Lecture 2

Deformed Shapes of Structures
Structural Analysis
By
James K. Nelson & Jack C. McCormac
University of Engineering & Technology, Taxila

INTRODUCTION
 Deflection is the linear displacement of points
 Slope is the rotational displacement of lines
The word elastic means that:
Stresses are proportional to strains

There is a linear variation of stress from the neutral axis of a beam
to its extreme fibers
The members will return to their original geometry after loads are
removed
 The deformation of structures are caused by bending moments, by
axial forces, and by shearing forces.
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 For beams and frames, the largest values are caused by bending
moments.
 For trusses, the largest values are caused by axial forces.
SKETCHING DEFORMED SHAPES OF STRUCTURES

 It will be of great benefit in learning to qualitatively sketch the
expected deformed shape of structures.
 Understanding the displacement behavior of structural systems is a
very important part of understanding how structures perform.
 A structural analyst should sketch the anticipated deformed shapes
of structures under load before making actual calculations.
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 Such a practice provides qualitative check of the magnitudes and

directions of the computed displacements.
 To sketch the anticipated deformed shape, there are few general
rules. Some of these rules apply to members and others apply to
joints.
Rules for Members

a) A member deforms in the direction of the load applied to it.
b) Deflection of loaded members are sketched first. Deflections of
unloaded members are sketched after the deflections of the joints
are sketched.
c) Unless there is a hinge between a member and a joint, the end of
the member and the joint displace in the same manner.
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d) Members with lower stiffness (EI/L) tend to deform more than do

members with higher stiffness. Or, long slender members deform
more than short stocky members do.
e) When sketching the qualitative deformed shape, the beams and
columns are assumed to remain the same length.
Rules for Joints

a) -A joint in a structure is assumed to be rigid.
-A rigid joint can displace but it cannot deform, the joint does not
change size or shape as it displaces.
-The relative orientation of the ends of the members connected
to a joint is the same before and after displacement of the joint.
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b) -A joint can only displace in accordance with the external supports

acting on it.
-A joint at a fixed support can neither translate nor rotate.
-A joint at a pin support can rotate but it cannot translate.
-A joint at a roller can rotate, cannot translate perpendicular to
the surface on which the rollers bears, and can translate parallel
to the surface on which the roller bears.
(a) Point of max. deflection is some where (b) Tangent at the fixed end is horizontal
to the left of this off-center load. and the right end deflects upward.
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(c) Without calculations we do not know whether the deflection at the right end is up or down.
The concentrated load tends to push the right end down while the uniform load tends to push it up.
(d) Note the upward deflection in the third span.
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EXAMPLE - 1
Consider the three-span continuous beam subjected to a
concentrated force on one span and a distributed force on
another span in the figure. Sketch the qualitative deflected shape
for this beam.
Solution:
 Sketch the left span first. The left side cannot rotate because it is
connected to a fixed joint. The load is acting downward so the span
will tend to deflect downward.
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The right end can rotate, but neither the left nor right ends can
translate vertically. As the member deformation is sketched, sketch
the displacement of the joints.
Then sketch the deformation of the right span. Both ends of the
right span can rotate but neither can translate. The result to this
point is shown below.
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Now sketch the deformed shape of the middle span. Because the
member has no external load acting on it, it deforms only in
response to the displacement of the joints to which it is connected.
The slope of the members connected at a particular joint must be
the same.
This is the qualitative deflected shape of the beam. ANS
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EXAMPLE - 2
Sketch the qualitative deflected shape of the cantilevered beam
subjected to a uniformly distributed load shown in the figure.
Solution:
 Sketching the deflected shape of this beam is a little more
involved.
The load on the left span tends to cause the joint at the right
support to rotate counterclockwise while the load on the right
span tends to cause that same joint to rotate clockwise.
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EXAMPLE - 2
Solution:
 The longer span will tend to dominate the rotation; we can sketch
the deformation accordingly.
Sketch the left span first and show the resulting rotation of the
joints. The load is acting downward so the span will tend to deflect
downward.
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EXAMPLE - 2
Solution:
 Both ends can rotate, but neither end can translate vertically. As
the member deformation is sketched, sketch the displacement of
the joints.
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EXAMPLE - 2
Solution:
 Next, sketch the deformation of the right span, the cantilever span.
-There is not a support at the right side of the span so that end will
displace in response to the applied load.
-Recall that the geometry of the joints does not change so the
tangents of the deflected shapes of the two spans at the right
support must be the same.
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EXAMPLE - 2
Solution:
 This is the qualitative deflected shape of the beam. Whether the
right end moves upward or downward will depend on the
magnitude of the loads and relative lengths of the two span.
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EXAMPLE - 3
Sketch the qualitative deflected shape of the braced frame shown
in figure. Because this is a braced frame, the joints will not
translate relative to one another.
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Solution:
 Sketch the deformed shape
of the loaded members first.
 At the same time indicate the

rotation of the joints.
 The loaded members will

tend to deform in the
direction of the applied load.
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Solution:
 Now sketch the deformed
shape of the other beams
taking into account the
displacements of the joints to
which they are connected.
 Because the beams are fully

connected at the joints, the
tangents of the deformed
shape of the beams
connected at a joint must be
same.
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Solution:
 Now sketch the deformations
of the columns.
 Recall that the joints do not

deform so the right angles
between the beams and
columns must be maintained.
 The result is the qualitative

deformed shape of the
braced frame.
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Qualitative Deformed Shape

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EXAMPLE - 4
Sketch the qualitative deflected shape of the un-braced frame
shown in figure. Recall that an un-braced frame is a frame in
which the joints can translate laterally.
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Solution:
 Sketch the deformed
shape of the left column
first. The load is applied on
that side.
 The top of the column will

move to the right and will
tend to rotate clockwise.
 The beam will act to

reduce that rotation.
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Solution:
 As the stiffness of the
beam increases relative to
the column, the rotation
will decrease.
 Conversely, as the stiffness

of the beam decreases
relative to the column, the
rotation will increase.
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Solution:
 Now sketch the deformed
shape of the right column.
 Because the beam is

assumed not to shorten,
the joint at the top tends
to move the right and
rotate clockwise as it does
so.
 The beam works to reduce

that rotation.
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Solution:
 Lastly, sketch the
deformed shape of the
beam at the top.
 Because the joints do not

deform, the beam and the
columns must continue to
form right angles at the
joint.
 The resulting diagram is

the qualitative deflected
shape.
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THANK YOU
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Deformed Shapes of Structures

University of Engineering & Technology, Taxila

The word elastic means that:

Stresses are proportional to strains

SKETCHING DEFORMED SHAPES OF STRUCTURES

 Such a practice provides qualitative check of the magnitudes and

Rules for Members

d) Members with lower stiffness (EI/L) tend to deform more than do

Rules for Joints

b) -A joint can only displace in accordance with the external supports

(d) Note the upward deflection in the third span.

This is the qualitative deflected shape of the beam. ANS

 At the same time indicate the

 The loaded members will

 Because the beams are fully

 Recall that the joints do not

 The result is the qualitative

Qualitative Deformed Shape

 The top of the column will

 The beam will act to

 Conversely, as the stiffness

 Because the beam is

 The beam works to reduce

 Because the joints do not

 The resulting diagram is

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