THE MOMENT-AREA METHOD

MOMENT-AREA METHOD
• Assumptions:
i. beam is initially straight,
ii. is elastically deformed by the loads, such that the slope and deflection of the elastic
curve are very small, and
iii. deformations are caused by bending.

Theorem 1
• The angle between the tangents at any two pts on the elastic curve equals the area
under the M/EI diagram between these two pts.
B M
B A   dx
A EI

2
Theorem 1 The angle between the tangents at any two pts on the elastic curve equals the area under the
M/EI diagram between these two pts.
B M
B A   dx
A EI

3
 THE MOMENT-AREA METHOD

Theorem 2
• The vertical deviation of the tangent at a pt (A) on the elastic curve w.r.t. the tangent
extended from another pt (B) equals the moment of the area under the M/EI diagram
between these two pts
(A and B).
• This moment is computed about pt (A) where the vertical deviation (tA/B) is to be
determined.

4
 tHE MOMENT-AREA METHOD

Procedure for analysis

M/EI Diagram
1. Determine the support reactions and draw the beam’s M/EI diagram.
2. If the beam is loaded with concentrated forces, the M/EI diagram will consist of a
series of straight line segments, and the areas and their moments required for the
moment-area theorems will be relatively easy to compute.
3. If the loading consists of a series of distributed loads, the M/EI diagram will
consist of parabolic or perhaps higher-order curves, and we use the table on the
inside front cover to locate the area and centroid under each curve.

5
 THE MOMENT-AREA METHOD

Procedure for analysis

Elastic curve
1. Draw an exaggerated view of the beam’s elastic curve.
2. Recall that pts of zero slope and zero displacement always occur at a fixed support,
and zero displacement occurs at all pin and roller supports.
3. If it is difficult to draw the general shape of the elastic curve, use the moment (M/EI)
diagram.
4. Realize that when the beam is subjected to a +ve moment, the beam bends concave
up, whereas
-ve moment bends the beam concave down.

6
 THE MOMENT-AREA METHOD

Procedure for analysis

Elastic curve
5. An inflection pt or change in curvature occurs when the moment if the beam (or
M/EI) is zero.
6. The unknown displacement and slope to be determined should be indicated on the
curve.
7. Since moment-area theorems apply only between two tangents, attention should be
given as to which tangents should be constructed so that the angles or deviations
between them will lead to the solution of the problem.
8. The tangents at the supports should be considered, since the beam usually has zero
displacement and/or zero slope at the supports.

7
 THE MOMENT-AREA METHOD

Procedure for analysis

Moment-area theorems
1. Apply Theorem 1 to determine the angle between any two tangents on the elastic
curve and Theorem 2 to determine the tangential deviation.
2. The algebraic sign of the answer can be checked from the angle or deviation
indicated on the elastic curve.
3. A positive B/A represents a counterclockwise rotation of the tangent at B w.r.t.
tangent at A, and a +ve tB/A indicates that pt B on the elastic curve lies above the
extended tangent from pt A.

8
Determine the slope of the beam shown at pts B and C. EI is constant.

9
M/EI diagram: See below.
Elastic curve:
The force P causes the beam to deflect as shown.

10
Elastic curve: EXAMPLE 12.7 (SOLN)
The tangents at B and C are indicated since we are required to find B and C.
Also, the tangent at the support (A) is shown. This tangent has a known zero
slope. By construction, the angle between tan A and tan B, B/A, is equivalent to
B, or

B  B A and C  C A

11
 (SOLN)
Moment-area theorem:
Applying Theorem 1, B/A is equal to the area under the M/EI diagram between pts A and
B, that is,

B  B 
 
PL  L  1  PL  L 
A       
 2 EI  2  2  2 EI  2 
3PL2

8EI

13
 (SOLN)
Moment-area theorem:
The negative sign indicates that angle measured from tangent at A to tangent at B is
clockwise. This checks, since beam slopes downward at B.
Similarly, area under the M/EI diagram between pts A and C equals C/A. We have

1  PL 
C  C A   L
2  EI 
PL2

2 EI

14
 EXAMPLE 12.8
Determine the displacement of pts B and C of beam shown. EI is constant.

15
 EXAMPLE 12.8 (SOLN)
M/EI diagram: See below.
Elastic curve:
The couple moment at C cause the beam to deflect as shown.

