflection.

Moment of inertia of section

Slope at supports

Deflection at centre

Problem 3. A simply supported beam of rectangular cross-section carries central point load
25KN at a stress of 7.5 N/mm2. Calculate maximum deflection and width of beam of the
section if the span is 6m and E=1.25X104 N/mm2 and depth of section is 400mm.

Moment of inertia of section

Slope at supports

Deflection at centre

Problem 4. A girder of uniform section and constant depth of 1800mm is freely supported
over span of 20m. Calculate maximum deflection for UDL on it such that maximum bending
stress is 120N/mm2. E=200GPa.
 Unit 5 – Slope and Deflection of Beams

Let W be intensity of UDL and I be the moment of inertia.

Support reactions

Maximum bending moment is at centre.

Maximum bending moment

Maximum bending stress

Bending moment at centre

From equation 1. and 2.

Maximum deflection for simply supported beam subjected to UDL