Tutorial 2

Principle of Virtual Work

Yu XIANG
yuxiang@polyu.edu.hk

Department of Civil & 21/09/2022 Page 1

Environmental Engineering
1. Use the virtual work method to determine the displacement at
C. EI is constant.

Department of Civil & 21/09/2022 Page 2

Environmental Engineering
❑ Virtual State
Step 1 - Apply virtual load P*=1 on the structure acting at the point,
in the direction of required deflection;
ഥ 𝑀,
Step 2 - Calculate the internal forces, i.e., 𝑁, ഥ and 𝑉,
ത caused by
the virtual load, expressed as functions of x; for beam members,
only 𝑀ഥ is required;
1kN

A E C F B

2kNm

2m 4m 2m

Department of Civil & 21/09/2022 Page 3

Environmental Engineering
 1kN

A E C F B

Take moments about point A

σ 𝑀𝐴 = 0 𝐵𝑦 × 8 − 4 × 1 = 0
2kNm
𝐵𝑦 =0.5 kN
2m 4m 2m

Consider force equilibrium condition along the horizontal direction

σ 𝐹𝑥 = 0 𝐴𝑥 =0

Consider force equilibrium condition along the vertical direction

σ 𝐹𝑦 = 0 𝐵𝑦 + 𝐴𝑦 − 1 =0
𝐴𝑦 =0.5 kN

Department of Civil & 21/09/2022 Page 4

Environmental Engineering
 1kN

A E C F B

2kNm
1kN

The internal moments in the 2m 4m 2m

ഥ
virtual state are represented by 𝑀 A E C F B

0.5𝑥1 between A~𝐶 0.5𝑥1 0.5𝑥2

ഥ
𝑀=ቊ 2kNm
0.5𝑥2 between C~𝐵
2m 4m 2m

Department of Civil & 21/09/2022 Page 5

Environmental Engineering
❑ Real State
Step 3 - Calculate the internal forces, i.e., Np, Mp, and Vp caused by
the real load; for beam members, only Mp is required;

Take moments about point B

σ 𝑀𝐵 = 0 𝐴𝑦 × 8 − 4 × 6 − 4 × 2 = 0
𝐴𝑦 =4 kN

Consider force equilibrium condition along the horizontal direction

σ 𝐹𝑥 = 0 𝐴𝑥 =0

Consider force equilibrium condition along the vertical direction

σ 𝐹𝑦 = 0 𝐵𝑦 + 𝐴𝑦 − 4 − 4 =0
𝐵𝑦 =4 kN
Department of Civil & 21/09/2022 Page 6
Environmental Engineering
The internal moments in the real state
are represented by 𝑀P
2m 4m 2m

4𝑥1 between A~E

A E C F B
𝑀P = ቐ 8 between E~F
4𝑥2 between F~B 4𝑥1 4𝑥2
8kNm
8 8kNm

𝑀P

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Environmental Engineering
❑ Integration or Graph Multiplication
Step 4 - Write the equation of virtual work, and calculate the
integral for each member or use the method2mof graph 4m
multiplication;
2m

ഥ P
𝑀𝑀
∆𝐶𝑣 = න 𝑑𝑥 A E C F B
𝐸𝐼

4𝑥1 between A~𝐸 𝑀P

𝑀P = ቐ 8 between E~𝐹 8kNm 1kN 8kNm

4𝑥2 between F~𝐵

A E C F B

ഥ 0.5𝑥1 between A~𝐶

𝑀=ቊ
0.5𝑥2 between C~𝐵
ഥ
𝑀
2kNm

Department of Civil & 21/09/2022 2m 4m 2m 8

Page
Environmental Engineering
Step 5 - Sum up all members and obtain the displacement required.
If the displacement () is positive, it is in the same direction as P*.
Otherwise,  is opposite to P*.
2m 4m 2m
𝐸 𝐶 𝐹 𝐵
𝑀P 𝑀ഥ 𝑀P 𝑀ഥ 𝑀P 𝑀ഥ 𝑀P 𝑀ഥ
∆𝐶𝑣 = න 𝑑𝑥 +න 𝑑𝑥 +න 𝑑𝑥 +න 𝑑𝑥
𝐸𝐼 𝐸𝐼 𝐸𝐼 𝐸𝐼
𝐴 𝐸 𝐶 𝐹
A E C F B
2 4
= න 4𝑥1 0.5𝑥1 𝑑𝑥1 + න 8 0.5𝑥1 𝑑𝑥1
0 2
2 4 𝑀P
8kNm 8kNm
+ න 4𝑥2 0.5𝑥2 𝑑𝑥2 + න 8 0.5𝑥2 𝑑𝑥2 1kN
0 2
A E C F B
𝟏𝟕𝟔
= ( )
𝟑𝑬𝑰
ഥ
𝑀
2kNm

Department of Civil & 21/09/2022 Page 9

Environmental Engineering 2m 4m 2m
Alternatively,

we may use Diagram Multiplication and apply it to four segments

AE, EC, CF and FB (noting the symmetry): 2m 4m 2m

2m 4m 2m

ഥ P
𝑀𝑀 A E C F B
∆𝐶𝑣 = න 𝑑𝑥
𝐸𝐼
A E C F B

1 1 1 𝑀P
= ×1×8×2+ ×8×2× 1+2 ×2 8kNm 8kNm
𝐸𝐼 3 2 1kN
8kNm 8kNm
1 16
= × + 24 × 2
𝐸𝐼 3 A E C F B