16
 EXAMPLE 12.8 (SOLN)
Elastic curve:
The required displacements can be related directly to deviations between the tangents
at B and A and C and A. Specifically, B is equal to deviation of tan A from tan B,

 B  tB A C  tC A

17
 EXAMPLE 12.8 (SOLN)
Moment-area theorem:
Applying Theorem 2, tB/A is equal to the moment of the shaded area under the M/EI
diagram between A and B computed about pt B, since this is the pt where tangential
deviation is to be determined. Hence,

2
 
     0     0
L M L M L
 B  tB A
 4   EI  2  8EI

18
 EXAMPLE 12.8 (SOLN)
Moment-area theorem:
Likewise, for tC/A we must determine the moment of the area under the entire M/EI
diagram from A to C about pt C. We have
2
 L   M   M L
C  tC A      0 
 L    0
 2   EI   2 EI
Since both answers are –ve, they indicate that pts B and C lie below the tangent at A.
This checks with the figure.

19
 12.5 METHOD OF SUPERPOSITION

• The differential eqn EI d4/dx4 = w(x) satisfies the two necessary requirements for
applying the principle of superposition

• The load w(x) is linearly related to the deflection (x)

• The load is assumed not to change significantly the original geometry of the beam
or shaft.

20
 EXAMPLE 12.16

Steel bar shown is supported by two springs at its ends A and B. Each spring has a
stiffness k = 45 kN/m and is originally unstretched. If the bar is loaded with a force of 3
kN at pt C, determine the vertical displacement of the force. Neglect the weight of the
bar and take Est = 200 GPa, I = 4.687510-6 m.

21
 EXAMPLE 12.16 (SOLN)

End reactions at A and B are computed and shown. Each spring deflects by an
amount

2 kN
 A 1   0.0444 m
45 kN/m
1 kN
 B 1   0.0222 m
45 kN/m

22
 EXAMPLE 12.16 (SOLN)
If bar is considered rigid, these displacements cause it to move into positions
shown. For this case, the vertical displacement at C is

C 1   B 1 
2m
 A 1   B 1
3m
2
 0.0222 m  0.0444 m  0.0282 m
3
 0.0370 m

23
 EXAMPLE 12.16 (SOLN)
We can find the displacement at C caused by the deformation of the bar, by
using the table in Appendix C. We have

C 2 
Pab 2
6 EIL

L  b2  a 2 


3 kN 1 m 2 m  3 m   2 m   1 m 
2 2 2

6200106  kN/m 2 4.6875106  m 4 3 m 
 1.422 mm

24
 EXAMPLE 12.16 (SOLN)
Adding the two displacement components, we
get   C  0.0370 m  0.001422 m
 0.0384 m  38.4 mm

25
 12.6 STATICALLY INDETERMINATE BEAMS AND SHAFTS

• A member of any type is classified as statically indeterminate if the no. of unknown

reactions exceeds the available no. of equilibrium eqns.

• Additional support reactions on beam that are not needed to keep it in stable
equilibrium are called redundants.

• No. of these redundants is referred to as the degree of indeterminacy.

26
 12.7 STATICALLY INDETERMINATE BEAMS AND SHAFTS:
METHOD OF INTEGRATION

• For a statically indeterminate beam, the internal moment M can be expressed in

terms of the unknown redundants.
• After integrating this eqn twice, there will be two constants of integration and the
redundants to be found.
• The unknowns can be found from the boundary and/or continuity conditions for
the problem.

27
 EXAMPLE 12.17
Beam is subjected to the distributed loading shown. Determine the reactions at A. EI is
a constant.

28
 EXAMPLE 12.17 (SOLN)
Elastic curve:
Beam deflects as shown. Only one coordinate x is needed. For
convenience, we will take it directed to the right, since internal
moment is easy to formulate.

