LECTURE # 3

VIRTUAL WORK
Work and complementary work

A B e B'

U = STRAIN ENERGY = WORK DONE

F
F1

df

de e
e1
 WORK AND COMPLEMENTARY WORK
e

WORK DONE = Fde

0

OTHER AREA IS ALSO A INTEGRAL INVOLVING FORCE AND

DISPLACEMENT:
F1

edF
0

This expression is complementary work. The

complementary work is difficult to understand
because it does not have any physical significant.
However, when the relationship is elastic the two
quantities will be equal.
 WORK AND COMPLEMENTARY WORK

F
F1
ary
t
en
lem l
p a
m tu
co Ac

e1 e

The linearity has equalized the two work done

 PRINCIPAL OF VIRTUAL WORK
When a structure is subjected to a force system it will have a reaction
system and a internal stress system . Now, if want to determine and
relation it will be real complex because the strain energy is stored in the
element. In such a case the relation will be product of and integrated
over the complete volume of each element

T
d d v
v 0
Now, in case of a beam element the total energy will be calculated by
first determining it over a cross section and then integrating it over its
length because in flexure members it is varying from cross section to
cross section
The formulation is quite complex
The calculations can be made easier if we regard the external force
producing all the internal forces. In 2D we have direct force, a shear and
a moment. If at any cross section if we can determine the stresses
under the applied loads we can determine the force easily by integrating
the stresses over the area
 PRINCIPAL OF VIRTUAL WORK
Under application of the external force P, we have internal forces F
and stresses . These three vectors give us displacements, internal
deformation and strains represented by , e and
Using the relation of these vectors we can develop the principle of virtual
work. Consider a force system consisting of P1, P2, P3 . Pn applied
on a particle and these forces have a resultant of Pr. The resultant r is
such that it has components 1, 2 n in direction of forces applied.
The resultant is so small that its components do not effect the magnitude
and direction of the force. Thus if it is true that magnitude and direction
are not affected the law of conservation of energy will require
P1x 1+P2 2+P3 3+..+Pn n = Pr r
If the particle, which is under application of force is in equilibrium then
Pr = 0 or Pr x r = 0
It means
P1x 1+P2x 2+P3x 3+..+Pnx n = 0 ----- (1)
Equation 1 gives basic expression to virtual work.
 PRINCIPAL OF VIRTUAL WORK
Definition: It states that if a particle, in equilibrium is subjected to a
small arbitrary displacement the work done by the forces will be
zero. The forces can be moment, shear or torque and it is not must that
forces should be linear. The should be so small that the magnitude
and the direction of the forces is unchanged. The sum and product of
the displacements and forces is zero not because the displacements are
negligible but these are zero because these displacements were so
small that these could not effect any change in direction and magnitude
of the forces.
In order to understand the concept, I apply it to the following example
a b

A' A B B'

The bar in above figure is in tension and we define a positive system as

the directions indicating tension in the bar. The tension cause the nodes
A and B to displace through a distance a and b respectively. The
force or work done will also effect a internal force system which will also
do some work
Fa + Fb = Fe, where F is internal force and e is
corresponding internal displacement
 PRINCIPAL OF VIRTUAL WORK
a b

A' A B B'

Now at he fixities the direction of the displacement is opposite to that

defined as positive.
(-Fa) + (-Fb) = -Fe
If we now give these fixity a virtual displacement * so that it has
corresponding e* and * as internal deformation and strain
respectively. As the fixity are in equilibrium and the virtual displacement
is so small and satisfy the definition of virtual work. Then,
PT *-FT e* = 0 ------ (2)
Equation 2 is the basic form of virtual work used in the structural
analysis.
Another approach to explain the concept
If we give a virtual displacement * and during the displacement a work
is done as:
PT x *
The work done will be stored in the element as strain energy
 PRINCIPAL OF VIRTUAL WORK
The virtual displacement has an accompanied internal deformation and
the work done during the internal deformation will also be equal to work
done of the virtual displacement
work done during virtual displacement = work done during virtual
deformation = strain energy stored
PT x * = FT x e* = T dv ------ (3)
It should be remembered that P should include all forces applied at all
points and F should include all internal forces and e should include
effects of all internal forces.
In a system where we have direct nodal forces such as in pin jointed
structure with constant cross section of all members
FT x e* = Fe
But in case of moments the virtual displacements along with their
associated action will be integrated along the length and then
summation will take place:
MT x * = Md (integration over the length)
Similarly, it will be for shear and torques
 PRINCIPAL OF VIRTUAL WORK

PT x * = FT x e* = T dv ------ (3)
In equation 3 we can add on the work done by the applied loads say
uniformly distributed loads.
The equation 3 is the basic form. It involves systems in equilibrium of
forces, internal actions and stresses which are represented by P, F
and and the system is entirely different from the virtual displacement
system of , e and . The only requirement is that the virtual
displacement system should be compatible through out the structure
with only one limitation that these virtual displacements are so small that
these do not change the direction and magnitude of the applied force,
action and stress.
 Application of Principle of Virtual Work
The internal actions were multiplied with corresponding deformations
and summed over the entire structure for every element and cross
section. This approach can be help full in finding the deflections of any
loaded element. If an element is subjected to force system and we have
displacement system to define its deflected shape then
*, * and e* will be , and e. If we apply a unit force in the direction
of unknown deflection so that it does not effect he magnitude or
direction of displacement then principle of virtual work will still apply:
1.= F*T x e = *T dv
The displacements here are finite and real and is required
displacement
 Indeterminacy
In trusses
I = indeterminancy
F = ELEMENT FORCES
R = REACTIONS
Nj = NUMBER OF JOINTS
P = DEGREE OF FREEDOM (D.O.F) AT THE
NODE
2(Nj) = P+R
I = F+R-2(Nj)
I = F+R-P-R
I=F-P