Influence Lines

Moving Loads
• In static, constant and stationary loads, the reactions,
Theory and Design of Structures I stresses and deformations at a particular section are
constant
• However, the load effects become variable functions
Influence Lines of the position of the load when the loads are moving,
even if the dynamic effects are ignored

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Influence Lines Influence Lines

• Examples of moving loads:
– locomotives rolling on a railway bridge
– motor vehicles speeding over flyovers
– occupants moving in a building
• Two structural problems arise:
– position of the live load that will cause the maximum
effect at a certain section
– magnitude of the maximum effect
• An influence line is a graph or chart showing the
value of some direct linear function (reaction, shear,
bending moment, axial force, etc) at a certain point
in the structure due to a unit concentrated load
moving across the span
• It illustrates the variation of the effect Q (reaction,
stress) at a fixed point i due to a moving unit cause
(unit force or moment) acting at a moving position j

Page 3 Page 4
 Use of Influence Lines
P=1
i
j
• It provides a tool for determining the
Use of Influence Lines maximum load effect. There are 3 z(j)
Qi P ˜ z( j)
different cases in determination of P
j i
the value of the effect Q at a fixed
point i: z1
z2
z3 Qi ¦P j ˜zj
j

– Single concentrated moving load

P1 P 2 i P 3
– System of concentrated moving
loads A z
Qi ³ pzdx p˜ A
p
– Uniformly distributed moving load i
d

Page 5 Page 6

Single concentrated moving load System of concentrated moving loads

P=1 P=1
i (for IL construction) i (for IL construction)

j j

Influence line due to unit load

z(j)
Qi P ˜ z( j) z1
z2
z3 Qi ¦Pj
j ˜zj
P
j i P1 P2 i P3
Page 7 Page 8
Uniformly distributed moving load
P=1 Influence Lines for
i (for IL construction)

j
Beams

A z
Qi ³ pzdx p˜ A
p
i
Page 9
d Page 10

Consider a simply supported beam with overhang as I.L. for reaction at B, RB

shown • Imagine a unit load P starts at C and moves towards B
and A so that distance x of the load from C is varying.
Taking moments about C for the whole beam,
RB L Px
Moving unit load x
RB 0 d x d 20
A B C 16
D
4m P=1 x
4m 16m
A B C
D
4m
4m 16m
RB

1.25 I.L. for RB

Page 11 Page 12 RB
 I.L. for reaction at B, RB I.L. for reaction at B, RB

P=1 x

A B C
D
4m
4m 16m
RB

1.25
I.L. for RB

RB

When P is at C, x 0, RB 0
When P is at B, x 16, RB 1
When P is at A, x 20, R B 1.25
Page 13 Page 14

I.L. for reaction at C, RC I.L. for reaction at C, RC

• Imagine a unit load P moves from A to C so that x is
the distance of P to the right of B. Taking moments
about B for the whole beam,
RC (16) = P x
RC = x/16 for -4 d x d 16

x P=1

A B C
D
4m
4m 16m
RC

I.L. for RC 1.0

-0.25
Page 15 RC Page 16
 P S'B
To draw I.L. for shear at section immediately to the When P is at anywhere between
A MB
AB, S 'B  P 1
left of B, S'B B
• Take AB as a free body S'B
When P is at anywhere between A MB
B
Moving unit load BC, S 'B 0
S'B
A B C S'B
D A C
4m B D
4m
4m 16m
4m 16m

I.L. for S'B

-1.0 S'B
Page 17 Page 18

I.L. for shear at section immediately to the left of B, S'B

I.L. for shear at section immediately to the right of B, SB'

Moving unit load

SB'
A B C
D
4m
4m 16m

Influence Line for S'B

Page 19 Page 20
 SB'
When P is on AB, take BC as free body S B'  RC A B C
D
4m
SB' 4m 16m
C

MB B
RC
1.25
SB'
B
A MB RB

RB
1.0
-0.25
When P is on BC, take AB as free body S B' RB
RC
S B'  RC
1.0 S B' RB
0.25

