UNIVERSITI

TEKNOLOGI
MARA

Lab Report: CES511 – STRUCTURAL ENGINEERING LABORATORY

KAMPUS PULAU PINANG

CES511 –STRUCTURAL ENGINEERING LABORATORY

LAB EXPERIMENT: DEFLECTION OF BEAM (CO2:PO5)
SEMESTER : OCT - FEB 2021 DATE OF LAB : 11/11/2020
GROUP : PEC2215L1 LAB LEVEL OEL : 1
LECTURER : SIR M. HAFEEZ BIN
OSMAN
CO2: Organize laboratory work on structural elements and materials.
PO5: Ability to utilize appropriate techniques, resources and modern engineering and IT tools in predicting and modelling
of complex civil engineering problems with an understanding of the limitations.

CRITERIA
NO STUDENT ID NAME
1 2 3 4 TOTAL
1. 2019482638 MOHAMMAD AL AIMAN BIN ABDUL HALIM
2. 2019495818 MOHAMAD AFHAM BIN ROSDI
3. 2019627946 AHMAD FARHAN BIN AHMAD ZAILANI
4. 2019461788 MUHAMMAD AMIR THAQIF BIN ADDNAN
5. 2019847978 MUHAMAD HANIF BIN ABDUL AZIZ

PSYCHOMOTOR PERFORMANCE RUBRIC

PERFORMANCE
SCALE
NO. CRITERIA
Developing Functional Proficient Advanced
0 1 2 3 4 5
Independently
Often requires Generally able to designed / identified
Has a very low ability to Independently
Ability to design and Unable to design/ instructor to design / design / identify basic the idea / task of the
design/ identify the designed / identified
conducted a identify the basic idea / identify basic idea / idea / task of the experiment with
basic idea / task of the idea / task of the
1 research- based task of the experiment. task of the experiment. experiment. additional supporting
experiment. experiment.
experiment (P1-P2) references.
Helps are required to Helps are required with Able to conduct the
Helps are required to Able to conduct a
conduct the whole refinement in several experiment with Show an outstanding
conduct the whole research-based
experiment. major details and minimal guide from ability in conducting
experiment. experiment.
conduct the experiment. the instructor. research-based
experiment.
Successfully
Cannot complete tasks Low ability to complete Successfully complete Successfully complete Successfully complete Successfully complete
2 performs experiment procedures experiment procedures experiment
experiment without and standard tasks and standard experiment
procedures. procedures. with moderate with minimal independently. independently.
guidance based on supervision. supervision.
level of
Openness
(P3-P4)

Ability to All of the results have

manipulate the data Incorrect Incomplete Minimal with 1 Almost all of the All of the results have
been interpreted
leading to findings interpretation of interpretation of trends sentence describing the results have been been correctly
correctly, with sufficient
trends and comparison and comparison of data main finding of the correctly interpreted interpreted, with only 1
3 (P5-P6) support of important
of data indicating a indicating a lack of experiment. but without sufficient sufficient support of
trends or data
lack of understanding understanding of support of important important trends or
comparisons
of results. results. trends or data data comparisons.
comparisons.
Ability to adapt the Show excellent
obtained result with Failed to show any No ability to adapt the Show effort to give Display effort to Display effort to
result with any suitable reasonable justification understanding between
logical justification idea at all understand the understand the finding
justification. but incorrect finding with major with minimum flawed the results to adapt
4 (P5-P6)
flawed interpretation interpretation with logical justification

Instruction to Students
1. Two (2) weeks duration is given for each lab report submission.
2. Any plagiarism found or not properly cited, the group will be penalized and marks will be deducted.
1. INTRODUCTION
Beams are the structural element which carries load and transmit the load to adjacent columns
and supports. Beam work by developing shear forces and bending moment along its length.
When load is applied to the beam, beam will deflect.

The maximum deflection of a simply supported beam subjected to point load at mid-span is
given by:

PL3
 max 
48 EI

Where;

P = Load (N)

L = Span or length of the beam (m)

E = Young’s Modulus of beam (N/m2)

I = Second Moment of area of the beam (m2)

For rectangular section, I = (bd3/12), where b and d are the width and depth respectively.
2. OBJECTIVE

1. To determine the maximum deflection of simply supported beam subjected to an increasing

point load.

2. To investigate the effect of the beam material on deflection of beam.

3. APPARATUS

1. Beam apparatus

2. Beam specimen

3. Clipper

4. Dial gauge

5. Vernier caliper

6. Load

7. Load hanger

8. Ruler
4. PROCEDURES

1. The length of the beam specimen is measured one meter and the width and thickness of the
specimen are measured using vernier caliper.