29
 EXAMPLE 12.17 (SOLN)
Moment function:
Beam is indeterminate to first degree as indicated from the free-body
diagram. We can express the internal moment M in terms of the
redundant force at A using segment shown below.

30
 EXAMPLE 12.17 (SOLN)
Moment function:
1 x3
M  Ay x  w0
6 L
Slope and elastic curve:
Applying Eqn 12-10,
d 2 1 x3
EI 2  Ay x  w0
dx 6 L
d 1 1 x 4
EI  Ay x 2  w0  C1
dx 2 24 L
5
1 1 x
EI  Ay x3  w0  C1x  C2
6 120 L
31
 EXAMPLE 12.17 (SOLN)
Slope and elastic curve:
The three unknowns Ay, C1 and C2 are determined from the boundary
conditions x = 0,  = 0; x = L,
d/dx = 0; and x = L,  = 0. Applying these conditions yields

x  0,   0; 0  0  0  0  C2
d 1 1
x  L,  0; 0  Ay L  w0 L  C1
2 3
dx 2 24
1 1
x  L,   0; 0  Ay L 
3
w0 L4  C1L  C2
6 120
32
 EXAMPLE 12.17 (SOLN)
Slope and elastic curve:
Solving, 1
Ay  w0 L
10
1
C1   w0 L3 C2  0
120
Using the result for Ay, the reactions at B can be determined from the
equations of equilibrium. Show that Bx = 0. By = 2w0L/5 and MB=
w0L2/15

33
 12.8 STATICALLY INDETERMINATE BEAMS AND SHAFTS:
MOMENT-AREA METHOD

• Draw the ME/I diagrams such that the redundants are represented
as unknowns.
• Apply the 2 moment-area theorems to get the relationships
between the tangents on elastic curve to meet conditions of
displacement and/or slope at supports of beam.
• For all cases, no. of compatibility conditions is equivalent to no. of
redundants.

34
 12.8 STATICALLY INDETERMINATE BEAMS AND SHAFTS:
MOMENT-AREA METHOD

Moment diagrams constructed by method of superposition

• Since moment-area theorems needs calculation of both the area
under the ME/I diagram and centroidal location of this area, the
method of superposition can be used to combine separate ME/I
diagrams for each of the known loads.
• This will be relevant if the resultant moment diagram is of a
complicated shape.

35
 12.8 STATICALLY INDETERMINATE BEAMS AND SHAFTS:
MOMENT-AREA METHOD

Moment diagrams constructed by method of superposition

• Most loadings on beams are a
combination of the four loadings
as shown.

36
12.8 STATICALLY INDETERMINATE BEAMS AND SHAFTS:
MOMENT-AREA METHOD

37
12.8 STATICALLY INDETERMINATE BEAMS AND SHAFTS:
MOMENT-AREA METHOD

38
 EXAMPLE 12.20
Beam is subjected to couple moment at its end
C as shown. Determine the reaction at B. EI is
constant.

39
 EXAMPLE 12.20 (SOLN)
M/EI Diagram:
Free-body diagram as shown.
By inspection, beam is
indeterminate to first degree.
To get a direct solution,
choose By as the redundant.
Using superposition,
the M/EI diagrams for
By and M0, each applied
to the simply supported
beam are shown.

40
 EXAMPLE 12.20 (SOLN)
Elastic curve:
Elastic curve as
shown. Tangents at
A, B and C has been
established.
Since A = B = C = 0, then tangential deviations shown must be
proportional,

1
tB C  tA C 1
2

41
 EXAMPLE 12.20 (SOLN)
Elastic curve:
From ME/I diagram, we have
 1 1  By L    2 1   M 0  
tB C   L     L    L     L 
 3   2  2 EI    3   2  2 EI  
 L    M 0  
    L 
 2   2 EI  

1  By L   2  1   M 0  
tA C   L   2 L    2 L      2 L 
 
2 2 EI    3   2  EI 
42
 EXAMPLE 12.20 (SOLN)
Elastic curve:
Substituting into Eqn (1), we have

3M 0
By 
2L
Equations of equilibrium:
Reactions at A and C can now be determined from the eqns of
equilibrium. Show that Ax = 0, Cy = 5M0/4L, and Ay = M0/4L.

