Computation of beam deflection using

moment area method

This method is can be used for finding

deflections and angles of rotation of beams.
It is valid only for linearly elastic beams with small
slopes.

First moment area theorem

*** For rotation (angle)
 Consider a segment AB of the deflection curve of
a beam in a region where the curvature is
positive (deflections and slopes shown in the
figure are highly exaggerated for clarity)
At point A the tangent AA ‘to the deflection curve
is at an angle θA to the x axis, and at point B the
tangent BB’ is at an angle θB. Line AA’ and BB’
meet at point C.
The angle between the tangents, denoted θB/A,
θB/A= θB-θA
θB and θA are so small so they are equal
to the slope at the respective points.
 consider two points m1 and m2 on the deflected axis of
the beam which are at a small distance ds apart. The
tangents to the deflection curve at these points are
shown in the figure as lines m1 p1 and m2p2. The
normal lines to these tangents intersect at the center of
curvature (not shown in the figure). The angle dθ
between the normal lines to the tangents is given by
the following equation:
For small angle ds=dx

dθ=dx/r But 1/r=M/EI dθ=(M/EI)dx

The normal lines and the tangents (m1p1 and m2p2) are
perpendicular, which implies the angle between the
tangents is also equal to dθ.
 (M /EI)dx is the area of the shaded strip of width
dx within the M/EI diagram.
Integrate dθ between points A and B of the
deflection curve:
the left-hand side becomes θB -
θA, which is equal to the angle
θB/A between the tangents at B
and A

= Area of the M/EI diagram between

points A and B
First moment-area theorem: The angle θB/A between the
tangents to the deflection curve at two points A and B is equal to
the area of the M/EI diagram between those points.
Second moment area theorem
*** For deflection
From the figure the vertical distance between points B and B1 is
denoted tB/A . This distance is referred to as the tangential
deviation of B with respect to A. The distance tB/A is the vertical
deviation of point B on the deflection curve from the tangent at
point A. The tangential deviation is positive when point B is above
the tangent at A.
Take two points m1 and m2 a small distance apart on the
deflection curve. The angle between the tangents at these two
points is dθ, and the segment on line BB1 between these
tangents is dt. Since the angles between the tangents and the x
axis are actually very small, the vertical distance dt is equal to x1
dθ, where x1 is the horizontal distance from point B to the small
element m1m2.
Remember dθ=(M/EI)dx

Integrating the above equation

between points A and B,
 The integral on the left-hand side is equal to tB/A, is the deviation
of point B from the tangent at A. The integral on the right-hand
side represents the first moment with respect to point B of the
area of the M/EI diagram between A and B.

= First moment of the area of the M/EI

diagram between points A and B, evaluated
with respect to B

Second moment-area theorem: The tangential deviation tB/A of

point B from the tangent at point A is equal to the first moment of
the area of the M/EI diagram between A and B, evaluated with
respect to B.
If the bending moment is positive, then the first moment of the
M/EI diagram is also positive, provided point B is to the right of
point A. Under these conditions the tangential deviation tB/A is
positive and point B is above the tangent at A.
The first moment of the area of the M/EI diagram can be
obtained by taking the product of the area of the diagram
and the distance x from point B to the centroidal point C
of the area