2. The screws at both support A and B that hold the specimen are locked and the dial gauge is
positioned at the middle of the specimen.

3. The load hanger is placed below the dial gauge and the dial gauge is set to zero by using the
origin button.

4. The first load is applied to the hanger and after a few second the reading at the indicator is
recorded.

5. The process is repeated until five times for five different loads.
5. DATA ACQUISITION

Material Steel
Length, L 400 mm
Width, b 18.5 mm
Depth, d 3.3 mm
Modulus of Elasticity, E 207 GPa
Second moment of Inertia, I 55.40 mm4

Load, P (N) Actual deflection, mm Theoretical deflection, mm Percentage

Difference, %
0 0 0 0
0.98 0.06 0.114 47.37
1.96 0.22 0.228 3.51
2.94 0.37 0.342 8.19
3.92 0.48 0.456 5.26
4.90 0.65 0.570 14.04
Sample calculation of theoretical value for deflection by using formula,
𝑃𝐿³
Deflection =
48𝐸𝐼

Load = 0.98 N
(0.98)(400)3
Deflection =
48(2.07𝑥105 )(55.40)

= 0.114 mm

Load = 1.96 N
(1.96)(400)3
Deflection =
48(2.07𝑥105 )(55.40)

= 0.228 mm

Load = 2.94 N
(2.94)(400)3
Deflection =
48(2.07𝑥105 )(55.40)

= 0.342 mm
Load = 3.92 N
(3.92)(400)3
Deflection =
48(2.07𝑥105 )(55.40)

= 0.456 mm

Load = 4.90 N
(4.90)(400)3
Deflection =
48(2.07𝑥105 )(55.40)

= 0.570 mm
Sample calculation of percentage error,

Theoritical − Experimental
%=| | × 100%
Theoritical

0.114 − 0.06
P, 0.98 N = | | × 100 = 47.37 %
0.114

0.228 − 0.22
P, 1.96 N = | | × 100 = 3.51 %
0.228

0.342 − 0.37
P, 2.94 N = | | × 100 = 8.19 %
0.342

0.456 − 0.48
P, 3.92 N = | | × 100 = 5.26 %
0.456

0.570 − 0.65
P, 4.90 N = | | × 100 = 14.04 %
0.570
Graph of deflection vs load

Graph of Deflection Vs Load, P

0.7

0.6
Deflection (mm)

0.5

0.4

0.3

0.2

0.1

0
0.98 1.96 2.94 3.92 4.9
Load, P (N)

Actual Deflection Theoretical Deflection

Graph 1
6. DISCUSSION
Based on the experimental calculation above, it can be say that the maximum deflection
will increase as the load increase. As the material use has been given the value of Young
Modulus of beam which is E = 207 GPa. The deflection of the beam is maximum at the mid
span of the beam. This is because we apply the load at the mid span so the forces from load
had been distributed equally to both of the support.

This theoretical values are made with ideal cases ignoring many facts of real life, such
as damaged apparatus, human error and human/machine limitations. Other facts which can be
taken into consideration, the increase in modulus of elasticity of the beam decreases the
deflection similar to the increase in moment of inertia of the beam decreases the deflection. If
we use different material, the result obtained will be different from this particular experiment.

In this experiment, the maximum deflection obtained is 0.570mm when maximum load
applied which is 4.90N. As a result, the beam can be seen to crack a bit and bends critically. If
the load applied increases, the beam will reach the absolute limit and breaks apart.

This experiment is very important as deflection is a vital consideration in the design of

a structure and failing to apply this concept can be fatal. When a load produces a deflection
that is too great, the component may fail. Thus, as an engineer, factor of safety must be find in
order to ensure the safety of a building’s occupant.

7. CONCLUSION
 The aim of studying, understanding and examining the deflection of simply supported
beam subjected to increasing point load on the mid span has been completed successfully. From
these experiment, it can be concluded that the deflection in a beam under a constant force
depends on the point of application of the force. So based on the result obtained, the relationship
between deflection and applied load can be said to be as the applied load increase, the
experimental deflection also increases. After the load had been applied on the beam, we can
see the effect on the beam that is deflection occurs. If the load had been applied at the mid span,
the maximum deflection is also on the mid span. This shows that the applied load is
proportional to the deflection.

8. REFERENCE
1. Youtube : Mohd Samsudin Abd Hamid
Ces511 Laboratory (Deflection) : https://youtu.be/W20PlD7zh-8
2. Internet : https://www.slideshare.net/yashdeepnimje/deflection-of-simply-supported-
beam-and-cantilever
3. Text book : Structural Analysis written by R.C. Hibbeler