UNIT NO. 6.

RUNWAY BEAMS WITH CANTILEVERS

Extra care must be taken when testing a runway beam with a cantilever. It is not uncommon for
the designer to forget to take all factors into account this invariably will cause problems at the
testing stage.

Simple Cantilever
The simplest form of cantilever beam is what is known as ‘ENCASTRE’ see Fig 1.

Zero slope

Deflection
Curvature

l=L Maximum slope

Simply supported runway with cantilever

Figure 1

This type of installation is not often encountered but is the most stable. As previously discussed
the effective length ‘l’ is equal to the span ‘L’ because the fixed end is fully restrained. Also with
the load at the end of the cantilever deflection will be a maximum with zero slope at the fixed
end and maximum slope at the free end.

Runway beam with cantilever and two support beams

Figure 2

Consider first the runway beam. When checking the runway beam the tester would apply his
loads at fixings A and B, Centre of span at L1 and against end stops of cantilever L2. Neglecting
any deflection at A & B for the moment. If we apply a load at centre span of A B (Fig. 2) the
deflection of the beam would be exactly as a simply supported beam except at position C the
beam would rise. See Fig. 3 load at A & B will be W/2.

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 Deflection diagram of runway beam with cantilever and load W at L½
Figure 3

With the load at centre span (L1/2): Maximum slope is at A and B. Due to the slope at B section
B-C of beam lifts up with a continuous slope. Section A-B is curved whilst section B-C is
straight.

When the cantilever is loaded at C, Fig.4 the reactions differ. A maximum load is applied at B,
runway at A tries to lift off the support and the runway hogs between A and B.

downward
deflection

Slope of beam increases to a maximum at C

Deflection diagram of beam with cantilever load at position C

Figure 4

The deflection at C now is considerably greater than an ‘ENCASTRE’ beam Fig. 1 because the
beam is rotating about support B the deflection is compounded. We have deflection due to
curvature of beam from B to C plus the deflection due to the rotation at B. The rotation at B will
have a drastic effect on the deflection of cantilever at C and if not properly considered at the
design stage the deflection of the cantilever will be excessive and the Tester and Examiner will
have to fail the installation.

The Tester and Examiner must also remember that with load at C the load on reaction at B is a
maximum.

Example
If span A to B = 4 metres and cantilever B to C = 2 metres and the load at C was 1 tonne the
reaction at support B is:

(AB + BC) x 1 Tonne (4 + 2) x 1 Tonne 6

= = = x 1 Tonne = 1.5 Tonne
AB 4 4

Therefore Reaction at B is 1500 KG or 1.5 tonnes

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Measuring deflection
The method of measuring the deflection of runway between supports A and B Fig. 3 with load at
centre span will be as discussed in unit 6.4 Fig.5.

Deflection at A + Deflection at B
Actual Measured Deflection at Centre Span =
2

Measuring the deflection of the cantilever is rather more complicated. To establish the deflection
of the cantilever beam itself we must take into account the deflection at the supports A and B.
See Fig 5

Compound deflection diagram of runway beam with cantilever

and deflection of supports A and B
Figure 5

The measured deflection at point C will be the dimension D3, this is the result of upward
deflection at support A and downward deflection at support B (D1) and bending of the runway
beam (D2). BS 2853 states that D2 shall not exceed 1/250 of the span B to C. To establish D2 we
must first calculate D1. See Fig.6

Deflection of cantilever due to deflections of supports A and B only

Figure 6

With the load at C the Tester and Examiner will have measured the total deflection at C (D3)
(Fig.5) upward deflection at A (DA), (Fig.5) and the downward deflection at B (DB) (Fig.5).

To determine the downward deflection D1, (Fig.6), due to the upward deflection at A and
downward deflection at B, we can say that:

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 L2 L1 + L2
(1) D1 = Deflection A x + Deflection B x
L1 L1

(2) Deflection due to bending of Runway Beam = Measured Deflection − D1 = D 3 − D1

Example
Find the actual deflection of cantilever and state if it is within the allowable limit given in BS
2853 where:
Runway L1 = 6 metres
Cantilever L2 = 3 metres
Deflection A = 1.5 mm as in Fig.6
Deflection B = 2.5 mm as in Fig.6
Measured Deflection = 12 mm

3000 6000 + 3000 4.5 9

D1 = 1.5 x + 2.5 x = + 2.5 x = 4.5mm
6000 6000 6 6

.75 + (2.5 x 1.5) = .75 + 3.75 = 4.5mm

1
Deflection of runway beam = Measured deflection − D1 = 12 − 4.5 = 7.5mm =
400

1
allowable deflection = Maximum
250

To avoid calculation, D1 may be obtained using graphical method - see Figure. 7. Mark off
deflection A at 6 metres back support and deflection B at front support. Draw a straight line
through points on A and B and read off deflection at 3 metre cantilever line. Reading 4.5mm =
D1

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 4mm

3mm

2mm

1mm

6m 5m 4m 3m 2m 1m 0 1m 2m 3m 4m

1mm

2mm

3mm

4mm

Figure 7

Slope
Possibly more critical than deflection if not properly understood is the maximum slope of a
runway beam.

If a runway beam is supported at each end with the load in the centre, (See Fig.8), the slope is a
maximum at each end and zero in the centre, as the load approaches either support the slope will
decrease.

Maximum slope
Zero slope Zero deflection
Maximum deflection

Simply supported runway

Figure 8

A runway beam which is cantilevered will have maximum slope at the end of the cantilever with
the load at the end of this cantilever, (See Fig.9)

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 Zero slope
Zero deflection
Maximum slope
Maximum deflection

Encastre cantilever
Figure 9

With the hoist block close to B slope will be zero, (Fig.9), and as it moves towards C the slope
will increase. Should the slope be such that it allows the hoist to start running away before
reaching C the hoist will accelerate as the slope increases causing the hoist to smash into the end
stop. Deflection of supporting steel will further increase the slope.

The Tester and Examiner must take great care to satisfy himself that the runway beam although
satisfactory within its own deflection limits does not suffer from a combination effect of
supporting steelwork or creating excessive slope.

Note.
If the beam is supported as in Fig 2 and loaded as in Fig.4 then the slope at position B will not be
zero and will increase still more as we approach position C where it will be a maximum.

Combined stresses need not be considered for cantilevers as with the load at the support point
bending stress is negligible and only shear and transverse stress occur. With the load at cantilever
end bending and shear stress occur at support point and only transverse and shear stress occur
under load.

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