Support and Support Reaction

Department of
Civil Engineering

www.cambridge.edu.in
 Support Reaction
Every engineering structure needs to be supported, so that, it can remain in equilibrium under any
system of forces likely to act on it. These supports develop the force as Support Reaction.
W1 W N/m W2

A B

RA RB
Here the supports will provide a resistance opposite to the applied
forces on the beam and these upward forces are called as Reactions.

Department of CivilEngineering www.cambridge.edu.in

 Support Reaction
Definition:
When a number of forces are acting on a beam, then the support of the beam will provide
the reactions called Support Reaction.

The reactions here will keep the system in equilibrium.

i.e., ΣH = 0, ΣV = 0 and ΣM = 0
Beam Loads

A B

Reactions

Department of CivilEngineering www.cambridge.edu.in

 Supports

Types of Supports

1) Simple Support or Knife Edge Support

2) Roller Support

3) Hinged Support or Pin-jointed Support

4) Fixed Support or Built – in or Encastered Support

5) Smooth Surface Support

Department of CivilEngineering www.cambridge.edu.in

 Supports
1) Simple Support or Knife Edge Support: If A B

the beam rests simply on a support, then the

support is simple support.

2) Roller Support: If the beam is supported on

rollers, then such a support is called as roller
support.

3) Hinged Support or Pin-jointed Support: If

the beam is supported on hinge or pin then such
support is called a Hinged or Pinned Support.

Department of CivilEngineering www.cambridge.edu.in

 Supports

4) Fixed Support or Built – in or Encastered

Support: If the end of the beam is fixed or
Built in, then such support is called as fixed
support.
5) Smooth Surface Support: If the body is
supported or in contact with a smooth surface,
then such a support is called a smooth surface
support.

Department of CivilEngineering www.cambridge.edu.in

 Support Reactions
Type of Support Support Reactions

Simple Support or Knife A B [1] reaction each at supports in vertical

Edge Support direction

Roller Support [1] reaction at support in Vertical direction

Hinged Support or Pin- [2] reactions at support, one in Vertical and

jointed Support other in Horizontal
[3] reactions at support, one in Vertical ,
Fixed Support or Built – in
one in Horizontal and other will be a
or Encastered Support
Moment (rotational)
[1] reaction at support Perpendicular to the
Smooth Surface Support
surface

Department of CivilEngineering www.cambridge.edu.in

 HA

Support Reactions
RA
A B

RA RB RA
RA

HA
MA

R
RA R

Department of CivilEngineering www.cambridge.edu.in

 Beams are structural members having larger length
Beams compared to the width and depth subjected to system
of load.

1) Cantilever Beam: One end of

the beam is fixed and the
other end is free.

2) Simply Supported Beam: A B

Both the ends of the beam
are simply supported.

3) Over Hanging Beam: A part

of the beam over hangs at one
end or both the ends. Overhang
Overhang
Overhang

Department of CivilEngineering www.cambridge.edu.in

 Loads

The forces acting on the structure or components are called Loads.

Types of Loads

1) Concentrated Load or Point Load

2) Uniformly Distributed Load (UDL)

3) Uniformly Varying Load (UVL)

Department of CivilEngineering www.cambridge.edu.in

 Point Load

Concentrated Load or Point Load:

A load acting at a point on a beam is known as Concentrated or Point Load.

Eg: Two men standing on a beam at

A certain distance are considered as

B
point load.

Department of CivilEngineering www.cambridge.edu.in

 Uniformly Distributed Load(UDL)
Uniformly Distributed Load (UDL):
If a beam is loaded in such way that, each unit length of the beam carries same intensity of the
load, then that type of load is known as Uniformly Distributed Load.
w unit/length
w unit/length

A B A B A B

The total load due to UDL is assumed to be acting at Ex: A brick wall constructed on a
the center of gravity of the UDL for all calculations. beam can be considered as UDL

Department of CivilEngineering www.cambridge.edu.in

 Uniformly Varying Load(UVL)
Uniformly Varying Load (UVL):
If a beam is loaded in such a way that, each unit length of the beam carries a uniformly varying
intensity of loading, then this type of loading is known as Uniformly Varying Load.
w unit/length
w unit/length

A B A B
A B

The total load due to Uniformly Varying Load is equal to

the area of load diagram and is assumed to be acting at Ex: A brick wall constructed on a beam
the center of gravity of the UVL for all calculations. to carry pitched or sloping roof.

Department of CivilEngineering www.cambridge.edu.in

 Free Body Diagram
The diagrammatic representation of the body which is isolated or separated from the contact surfaces
and the contact surfaces are replaced by support reaction is called Free Body Diagram (FBD).
W W
W P P
W
RA
A

R B RB
String
W W T
RA
A
R
W W
Department of CivilEngineering www.cambridge.edu.in
Department of CivilEngineering www.cambridge.edu.in