SB'
I.L. for SB'
Page 21 Page 22

I.L. for shear at section immediately to the right of B, SB'

I.L. for shear at section D, SD

Moving unit load

SD
A B C
D
4m
4m 16m

Influence Line for SB'

Page 23 Page 24
 SD
A B C
D
When P is on AD, take DC as a free body SD  RC 4m
4m 16m
SD
C

MD D 1.25
RC
SD RB
B
A MD

RB 1.0
-0.25
RC
When P is on DC, take AD as a free body SD RB
SD  RC 0.75 SD RB
0.25
-0.25 SD
I.L. for SD
Page 25 Page 26

I.L. for shear at section D, SD

I.L. for bending moment at section D, MD

Moving unit load

x x'
MD
A B C
D
4m
4m 16m

Page 27 Page 28
 When P is on AD, take DC as a free body (4 d x d 4)
§ x· 3x
M D RC (12) ¨ ¸12
© 16 ¹ 4
At A, x 4 M A 3 At D, x 4 MD 3 MD
A B C
SD D
C 4m
MD D 4m 16m
RC
SD
B
A MD 3.0

RB
-3.0 MD I.L. for MD
When P is on CD, take AD as a free body (0 d xc d 12)
§ xc · xc
M D RB (4) ¨ ¸4
© 16 ¹ 4
At D, xc 12 M D 3 At C, xc 0 MC 0
Page 29 Page 30

I.L. for bending moment at section D, MD

I.L. for bending moment at section B, MB

Moving unit load

x
MB
A B C
D
4m
4m 16m

Page 31 Page 32
Consider AB as a free body.
When P is on AB, (0 d x d 4)
MB  Px x x
MB
P=1
SB' A C
At A, x 4 MB 4 B
B
4m
D
A MB
At B, x 0 MB 0 4m 16m

RB
SB'
B
A MB
When P is on BC, -4.0 MB I.L. for MB
MB RB u 0 0 RB

Page 33 Page 34

I.L. for bending moment at section B, MB

Influence Lines for

Trusses

Page 35 Page 36
 Floor beam system
I.L. for Trusses

Bridge structure

• In bridge trusses, the stringers act as simple

beams between the adjacent floor beams
– I.L. will be straight line between any two
adjacent panel points
• I.L. for the support reactions are obtained in
§l x· § x· §l x· § x·
the same way as in the case of a beam (1)( y ) ¨ ¸( y m )  ¨ ¸( y n ) ( y) ¨ ¸( y m )  ¨ ¸( y n )
© l ¹ ©l¹ © l ¹ ©l¹
Page 37 Page 38

I.L. for Trusses

2 1
B C D E F 1
2
B C D E F

5m
5m
a g
b c d e f
1 2 a g
b c d e f
6 panels @ 5m = 30m 1 2
6 panels @ 5m = 30m
Consider a Pratt truss with parallel top and bottom
Ra 1 1 Rg
chords as shown. If a loading system consisting of a
UDL of 24kN/m and a pair of point loads of 120kN + +
and 60kN at 3m apart moves on the truss, determine Rg Ra

the respective max. and min. internal forces (in Construct the influence lines for reactions first.
selected members).
Page 39 Page 40
 I.L. for force in member aB,
• Consider the equilibrium of joint a I.L. for force in bar Bb
FaB • Unless the unit load is applied on stringer ab or
P on b-g:  Ra Ÿ FaB  2 Ra
2 stringer bc, there will be no force transmitted to
FaB
P at a:  Ra  1 0 Ÿ FaB 0 panel point b and therefore no force in member Bb
2 2 1
P on a-b: the I.L. is a straight line B C D E F
P at a or c: FBb 0
FaB 5m

a
b c d e f
g P at b: FBb 1 B
2
C
1
D E F
1 2
Fab 6 panels @ 5m = 30m
5m

Ra 1
Ra 1 Rg a
b c
1 2
d e f
g

+ + 6 panels @ 5m = 30m

Rg Ra 1

P =1 FaB
FaB
_
FaB

FBb
+ I.L. for FBb FBb
Fab
5—2/6
I.L. for FaB
RaPage
=1 41 Page 42

I.L. for force in diagonal member Cd I.L. for force in member Cc

• Consider section 1-1 • Consider section 2-2
P on a-c: VCd  Rg FCd 2VCd  2 Rg P on a-c: FCc Rg