43
 EXAMPLE 12.20 (SOLN)
Equations of equilibrium:
From figure shown, this problem can also be worked out in terms of
the tangential deviations,
1
t B A  tC A
2

44
 12.9 STATICALLY INDETERMINATE BEAMS AND SHAFTS:
METHOD OF SUPERPOSITION

• First, identify the redundant support reactions on the beam.

• Remove these reactions from the beam to get a primary beam that
is statically determinate and stable and subjected to external load
only.
• Add to this beam with a series of similarly supported beams, each
with a separate redundant, then by principle of superposition, the
final loaded beam is obtained.
• After computing the redundants, the other reactions on the beam
determined from the eqns of equilibrium.
• This method of analysis is sometimes called the force method.

45
 12.9 STATICALLY INDETERMINATE BEAMS AND SHAFTS:
METHOD OF SUPERPOSITION

Procedure for analysis

Elastic curve
• Specify unknown redundant forces or moments
that must be removed from the beam in order to
make it statically determinate and stable.
• Use principle of superposition, draw the statically
indeterminate beam and show it to be equal to a
sequence of corresponding statically
determinate beams.
• The first beam (primary) supports the same
external loads as the statically indeterminate
beam, and each of the other beams “added” to
the primary beam shows the beam loaded with a
separate single redundant force or moment.
46
 12.9 STATICALLY INDETERMINATE BEAMS AND SHAFTS:
METHOD OF SUPERPOSITION

Procedure for analysis

Elastic curve
• Sketch the deflection curve for each beam and indicate
symbolically the displacement or slope at the pt of each
redundant force or moment.
Compatibility equations
• Write a compatibility eqn for the displacement or slope at
each pt where there is a redundant force or moment.
• Determine all the displacements or slopes using an
appropriate method explained in chapter 12.212.5.
• Substitute the results into the compatibility eqns and solve
for the unknown redundants.

47
 12.9 STATICALLY INDETERMINATE BEAMS AND SHAFTS:
METHOD OF SUPERPOSITION

Procedure for analysis

Compatibility equations
• If a numerical value for a redundant is +ve, it has the same
sense of direction as originally assumed.
• Similarly, a –ve numerical value indicates the redundant acts
opposite to its assumed sense of direction.
Equilibrium equations
• Once the redundant forces and/or moments have been
determined, the remaining unknown reactions can be found
from the eqns of equilibrium applied to the loadings shown
on the beam’s free-body diagram.

48
 EXAMPLE 12.22
Determine the reactions on the beam shown. Due to loading
and poor construction, the roller support at B settles 12 mm.
Take E = 200 GPa and I = 80(106) mm4.

49
 EXAMPLE 12.22 (SOLN)
Principle of superposition
By inspection, beam is indeterminate
to the first degree. Roller support at
B is chosen as the redundant.
Principle of superposition is shown.
Here, By is assumed to act upwards
on the beam.

50
 EXAMPLE 12.22 (SOLN)
Compatibility equation
With reference to pt B, we require
  0.012 m   B   'B 1

Using table in Appendix C,4displacements are

5wL4
524 kN/m 8 m  640 kN  m
3
B   
768EI 768EI EI

3
PL B y 8 m 3 10.67 m3 B y
 'B   
48EI 48EI EI
51
 EXAMPLE 12.22 (SOLN)
Compatibility equation
Thus Eqn (1) becomes

0.012EI  640  10.67 By

Expressing E and I in units of kN/m2 and m4, we have

0.012200 10 80 10   640  10.67 B y

 6
  6

B y  42.0 kN

52
 EXAMPLE 12.22 (SOLN)
Equilibrium equations:
Applying this result to the beam, we then calculate the reactions at A
and C using eqns of equilibrium.

