CVNG 2001 Structural Mechanics / MENG 2001 - Strength of Materials

CONTINUOUS BEAMS – Statically Indeterminate structures

Flexibility Method – Forces are treated as the primary unknowns in the analysis
Steps
1. Determine the degree of indeterminacy i of the beam
2. No. of redundant forces = i
3. Choose reaction(s) as redundant(s)
4. Apply releases at redundant (i. e. remove redundant force from acting on structure) to
achieve a statically determinate beam with externally applied loads only. (Primary
structure)
5. Determine displacement (∆p) in primary structure at the position of the redundant.
6. Apply redundant force to the “complimentary structure” and determine displacement due
to redundant (∆R).
7. For compatibility the net displacements (in the primary and complimentary
structures) at the position of the releases must be zero,
i.e,

∆p + ∆R = 0
∆p = ∆R

Example 1 - two-span continuous beam with flexural rigidity EI = constant

P1   P2 

A  C 
x B y
RA  LAB  RB LBC RC 

Fig 1 ‐  Given Beam (EI constant) 

No. of reactions, r=3

No. of hinges, h=0
Equations of statics = 2 (∑Fv = 0; ∑M = 0)
Degree of Indeterminacy, I =(r – h – 2) = 3 – 0 -2 = 1
Beam is statically indeterminate to 1st degree

∑Fv = 0 RA + RB + RC = P1+ P2 (1)

∑M = 0
Taking moments about C: RA (LAB + LBC) + RB LBC = P1(x + LBC) + P2y (2)
Step 1:Using RB as the redundant, apply release at support B.
P1   P2 
B
A  C 
∆BP

Fig 2a ‐  Primary Structure – release at B (EI constant) 
   ∆BP = displacement at B in the primary structure due to applied external loads 
 

Step 2:Apply unit redundant at B (RB = 1)

∆B1 

A  C 
B
1

Fig 2b ‐  Complimentary Structure – Unit redundant applied at B 
   ∆B1 = displacement at B in the complimentary structure due to the redundant force. 

∆ Total deflection at B due to RB is  :   ∆BR = RB x ∆B1 

Step 3: 
For compatibility, the displacements at B must be zero. 
∴ Δ BP = Δ BR
Δ BP = Δ BR = R B Δ B1  
Δ BP
∴RB = (3)
Δ B1
Using equations (1), (2) and (3) we can solve for the unknown reactions RA, RB and Rc 
Bending moment at B is:  M B =R A (L AB ) - P1 (x) (4)  
 

P1   MB  P2 

A  C 
B

Fig 2a ‐  Bending Moment Diagram 

 
Three Moment Theorem  (Clapeyron, 1857; Mohr, 1860) 
Three‐Moment Equation – expresses the relationship between the bending moments at three 
successive supports of a continuous beam subjected to loads applied on two adjacent spans with or 
without uneven settlement of supports. 
 
Consider two adjacent spans of a continuous beam consisting of N spans, as shown in Fig. 3.1 

θ B

A  B
RA  C
RB RC 

LAB  LBC

Fig 3.1a ‐ Continuous Beam showing tangent to elastic curve at joint B 
 
 

MB 

MA  MC 

RAB  RBA  RBC  RCB 

RB = RBA + RBC Fig 3.1b = Free body diagrams of Span

A
θ BA B θ BC C 

Fig 3.1c ‐ End rotations due to applied loads
MB 

MA  MC 
A
α B β  C

Fig 3.1d ‐ End rotations due to reactant (redundant) moments 

 
For compatibility of joint B 
(θBA + α ) + (θBC + β ) = 0 (1)  
 
 
 
Applying the flexibility coefficients: 

1  f11  f12  f21  1

f22 

1  i  2 1 i
2 
 
⎛ L ⎞ ⎛ L ⎞ ⎛ L ⎞ ⎛ L ⎞
f11i = ⎜ ⎟ f12i = ⎜ ⎟ f 21i = ⎜ ⎟ f 22i = ⎜ ⎟
⎝ 3EI ⎠ ⎝ 63EI ⎠ ⎝ 6EI ⎠ ⎝ 3EI ⎠

θ BA + ( M A f i + M Bf i ) + θ BC + ( M C f j + M Bf j ) = 0
12 22 21 11
(2)
M A f 12i + M B (f 11j + f 22i ) + M C f 21j = − (θ BA + θ BC ) (3)
Inserting flexibility coefficients in eqn. (3) gives;
⎛ L ⎞ ⎧⎛ L ⎞ ⎛ L ⎞ ⎫ ⎛ L ⎞
MA ⎜ ⎟ + M B ⎨⎜ ⎟ +⎜ ⎟ ⎬ + MC ⎜ ⎟ = − (θ BA + θ BC ) (4)
⎝ 6EI ⎠AB ⎩⎝ 3EI ⎠AB ⎝ 3EI ⎠BC ⎭ ⎝ 6EI ⎠AB
Rewriting;
⎛ L ⎞ ⎧⎛ L ⎞ ⎛ L ⎞ ⎫ ⎛ L ⎞
MA ⎜ ⎟ + 2M B ⎨⎜ ⎟ +⎜ ⎟ ⎬ + MC ⎜ ⎟ = − (θ BA + θ BC ) (5)
⎝ 6EI ⎠AB ⎩⎝ 6EI ⎠ AB ⎝ 6EI ⎠ BC ⎭ ⎝ 6EI ⎠AB
or
⎛L⎞ ⎧⎛ L ⎞ ⎛L⎞ ⎫ ⎛L⎞
M A ⎜ ⎟ + 2M B ⎨⎜ ⎟ + ⎜ ⎟ ⎬ + M C ⎜ ⎟ = −6 (θ BA + θ BC ) (6)
⎝ EI ⎠AB ⎩⎝ EI ⎠AB ⎝ EI ⎠BC ⎭ ⎝ EI ⎠AB  

