CE 573 – Structural Dynamics

Homework #6
due 14 October 2016, Friday, 10:30am

1) Consider a 20 ft long steel beam supporting a concentrated weight (10 kips) and subjected to a
dynamic load. The loading has a rise time  of 0.075 sec and a maximum load value Fmax of 20
kips (see graph on the right). The beam has a moment of inertia of 800 in4 and a section modulus of
89 in3. Ignore the weight of the beam. Find the maximum axial stress due to bending.

18WF50 F(t) F(t)

I=800 in4
S=89 in3

W=10 kips
Fmax

t
10’ 10’ τ

2) You are asked to compare the effects of loading time profile on the response of an elevated water
tower. The tower can be modeled as a SDOF with natural period T. Ignore the damping.

There are three kinds of loads you are asked to compare:

1) a rectangular load pulse with zero rise time and dwell time of td;

2) a triangular load pulse with zero rise time and end time at td;

3) an isosceles triangular load pulse of dwell time td (a symmetric triangular pulse with apex at
time td/2).

All three loads have the same impulse.

a) If td = 0.2 T, sort the loads in order of decreasing maximum displacement they would cause.

b) If td = 0.5 T, sort the loads in order of decreasing maximum displacement they would cause.

c) Is it possible for the loads type 1 and type 2 to cause the same maximum displacement?
Consider the region of 0.1 T ≤ td ≤ 0.5 T for the loading duration? If yes, which type(s) of
loading causes the tower to reach its maximum displacement in shorter time?

Hint: Use the graphs given by Biggs (1964).