  M A  0; 96 kN 2 m   42.0 kN 4 m   C y 8 m   0
C y  3.00 kN
  Fy  0; Ay  96 kN  42.0 kN  3.00 kN  0
Ay  51 kN

53
 EXAMPLE 12.24
Determine the moment at B for beam shown. EI is constant. Neglect
the effects of axial load.

54
 EXAMPLE 12.24
Principle of superposition:
Since axial load if neglected, a there is a vertical
force and moment at A and B. Since only two
eqns of equilibrium are available, problem is
indeterminate to the second degree.
Assume that By and MB are redundant, so that
by principle of superposition, beam is
represented as a cantilever, loaded separately by
distributed load and reactions By and MB, as
shown.

55
 EXAMPLE 12.24
Compatibility equations:
Referring to displacement and slope at B, we require
  0   B   'B  ' 'B 1
  0   B   'B  ' 'B 2 
Using table in Appendix C to compute slopes and displacements, we
have
wL3 9 kN/m 4 m 3 12
B   
48EI 48EI EI
7 wL4 79 kN/m 4 m 4 42
B   
384EI 384EI EI
56
 EXAMPLE 12.24
Compatibility equations:

PL 2 B y 4 m 
2
8By
 'B   
2 EI 2 EI EI
3
PL B y 4 m 
3
21.33B y
 'B   
3EI 3EI EI
ML M B 4 m  4 M B
 ' 'B   
EI EI EI
ML2 M B 4 m 2 8M B
 ' 'B   
2 EI 2 EI EI
57
 EXAMPLE 12.24

Compatibility equations:
Substituting these values into Eqns (1) and (2) and canceling
out the common factor EI, we have
  0  12  8By  4M B
  0  42  21.33By  8M B
Solving simultaneously, we get

B y  3.375 kN
M B  3.75 kN  m
58
 CHAPTER REVIEW
• The elastic curve represents the centerline deflection of a beam or shaft.
• Its shape can be determined using the moment diagram.
• Positive moments cause the elastic curve to concave upwards and negative
moments cause it to concave downwards.
• The radius of curvature at any pt is determined from 1/ = M/EI.
• Eqn of elastic curve and its slope can be obtained by first finding the internal
moment in the member as a function of x.

59
 CHAPTER REVIEW
• If several loadings act on the member, then separate moment functions must be
determined between each of the loadings.
• Integrating these functions once using
EI(d2/dx2) = M(x) gives the eqn for the slope of the elastic curve, and integrating
again gives the eqn for the deflection.
• The constants of integration are determined from the boundary conditions at the
supports, or in cases where several moment functions are involved, continuity of
slope and deflection at pts where these functions join must be satisfied.

60
 CHAPTER REVIEW
• Discontinuity functions allow us to express the eqn of elastic curve as a
continuous function, regardless of the no. of loadings on the member.
• This method eliminates the need to use continuity conditions, since the two
constants of integration can be determined solely from the two boundary
conditions.
• The moment-area method if a semi-graphical technique for finding the slope of
tangents or the vertical deviation of tangents at specific pts on the elastic curve.

61
 CHAPTER REVIEW
• The moment-area method requires finding area segments under the M/EI
diagram, or the moment of these segments about pts on the elastic curve.
• The method works well for M/EI diagrams composed of simple shapes, such as
those produced by concentrated forces and couple moments.
• The deflection or slope at a pt on a member subjected to various types of
loadings can be determined by using the principle of superposition. The table in
the back of the book can be used for this purpose.

62
 CHAPTER REVIEW
• Statically indeterminate beams and shafts have more unknown support
reactions than available eqns of equilibrium.
• To solve them such problems, we first identify the redundant reactions, and the
other unknown reactions are written in terms of these redundants.
• The method of integration or moment-area theorems can be used to solve for
the unknown redundants.
• We can also determine the redundants by using the method of superposition,
where we consider the continuity of displacement at the redundant.

63
 CHAPTER REVIEW
• The displacement due to the external loading is determined with the redundant
removed, and again with the redundant applied and external loading removed.
• The tables in Appendix C of this book can be used to determine these necessary
displacements.

64