4.

1 Beam Stiffness d 169

couple or constant moment exists in the beam. However it is a reasonable assumption

that yields equations that quite accurately predict beam behavior for most practical
beams.
The differential equation is derived as follows. Consider the beam shown in
Figure 4–3 subjected to a distributed loading wðxÞ (force/length). From the force and
moment equilibrium of a differential element of the beam, shown in Figure 4–3(c),
we have

SFy ¼ 0: V  ðV þ dVÞ  wðxÞ dx ¼ 0 (4.1.1a)

Or, simplifying Eq. (4.1.1a), we obtain

dV
w dx  dV ¼ 0 or w¼ (4.1.1b)
dx
dx dM
SM2 ¼ 0: Vdx þ dM þ wðxÞ dx ¼0 or V¼ (4.1.1c)
2 dx
The final form of Eq. (4.1.1c), relating the shear force to the bending moment, is
obtained by dividing the left equation by dx and then taking the limit of the equation
as dx approaches 0. The wðxÞ term then disappears.
Also, the curvature k of the beam is related to the moment by
1 M
k¼ ¼ (4.1.1d)
r EI

where r is the radius of the deflected curve shown in Figure 4–4b, v is the transverse
displacement function in the y direction (see Figure 4–4a), E is the modulus of elastic-
ity, and I is the principal moment of inertia about the z axis (where the z axis is per-
pendicular to the x and y axes). (I ¼ bh3=12 for a rectangular cross section of base b
and height h shown in Figure 4–4c.)
The curvature for small slopes f ¼ dv=dx is given by
d 2v
k¼ (4.1.1e)
dx 2
Using Eq. (4.1.1e) in (4.1.1d), we obtain
d 2v M
¼ (4.1.1f )
dx 2 EI
Solving Eq. (4.1.1f ) for M and substituting this result into (4.1.1c) and (4.1.1b),
we obtain
d2 d 2v
2
EI 2 ¼ wðxÞ (4.1.1g)
dx dx

For constant EI and only nodal forces and moments, Eq. (4.1.1g) becomes
d 4v
EI ¼0 (4.1.1h)
dx 4

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