BEAMS ON ELASTIC

FOUNDATION
BY SOHAM TRIVEDI
INTRODUCTION
• The beam lies on elastic foundation when under the applied external loads, the
reaction forces of the foundation are proportional at every point to the deflection
of the beam at this point.
• This assumption was introduced first by winkler in 1867.
•  
• If the stiffness of the foundation is relatively small compared to the
stiffness of beam , the deflection , curvature and bending moment of beam
become excessively large
• Damage to the beam on elastic foundation subjected to repeated load may
be due to contact stresses rather than bending stresses or from
deflection .
BEAM ON ELASTIC FOUNDATION
• The analysis of a beam whose length is very much greater than its depth and width serves
as the basis of the treatment of all beams on elastic foundations.

• Consider a straight beam supported along its entire length by an elastic medium and
subjected to vertical forces acting in the plane of symmetry of the cross section as shown in
Figure.

• Beam on elastic foundation Because of the external loadings the beam will deflect
producing continuously distributed reaction forces in the supporting medium. The intensity
of these reaction forces at any point is proportional to the deflection of the beam y(x) at this
point via the constant k:

• R(x)=k·y(x) =b·k0·y(x)

• where k= k0·b is the constant of the foundation, known as Winkler’s constant, which
includes the effect of the width of the beam, and has dimension kN/m/m.
Classification of beam on Elastic
Foundation
(1) Long beam(Bl>=5) :
if length is very large compare to depth and width .In this beam it is
assumed that ends are far enough from the load so that the
deflection ,shear and moment at ends are zero .
(2) Medium beam : 0.6<Bl<5
(3) Short beam : Bl<0.6
Bending of beam is not important.Foundation pressure are obtained by
assuming the beam to act as a rigid body .
THANK YOU