Equation (6) is the Three‐Moment Equation. 

   
Settlement of Supports 
Let ∆B = settlement of support B, as shown in Fig.  3.3 

P1  

A  C 
∆B

Fig 2a ‐  Settlement of support B  

 
Rotations due to settlement at either side of B are given by: 

(+B −+A ) , ( +B −+C )  

L AB LBC

The Three‐moment Equation becomes: 

⎛L⎞ ⎧⎛ L ⎞ ⎛L⎞ ⎫ ⎛L⎞ ⎡⎧ (+ −+ ) ⎫ ⎧ (+ −+ ) ⎫⎤

M A ⎜ ⎟ + 2M B ⎨⎜ ⎟ + ⎜ ⎟ ⎬ + M C ⎜ ⎟ = −6 ⎢ ⎨θ BA − B A ⎬ + ⎨θ BC − B C ⎬⎥ (5)
⎝ EI ⎠ AB ⎩⎝ EI ⎠ AB ⎝ EI ⎠ BC ⎭ ⎝ EI ⎠AB ⎣⎢ ⎩ L AB ⎭ ⎩ L BC ⎭⎦⎥
 

Flexibility Coefficients , Equations for Slopes and Deflections 

(Check Ref. 3:  Ghali, A., Neville, A.M. and Brown, T.G. (2003) Structural Analysis – A unified classical and
matrix: Appendix B – D) 

Example 1 

200 kN
5 kN/m 
B

A  C 
2m
2m  3 m

Fig E1 ‐  Given Beam (EI constant) 
 

 
Example 2 

100 kN 30 kN  
20 kN/m

Ao 

A  B C D 
3m
5m  5 m 2m 

Fig E2 ‐  Given Beam (EI constant) 
 

Using Three‐moment equation 

⎛L⎞ ⎧⎛ L ⎞ ⎛L⎞ ⎫ ⎛L⎞

M A ⎜ ⎟ + 2M B ⎨⎜ ⎟ + ⎜ ⎟ ⎬ + M C ⎜ ⎟ = −6 (θ BA + θ BC )    
⎝ EI ⎠ AB ⎩⎝ EI ⎠ AB ⎝ EI ⎠ BC ⎭ ⎝ EI ⎠ AB

Creating a fictitious span Ao A with infinite flexural rigidity (EI =∞) 

Spans Ao A ‐ AB  
⎛L⎞ ⎧⎛ L ⎞ ⎛ 5 ⎞ ⎫ ⎛ 5 ⎞ ⎛ 20(5)3 ⎞
M AO ⎜ ⎟ + 2M A ⎨⎜ ⎟ + ⎜ ⎟ ⎬ + M B ⎜ ⎟ = −6 ⎜ 0 + ⎟
⎝∞⎠ ⎩⎝ ∞ ⎠ ⎝ EI ⎠ ⎭ ⎝ EI ⎠ ⎝ 24EI ⎠  
∴10M A +5M B = −625 (1)
 
Spans AB ‐ BC   MC = ‐(30 x 2) = ‐60 kNm  
⎛ 5 ⎞ ⎧⎛ 5 ⎞ ⎛ 5 ⎞ ⎫ ⎛ 5 ⎞ ⎛ 20(5)3 (100)(2)(52 − 22 ) ⎞
M A ⎜ ⎟ + 2M B ⎨⎜ ⎟ + ⎜ ⎟ ⎬ + M C ⎜ ⎟ = −6 ⎜ + ⎟
⎝ EI ⎠ ⎩⎝ EI ⎠ ⎝ EI ⎠ ⎭ ⎝ EI ⎠ ⎝ 24EI (6)(5) ⎠
∴ 5M A +20M B + 5(−60) = −6 (104.167 + 140 )  
∴ 5M A +20M B = −1165 (2)
 
Solving eqns. (1) and (2) for MA and MB we get: 
MA = ‐38.14 kNm 
MB = ‐48.7 kNm 
Sketching BM Diagram 

‐60 kNm
‐48.7 kNm
‐38.1 kN/m 

A  B C D 

Fig E2 ‐  Reactant BM diagram 
 
 
‐60 kNm

A  B C

D 
62.5 kNm  

Fig E2 ‐  Free BM diagram  120 kNm  

 

‐48.7 kN/m ‐60 kNm  

‐38.1 kN/m 
62.5 kNm   120 kNm
A  B C

D 

Fig E2 ‐  Final BM diagram