DCC40172

STRUCTURE, HYDRAULICS AND WATER QUALITY LABORATORY

EXPERIMENT 3

DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL ENGINEERING

A) Experiment Title
Reactions at Support on a Continuous Beam

B) Objectives
To determine the reaction at support of two-span continuous beam.

C) Apparatus/Equipment
1) A support frame
2) 3 nos. reaction support pier
3) Allen key
4) A set of weights
5) Load cell
6) Beam specimen with constant depth and width throughout its length
7) A meter ruler to measure the span of the beam
8) 2 Nos load hangers
9) 3 Nos digital devices (force measuring)

D) Theory

Since a simply supported beam is a determinate structure, it is possible to obtain its static response
using just equilibrium equations. These equations enforce that the sum of all forces and moments, acting
upon the structure, in any direction, including both applied loads and support reactions, must be zero. For
a plane structure, with in plane loading, the equilibrium equations are:

∑ F x =0 ∑ F y =0 ∑ M anypoint =0
The first two equations, enforce force equilibrium in directions x and y, and the third equation enforces
the equilibrium of all moments around a certain point, which can be any point of the plane.

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STRUCTURE, HYDRAULICS AND WATER QUALITY LABORATORY

EXPERIMENT 3

Assigning the unknown support reactions to variables, RA, HA and RB, as shown in the figure, the three
equilibrium equations are defined this way the deformations remain small

Along direction x, there is no imposed force applied to the structure. There is only the unknown support
reaction, HA. Thus, the first equilibrium equation is:

∑ F x=0 , H A =0
Along direction y, the imposed force P is applied to the center of the beam, as well as support reactions,
RA and RB. Thus, the first equilibrium equation is:

∑ F y =0 , R A + RB − P=0
For the third equation we have to choose one point around which the moments are calculated. It is often
more convenient to select a point through which some of the forces are directed (such as point A in our
example), because, the resulting moments for these forces would be zero. So, around point A, support
reactions HA and RA have no lever arm, imposed force P have a lever arm equal to half the beam length
and support reaction RB have a lever arm equal to the beam length. Assuming counter-clockwise positive
rotation, the third equation becomes:

L
∑ M A =0 , H A 0+ R A 0− P 2 + R B L=0
There are three unknowns, and we have three equations, therefore it is possible to solve the system of
equations and obtain the unknown support reactions. HA is directly found from the first equation equal to
zero. Unless there is an imposed load along the beam longitudinal axis, this reaction will always be zero.
From the third equation we can directly obtain RB:

L P
−P + R B L=0 , R B =
2 2
And finally, substituting RB to the second equation, RA should be found too:

P P
RA+ − P=0 , R A =
2 2

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STRUCTURE, HYDRAULICS AND WATER QUALITY LABORATORY

EXPERIMENT 3

E) Procedures

1) Place the beam specimen on the left, middle and right support.

2) Both left and right span distance should be equal.

3) Fix the load hanger at each mid-span of the beam.

4) Place a spirit level in the beam and using the levelling handle adjusts the height of the support until
the beam is level (all support has the same height).

5) Connect the digital devices to each load cell at left, middle and right support.

6) Make sure to press the ‘tare’ button on the digital device before placing the load on the load
hanger.
7) Place a suitable load simultaneously on the load hanger at both left and right span. Note the
resulting digital device reading and record into table 1.

8) Repeated procedure 7 up to up to 5th load or more.

9) Add small weights to the load hanger at the end of the cord to make the digital device reading zero.

F) Data/Result

Table 1

Applied Applied Reaction at Support

0.49
1 1 0.31 0.49 1.38 2.26 0.31
0.88
2 2 0.63 0.88 2.75 4.41 0.63
1.37
3 3 0.94 1.37 4.13 6.57 0.94
1.86
4 4 1.25 1.86 5.5 8.73 1.25
2.35
5 5 1.56 2.35 6.88 11.09 1.56

G) Analysis
1) Using the tabulated data, plot the graph of load against reaction for each support of the beam.
2) Draw the best-fit curve through the plotted points.
3) Calculate the percentage error between the experimental and theoretical reaction.

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STRUCTURE, HYDRAULICS AND WATER QUALITY LABORATORY

EXPERIMENT 3

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STRUCTURE, HYDRAULICS AND WATER QUALITY LABORATORY

EXPERIMENT 3

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 DCC40172
STRUCTURE, HYDRAULICS AND WATER QUALITY LABORATORY

EXPERIMENT 3