Machine Design Dr.

Nabeel Alshabatat

Introduction:
All real bodies deform under load, either elastically or plastically. Deflection analysis enters
into design situations in many ways. In a transmission, the gears must be supported by a rigid
shaft. If the shaft bends too much (i.e., it is too flexible) the teeth will not mesh properly, and the
result will be excessive impact, noise, wear, and early failure. In rolling sheet or strip steel to
prescribed thicknesses, the rolls must be crowned, that is, curved, so that the finished product
will be of uniform thickness. Thus, to design the rolls it is necessary to know exactly how much
they will bend when a sheet of steel is rolled between them. Sometimes mechanical elements
must be designed to have a particular force-deflection characteristic. The suspension system of
an automobile, for example, must be designed within a very narrow range to achieve an optimum
vibration frequency for all conditions of vehicle loading.

Deflection due to bending:

The problem of bending of beams probably occurs more often than any other loading
problem in mechanical design. Shafts, axles, cranks, levers, springs, brackets, and wheels, as
well as many other elements, must often be treated as beams in the design and analysis of
mechanical structures and systems. Beam deflection analysis is important in machine design.
For example, in a transmission, the gears must be supported by a rigid shaft. If the shaft bends
too much, that is, if it is too flexible, the teeth will not mesh properly, and the result will be
excessive impact, noise, wear, and early failure. Some machine elements are often treated as
beams in the design and analysis of mechanical structures and systems such as shafts, axles,
cranks, etc.

Differential Equations of the Deflection Curve

If y is the lateral deflection of the beam centroidal axis at any point x along its length, then
we can define the slope of the beam at any point x is
𝑑𝑦
𝜃=
𝑑𝑥
𝑑𝜃 𝑑2𝑦
The bending moment, 𝑀 = 𝐸𝐼 = 𝐸𝐼 (1)
𝑑𝑥 𝑑𝑥 2
𝑑𝑀 𝑑2𝜃 𝑑3𝑦
The shear force, 𝑉 = = 𝐸𝐼 = 𝐸𝐼 (2)
𝑑𝑥 𝑑𝑥 2 𝑑𝑥 3
Machine Design Dr. Nabeel Alshabatat

𝑑𝑉 𝑑2𝑀 𝑑3𝜃 𝑑4𝑦

If the distributed load w is a available, then 𝑤= = = 𝐸𝐼 = 𝐸𝐼 (3)
𝑑𝑥 𝑑𝑥 2 𝑑𝑥 3 𝑑𝑥 4
Machine Design Dr. Nabeel Alshabatat

H.W.: 4-8, 4-9

 See Examples (12.1 – 12.4) in Mechanics of Materials, Hibbeler, 8th Edition,
Machine Design Dr. Nabeel Alshabatat

Beam Deflection by Superposition

The deflection of the beam caused by several different loads can be found by
superimposing the deflections caused by the loads acting separately. For example, if 𝛿1
represents the deflection due to a load 𝑃1 and if 𝛿2 represents the deflection due to a load 𝑃2 ,
then the total deflection which produced by 𝑃1 and 𝑃2 is 𝛿1 + 𝛿2 .
By using the principle of superposition and Table A-9, we can find the deflection of
different kinds of beams under different loading conditions.
Example:

y
100 N
75
N x

z 100 N

0.25 m x
0.5 m 0.25 m

75 N

100 N

0.25 m
0.5 m 0.5 m 0.75 m

75 N
Machine Design Dr. Nabeel Alshabatat

Example: Using superposition, find the deflection

of the steel shaft at A in the figure

Solution:

𝑦𝐴,1 =

1500 (0.6)(0.4)
𝑦𝐴,1 = (0.42 + 0.62 − 12 )
6(207∗109 )(125.66 ∗ 10−9 )(1)

𝑦𝐴,2 =

1500(0.4)
𝑦𝐴,2 = (2(1)(0.42 ) − (0.43 ) − 12 )
24(207∗109 )(125.66 ∗ 10−9 )(1)

⟹ 𝑦𝐴 = 𝑦𝐴,1 + 𝑦𝐴,2 = -2.061 mm

(See Examples 4-2, 4-3, and 4-4/ textbook)

H.W.: 4-10, 4-12, 4-14.