LOADING

SHEAR FORCE

BENDING MOMENT

qo / unit length
A

x
q x2
Mx = o
2
qo a 2
Mmax =
2

RA
R A = q oa

qo / unit length

RA

RA = qob

Mmax = qob a + b
2

qo / unit length
RA
A

C
a

b
L

Mmax = qob a + b
2

RA = qob

x
RA

qo

B
RA =

q x3
Mx = o
6a
qo a 2
Mmax =
6

qo a
2

P
A

Mmax

RA
RA = P

x
Mx = P.x
Mmax = P.a

M
A

a
L

qo
A
a
RA

Zero shear

RA
b

B
RB

a
s=
L

qoa
s
1
2
3
qoas
RB =
6
RA =

x
Mmax = Mx = M

RB

x
q a2
2s
Mmax = o 1 s +
6
3
when x = a 1

FIGURE 47.6 Shear force and bending moment diagrams for beams with simple boundary conditions subjected to
selected loading cases.

Solving Eqs. (47.7) and (47.8) for MA and MB we get

2003 by CRC Press LLC

MA =

Wab 2
2
L

MB =

Wa 2 b
2
L

LOADING

SHEAR FORCE
RA

qo
A

RB

RA

P
A

RB

q a
2b
RA = o 1
2
3

RB =

qo a 2
2b 3/2
1
3
3

When x = a

2b
3

RA

L/2

RB

L
RA

x
Mmax =

qo a
b
3

BENDING MOMENT

RB

P
RA = RB =
2

RB

RA = RB = P

Mmax =

PL
4

RA

Mmax = Pa

P
A

RA

RB

L
RA

RA = Pb/ L

RB

P
A

C
a

b
L

RA

D B
c

RA =

RA a > c

RB

RB = Pa/L

P(b + 2c)
L
P(b + 2a)
RB =
L

Mmax =

RB

Pa b
L

MC =

Pa(b + 2c)
L

MD =

Pc(b + 2a)
L

P
RA

B
L/3

L/3
L

P
A C
L/6 L/3

Mmax =

RA = RB = P

RB

RA

RA

RB

L/3

PL
3

RA

D
E B
L/3 L/6
L
RB

RA = RB =

3P
2

RB
MC = ME =

PL
4

MD =

5PL
12

FIGURE 47.6 (continued).

Shear force can be determined once the bending moment is known. The shear force at the ends of the
beam, i.e., at A and B, are
SA =

M A - MB Wb
+
L
L

SB =

MB - M A Wa
+
L
L

Bending moment and shear force diagrams for fixed-end beams subjected to some typical loading
cases are shown in Fig. 47.8.

2003 by CRC Press LLC

LOADING
P

SHEAR FORCE

BENDING MOMENT

P
RA

A
C
D
E
B
L/4
L/4
L/4
L/4
L
RA

RB
RB

MC = M E =

3P
RA = RB =
2

3P L
8

MD =

PL
2

P
RA

C
D
E
F
B
L/8 L/4
L/4
L/4 L/8
L
RB
RA

RB

MC = MF =

PL
4

MD = M E =

PL
2

RA = RB = 2P

qo = unit load
RA
C

A
S

D
L

RB

E
S

RA = RB = qo S + L
2

RB

RA
qo = unit load
C

A
S

D
L

R A = R B = q oS

RB

qo = unit load

RA

B
Q

RA

RB

q S2
MA = MB = o
2

RA

q L2
MD = o + M A
8

RB

RA

q S2
MA = M B = o
2

RB

qoL2/8

q (S + L)2
q (L + S)(L S)
RA = o
RB = o
2L
2L

q S2
MA = o
2

FIGURE 47.6 (continued).

W
B

A
a

b
L
T
U

S
MA
P

Wab
L

R
MB
Q

FIGURE 47.7 Fixed-end beam.

