ANALYSIS OF BEAMS BY FINITE DIFFERENCE METHOD

Finite Difference Method is a mathematical tool used in numerical differentiation. In this

technique a differential is expressed as an algebraic expression. Such algebraic
equations are in turn used to find out differentiation of a function or to solve differential
equations.

This paper illustrates method of finding deflection of beams under vehicle loads by
using finite difference method.

Basic differential equation of deflection in a beam is given by:

d 2 y −Mx
=
dx 2 EI

d2 y y (n−1)−2 yn+ y (n+1)

At a given point n, the term is expressed as
dx 2 h2

Where yn-1 refers to ordinate prior to n and yn+1 is the ordinate next to point n.

Y refers to bending moments at different points on the beam.

Simply Supported At Both Ends

Figure 1 below shows a Simply Supported Beam subjected to Class 70 R and class A
vehicle loads. The wheel loads are concentrated loads as prescribed in IRC – 6 – 2014.

Figure 1

Working

The beam is divided into 20 equal divisions So that

L
h=
20

1. Reaction at lft hand end is computed in usual manner.

2. Bending Moment at every point is now computed following the logic stated below:
 If Reaction at left be Rl

Bending Moment at any point x is given by

Mx = RLx - PI(x-s)1

Where PI is any concentrated load

s is location of the load Pi

(x-s) is to be computed logically.

IF x>s, Mx = RLx - PI(x-s), RLx

3. At x = 0, deflection as well as bending moment is 0, hence no equation need be

formed at support point.

4. At all consecutive points the deflection equations are formed as follows:

At point 1,

−M 1 y 0−2 y 1+ y 2
=
EI
( )
L
20
2

Or y0 – 2y1 + y2 = - M1 L2/400 EI
Since y0 is 0, the equation becomes

2y1 – y2 = M1 L2/400 EI

5. At point 2,

y1 – 2y2 + y3 = - M2 L2/400 EI

6. Deflection equations are now to be established at all 21 points of the beam. A set
of 19 simultaneous equations will be formed which can be solved by matrix
algebra to obtain deflections at every 20th division of the beam.

7. Unit: look at the equations, unit of ML2 is Kn – m x m2 = Kn – m3

 Kn
And EI =
m2
x m4 = Kn – m2

Hence Kn – m3 / Kn – m2 = m
Case 2: Fixed at One End, Simply Supported at Other

Let us assume left hand end is fixed while the right hand end is simply supported
as shown in figure 2. Then the point 0, the left support does not deflect, does not
rotate but there is a hogging bending moment due to fixity.

Figure 2

The beam will be extended to virtual nodes to form deflection equation at node
next to the fixed node as shown below in figure 3.

-1 1
0
Figure 3

The deflection equation at 0 can now be written as

y-1 - 2y0 + y1 = - M0 L2/ 400EI

y0 = 0

y-1 = y1 as rotation at 0 is 0.

dy ( y (−1)− y 1)
= =0
dx 2h

Therefore

2y1 = - M0 L2/ 400EI

Proceeding next as in case of simply supported beam, other simultaneous equations
are then established.

Solving the set of 19 simultaneous equations as before we can find out the deflections
at every 20th division of the beam.