P on d-g: VCd Ra FCd 2VCd 2 Ra P on d-g: FCc  Ra

P on c-d: the I.L. is a straight line P on c-d: the I.L. is a straight line

1
B C D E F 2
B C D E F

FCd VCd 5m
5m

P on ac: a g
b c
1 d e f P on ac: a
c d e
g
b 2 f
6 panels @ 5m = 30m FCc
6 panels @ 5m = 30m
Rg Rg
—2/2
P on dg: FCc

FCd
FCd = —2 VCd
+
FCd
P on dg:
+
1/3 I.L. for FCc
Ra _ FCc FCc
VCd
-—2/3 I.L. for FCd Ra
-1/2
_

Page 43 Page 44
 I.L. for force in a chord member cd
• Consider section 2-2 and take moments about joint C

P on a-c Fcd u 5 R g u 20 Ÿ Fcd 4 u Rg Determination of Maximum

P on c-g Fcd u 5 Ra u 10 Ÿ Fcd 2 u Ra
and Minimum Forces
2
B C D E F

P on ac: 5
5m
Fcd
a g
20 Rg b c
2
d e f
6 panels @ 5m = 30m

4/3

5 P on cg:
Fcd +

Ra Fcd Fcd
10
I.L. for Fcd
Page 45 Page 46

• Reactions:
Determination of Max & Min Forces Max. Ra 120 u 1  60 u 0.9  24 u (1 u 30 2) 534kN

2 1
B C D E F
• Normally the largest concentrated load is placed at
where the influence ordinate is the maximum (or 5m

minimum) a
b c d e f
g
1 2
• Normally the UDL is placed on the region(s) with 6 panels @ 5m = 30m

influence ordinate of suitable sign Ra 1 1 Rg

+ +

60kN
120kN
Note that if there is more than one 24kN/m
concentrated load, different alternatives
have to be investigated Max. Rg 534kN Min. Rg 0kN

Page 47 Page 48
• Force in bar aB • Force in bar Bb
Min. FaB 120( 5 2 6)  60( 5 2 6) u 22 25  24( 5 2 6) Max. FBb 120 u1  60 u 0.4  24 u (1u10 2) 264.0kN
u 30 2 627.9kN
1 2 1
2 B C D E F
B C D E F

5m 5m

a a g
c g b c d e f
b d e f 1 2
1 2
6 panels @ 5m = 30m 6 panels @ 5m = 30m

60kN
120kN
60kN
120kN

+
24kN/m FBb
FaB FBb
FaB 24kN/m
_
Min. FBb 0kN
5—2/6
Page 49 Max. FaB 0kN Page 50

• Force in bar Cd • Force in bar Cc

Max. FCd 120( 2 2)  60( 2 2) u 12 15  24( 2 2) Max. FCc 120(1 3)  60(1 3) u 7 10  24(1 3) u 12 2
u 18 2 271.5kN 102.0kN
Min. FCd 120( 2 3)  60( 2 3) u 7 10  24( 2 3) Min. FCc 120( 1 2)  60( 1 2) u 12 15  24( 1 2) u 18 2
u 12 2 144.2kN 192.0kN
2 1
2 1
B C D E F
B C D E F

5m
5m
a g
b c d e f a g
1 2 b c d e f
1 2
6 panels @ 5m = 30m
6 panels @ 5m = 30m
120kN