𝟏𝟕𝟔
= ( )
𝟑𝑬𝑰
ഥ
𝑀
2kNm

Department of Civil & 21/09/2022 Page 10

Environmental Engineering 2m 4m 2m
2. Determine the slope at A. EI is constant. Use the method
of virtual work

Department of Civil & 21/09/2022 Page 11

Environmental Engineering
❑ Virtual State
Step 1 - Apply virtual load P*=1 on the structure acting at the point,
in the direction of required deflection;
ഥ 𝑀,
Step 2 - Calculate the internal forces, i.e., 𝑁, ഥ and 𝑉,
ത caused by
the virtual load, expressed as functions of x; for beam members,
only 𝑀ഥ is required;

1 kN*m

A B
Ax

6m

Ay By

Apply a virtual unit moment at A

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 1 kN*m
Take moment about point A
σ 𝑀𝐴 = 0 −𝐵𝑦 × 6 − 1 = 0 A B
Ax
1
𝐵𝑦 = − kN
6 6m

Ay By
Consider force equilibrium condition
along the horizontal direction
σ 𝐹𝑥 = 0 𝐴𝑥 =0
− 1 kN*m

Consider force equilibrium condition A (−)

along the vertical direction 6m B
σ 𝐹𝑦 = 0 𝐴𝑦 + 𝐵𝑦 = 0 Ay By
1
𝐴𝑦 = kN
6
ഥ
𝑴

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Environmental Engineering
❑ Real State

Step 3 - Calculate the internal forces, i.e., Np, Mp, and Vp caused by
the real load; for beam members, only Mp is required;

Consider BC

1
𝑀𝐵 = − × 12 × 3 × 1 = −18 𝑘𝑁 ⋅ 𝑚 −18 kN*m
2 (−)
A

6m B

Ay By 𝑀P

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Environmental Engineering
❑ Integration or Diagram Multiplication
Step 4 - Write the equation of virtual work, and calculate the
integral for each members or use the method of graph
multiplication; −18 kN*m

ഥ P
𝑀𝑀 A (−)
∆𝐶𝑣 = න 𝑑𝑥
𝐸𝐼 6m B

ഥ P 𝑀P
𝑀𝑀 Ay By
∆𝐶𝑣 = න 𝑑𝑥 −1 kN*m
𝐸𝐼
1 1 1 (−)
= × (−1) × × (−18) × 6 A
𝐸𝐼 3 2
6m B
18
= ( ) ഥ
𝐸𝐼 Ay By 𝑀

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Environmental Engineering
3. Determine the vertical displacement of joint A. Assume
the members are pin-connected at their end points. Take A
for the area and E for the Young’s modulus of each
member. Use the method of virtual work.

E l

A B C

l l

0.5 P
P

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Environmental Engineering
❑ Virtual State
Step 1 - Apply virtual load P*=1 on the structure acting at the point,
in the direction of required deflection;
ഥ i, in each
Step 2 - Calculate the internal force, i.e., normal force 𝑁
member caused by the virtual load;
D

2.236

E l

2.236 0
0
A -2 B -2 C

l l

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Environmental Engineering
❑ Real State

Step 3 - Calculate the internal load, i.e., normal force NP, in each
member caused by the real load;

2.795P

E l

2.236P 0.559P
0.5P
A -2P B -2P C

l l

0.5 P
P

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Environmental Engineering
❑ Integration
Step 4 - Write the equation of virtual work:
ഥ 𝑁Pi 𝐿i
𝑁
Δ=෍ i ഥ 𝛼i ∆𝑇i 𝐿i
+ ෍𝑁 i
𝐸i 𝐴i

Step 5 - Sum up all members and obtain the displacement required.

If the displacement () is positive, it is in the same direction as P*.
Otherwise,  is opposite to P*.

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Environmental Engineering
 D

2.795P

E l
ഥ 𝑁Pi 𝐿i
𝑁
Δ𝐴 = ෎ i
2.236P 0.559P
0.5P

𝐸i 𝐴i A -2P B -2P C

l l

−2.00𝑃 −2.00 𝑙 + P
0.5 P

1 −2.00𝑃 −2.00 𝑙 + 𝑵𝑷𝐢

= D
𝐸A 2.236𝑃 2.236 1.118𝑙 + 2.236
2.795𝑃 2.236 1.118𝑙 E l

2.236 0
20.577𝑃𝑙 A -2 B
0
-2 C
= ( )
𝐸𝐴 l l

1
ഥ
𝑵 i
Department of Civil & 21/09/2022 Page 20
Environmental Engineering
4. The L-shaped frame is made from two segments, each of
length L and flexural stiffness EI. If it is subjected to the
uniform distributed load w, determine the horizontal
displacement of the end C. Use the method of virtual work.

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Environmental Engineering
 C
𝒘
ഥ diagram in virtual state
1. Draw the 𝑴
𝑴𝑷 2. Draw the 𝑴𝑷 diagram in real state
3. Diagram Multiplication
A
1/2wL2
B

1/2wL2

1 ഥ 𝑃
𝑀𝑀
C Δ𝐶 = ෍ න 𝑑𝑥
𝐸𝐼
1 1 2 1 1 2 3
ഥ
𝑴 = 𝑤𝐿 × 𝐿 × 𝐿 + × 𝑤𝐿 × 𝐿 × × 𝐿
𝐸𝐼 2 3 2 4
A 5𝑤𝐿4
= ( )
L
B 8𝐸𝐼
L

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