Continuous Beams
Continuous beams like fixed-end beams are statically indeterminate. Bending moments in these beams
are functions of the geometry, moments of inertia, and modulus of elasticity of individual members,
besides the load and span. They may be determined by Clapeyrons theorem of three moments, the
moment distribution method, or the slope deflection method.
An example of a two-span continuous beam is solved by Clapeyrons theorem of three moments. The
theorem is applied to two adjacent spans at a time, and the resulting equations in terms of unknown
support moments are solved. The theorem states that
2003 by CRC Press LLC

LOADING

SHEAR FORCE

BENDING MOMENT
MA

qo/unit length

MB

RA
M A = MB =

RB
A

C
L

RA = RB = qoL/2
MC =

qo /unit length
A

RA

B
c

b
d

RB

When r is the simple support reaction

R A = rA +

e
L

MA M B
L

RB = rB +

M B MA
L

qo

12

qoL2
24

MA
MA =
MB =

MB
qo

12Lb
qo
12Lb

[e3(4L 3e) c3(4L 3c)]

[d3(4L 3d) a3(4L 3a)]

x
W

qoL2

Mx

MA

RA

RB

RA = 0.15qoL

RB = 0.35qoL

MB

q L2 10x3 9x
+ 2!

Mx = o
L
60
L3
+ M max = qoL2/46.6 when x = 0.55L
MA = qoL2/30 MB = qoL2/20

qo

C
L

MB

MC =

MA

b 2
a
RA = P ! 1 + 2 !
L
L
a 2
b
RB = P ! 1 + 2 !
L
L

PL
8

MA = MB = PL/8

RB

D
L/3

96

MA

RA

5qoL2

MC =
RA = RB = P/2

L/2

C
L/3

MA = MB =

RB

MB

RA

P
a

MA

RA = RB = qoL/4

C
L/2

RB

P
A

qoL2/32

RA

MA =

Pab2
L2

MB =

2Pa2b2
L3
MB
Pba2
L2

RA
B
L/3

RB
R A = RB = P

MA

PL/9

MB

MA = MB = 2PL/9

FIGURE 47.8 Shear force and bending moment diagrams for built-up beams subjected to typical loading cases.

A x A x
M AL1 + 2MB (L1 + L 2 ) + MCL 2 = 6 1 1 + 2 2
L2
L1

(47.9)

in which MA, MB , and MC are the hogging moment at supports A, B, and C, respectively, of two adjacent
spans of length L1 and L2 (Fig. 47.9); A1 and A2 are the area of bending moment diagrams produced by
the vertical loads on the simple spans AB and BC, respectively; x1 is the centroid of A1 from A; and x2 is
the distance of the centroid of A2 from C. If the beam section is constant within a span but remains
different for each of the spans Eq. (47.9) can be written as
2003 by CRC Press LLC

LOADING
P

A C

BENDING MOMENT

MD = 11PL/72

RA

E B
L/3

L/3

L/6

SHEAR FORCE

RB

L/6

MA

MA = MB = 19PL/72

RA = RB = 3P/2

MB

PL/4

MD = 3PL/16

RA
A

L/4

D
L/4

E
L/4

MA

RB

L/4

3PL/8

RA = RB = 3P/2

AC

L/8 L/4

MD = ME = 5PL/32

E
L/4

MB

MA = MB = 5PL/16

RA

FB

RB

L/4 L/8

MA

MB

PL/4
MA = MB = 11PL /32

RA = RB = 2P

FIGURE 47.8 (continued).

Load

L2

L1
MB
A1

MA

Bending
MC moment

A2
x2

x1

FIGURE 47.9 Continuous beams.

MA

A x A x
L L
L
L1
+ 2MB 1 + 2 + MC 2 = 6 1 1 + 2 2
I2
L 2I 2
I1
L1I1
I1 I 2

(47.10)

in which I1 and I2 are the moments of inertia of the beam sections in spans L1 and L2, respectively.
Example 47.1
The example in Fig. 47.10 shows the application of this theorem.
For spans AC and BC
1 500 10 5
M A 10 + 2MC (10 + 10) + MB 10 = 6 2
+
10

1
2

250 10 5

10

Since the support at A is simply supported, MA = 0. Therefore,

4MC + MB = 1250

(47.11)

Considering an imaginary span BD on the right side of B and applying the theorem for spans CB and BD
2003 by CRC Press LLC