—2/2
60kN

120kN

60kN
120kN
120kN

60kN

60kN
24kN/m 24kN/m
FCd + 1/3
FCd +
_ 24kN/m FCc FCc
24kN/m
-—2/3 _

Page 51 Page 52
-1/2
• Force in bar cd
Max. Fcd 120(4 3)  60(4 3) u 17 20  24(4 3) u 30 2
708.0kN Influence Lines for Girders
B
2
C
1
D E F with Floor Beams
5m

a g
b c d e f
1 2
6 panels @ 5m = 30m

4/3
120kN

60kN

+
24kN/m
Fcd Fcd

Min. Fcd 0kN

Page 53 Page 54

I.L. for Girders with Floor Beams i k j

The main issue is the variation of the influence A

c
B
quantity in a member or at a section between two a s b
panel points. l
Consider the simply supported beam with a floor
beam system as shown.
1

i k j I.L. for RA

A B
c 1
a s b
l
Page 55 Page 56 I.L. for RB
 P on i-j at O from i
• I.L. for shear at any section k between i-j RA (b  s  O ) l ri (s  O ) s
0 RB (a  O ) l rj O s
k
P on A-i, consider free body k-B P on Ai: P on ij: P=1
j RB x
Sk S i j  RB Sk
i k j
ri rj
0 Sk O s-O A
c
B
a s b
P on j-B, consider free body A-k A k
P on jB: l
i ri
RA k
Sk S i j RA A
Mk
a i c x P=1
Not to scale
RA O s-O

ri rj
Not to scale
b § O ·§ s · RA RB
Sk  ¨1  ¸¨1  ¸
l © s ¹© l¹
+
SHORTCUT: join a line - I.L. for Sk
Page 57 Page
between 58 2 panel points
the

I.L. for bending moment at P on i-j at O from i

section k, which is a distance RA (b  s  O ) l ri ( s  O ) s
c from i in panel i-j
P on A-i: rj=0
i k j Mk R A (a  c)  ri c i k j

A B A B
Mk RB [b  ( s  c)] a
c
s b
(a  c)(b  s) l  c a
c
s b
l (a  c)(b  s  O ) l  c( s  O ) s l
P on j-B: ri=0
x P=1 x P=1
Mk R A (a  c) O s-O O s-O

0 ri rj 0 ri rj
Mk k Mk k
B P on Ai: B
P on Ai: RA RB RA RB
j j
s-c RB s-c b RB
b

+ +
0 Mk 0 Mk
A k I.L. for Mk A k I.L. for Mk
i P on jB: i P on jB:
RA a c RA a c

Page 59Not to scale Page 60 Not to scale

SHORTCUT
 The Principle of Virtual Work

• If a particle that is in equilibrium is given a

displacement in any direction, then the total
Optional: work done by the forces acting on the
particle is zero.
Use of principle of virtual work in P4 &
the construction of influence lines
P1 ˜ '  P2 ˜ '  ...  Pn ˜ ' PR ˜ ' 0
'
? ¦ Pi ˜ ' 0 P1
P3
P2
Page 61 Page 62

Simple beam with an overhang

Müller Breslau’s Principle
A B C
D
4m

1. Release constraint corresponding to load 4m 16m

effect I.L. for RB P

2. Impose unit displacement & draw the

deflected shape ' G
A B

3. Deflected shape is I.L.

RB
RB ˜ '  P ˜ G 0
G
? RB P˜
'
G (if P 1, ' 1)
Page 63 Page 64
 S

'
P
P

' G SD
A
C
'
B
G
RB

1.25 1.0 I.L. for RB SD ˜ '  P ˜ S 0

G
SD P˜ G (if P 1, ' 1)
'
0.75
0.25 1

-0.25 I.L. for SD

Page 65 Page 66

M Use of Method of Sections

T
P

12T
4T T
G
MD

M D ˜T  P ˜ G 0
G
MD P˜ G (if P 1, T 1) *T z 1 radian
T 12

4 3

-3 I.L. for MD
Page 67 Page 68
 The End

Page 69