This material is for your information only and not for the exam.

1. Solving Statically Indeterminate Structures by Castigliano's Second Theorem For simplicity, the method will be illustrated for structures with indeterminacy of order 1. The derivation here is readily extended to structures with indeterminacy of order N . For simplicity, let us confine ourselves to a two-dimensional structure, say a two-dimensional Bernoulli-Euler beam structure subjected to systems of concentrated and distributed loads denoted symbolically by . Among all the reactions acting on the structure, let us arbitrarily choose one reaction to be the redundant one, and call it R1 . The remaining three reactions Q1 , Q2 , Q3 could be expressed in terms of R1 and the external loads by means of the three equilibrium conditions

F
where

= 0,

= 0,

= 0,

(1.1)

Fx denotes the forces in the

x direction,

Fy

denotes the forces in the

y direction, and M J denotes the moments about an arbitrary point J .

The determination of R1 by Castigliano's second theorem is carried out as follows. We "release" the supports affiliated with R1 , and regard the reaction R1 together with the external load as an independent set of external loads acting on the statically determinate structure which has resulted by releasing the support affiliated with R1 . The deflection (or rotation) corresponding to R1 can be computed by Castiglianos second theorem. Let the internal energy be denoted by U = U ( R1 , ). The deflection (or rotation) affiliated to R1 is computed and then set equal to

zero:
U = 0, R1

(1.2) Equations (1.1) and (1.2) allow the determination of the four unknowns R1 , Q1 , Q2 and Q3 .

It is important to mention here that before carrying out the derivative in (1.2), the reactions Q1 , Q2 , Q3 are to be determined in terms of R1 and the other external loads through the equilibrium equations. Thus, in evaluating other words, if we represent the internal energy by:
U = f ( R1 , , Qi ( R1 , ) )

(1.2), the

derivatives of Q1 , Q2 , Q3 with respect to R1 need to be taken into consideration. In

with i =1,2,3

(1.3) we can write:

3 U f f Qi = + =0 R1 R1 i =1 Qi R1

(1.4) from which R1 can be determined in terms of the external loads . Example 1.1 : Consider a beam of length L, simple supported on the its left end A and clamped on its right end B. Let the beam be subjected to a uniform load Find the reaction at the left hand support.

w (see Figure 1).

Choose the left hand reaction to be the redundant one. We will call it R1 . The right

hand reactions at the clamped support will be called Q1 and Q2 . The force Q1 will be chosen to be upward, and the moment Q2 is taken in the clockwise direction. From equilibrium conditions we get:
wL 2 R1 L 2

Q1 = wL R1 ,

Q2 =

(1.5) We will find the reaction R1 in two ways: a) working from the left support, b) working from the right support. Let us first determine R1 by working from the left support. Choose moment is:
wx 2 2

x to be a coordinate pointing from the left support to right. The

M ( x ) = R1 x

(1.6) Let us write the internal energy :

L

U =

1 M2 dx 2 EI 0

(1.7) and implement now equation (1.4). Note that since we are working from the left, the expression M (x) contains only R1 and Thus implementation of (1.4) provides:

w , and does not involve

Q1 and Q2 .

A =

1 EI

R
0

M
1

M dx = 0

(1.8) This gives:

A =

R1 L3 wL4 =0 3 8

R1 =

3 wL 8

(1.9) Now let us recover the same expression by working from right support. Let be a coordinate running left from the clamped support. The moment M () is given by:
w 2 2

M () = Q1 Q2

(1.10) where Q1 and Q2 are given in (1.5) Thus,

L

A =

1 EI

R
0

M
1

M d = 0

(1.11)
L

A =

1 EI

( Q
0

M Q1 M Q2 + ) M d = 0 Q2 R1 1 R1

(1.12) with
M = Q1 M = 1 , Q2

Q1 = 1 , R1

Q2 = L . R1

(1.13) Thus, one gets

 ( + L)( wL R1
0

wL 2 + R1 L)d = 0, 2

3 R1 = wL 8

(1.14) Finally, the values of the other reactions are obtained from (1.5):
wL 2 (1.15 ) 8 Q1 = 5wL 8

, Q2 =

In order to clarify further the implementation of (1.4), suppose we wish to determine the reaction Q1 in (1.15) without having determined the reaction at the left end. Now the vertical force at the clamped will be chosen to be the redundant one

and will be called R1 (the notation prime has been used to distinguish between the
reactions in the present alternative from the reactions defined before). The remaining

reactions are the moment at the right end which will be now called Q1 and the force at the left end which will be called Q2 (see Figure 2). From equilibrium, there is:
wL 2 ( wL R1 ) L 2

Q2 = wL R1 ,
(1.16) Proceeding from right end we have:

Q1 =

M () = R1 Q1

w 2 2

(1.17) Now we can implement equation (1.4):

B =

1 EI

( R + Q R )M d = 0
0 1 1 1

M Q1

(1.18) with
M =, R1 M = 1 Q1

Q1 =L R1

(1.19) Which leads to:

wL 2 w 2 + ( wL R1 ) L ]d = 0 2 2

(1.20)

( L)[ R1

Carrying out the integration provides

R1 =

5 wL 8

(1.21) Which the same answer (for Q1 ) given in (1.15). 2. Finding the Deflection in a Statistically Indeterminate Beam by Using Castigliano's Second Theorem Let us consider the indeterminate beam (of degree 1) described above. Suppose we want to find the deflection at a point A where there is no concentrated load acting in the given structure. We therefore put a load PA at point A , which will eventually
be set to zero. This results in a new system of reactions R1 and Q1 , Q2 , Q3 . All

these reactions depend on the external load

on the beam and on the additionally

added load PA . There are two ways to proceed in order to find the deflection at point A. We will call the first way "the long way" and the second one "the short way". The long way necessitates to solve again the reactions in the statistically

indeterminate structure which is now under the presence of the external loads and the additional load PA . Suppose the solution is indicated by :
R1 ( PA ), ,

Qi ( PA ) ,

with

i =1,2,3.

(2.1) Then the internal energy will be a function of and PA denoted

U = g (, PA )

by

The deflection at point A can then be found by carrying out the derivative with respect PA , and setting afterwards PA = 0 :
g A = PA PA =0

(2.2)

Now it will be shown that there exists a "short way" in which solving again the statically indeterminate structure can be avoided. Suppose that the explicit solutions for the reactions in the form of (2.1) have not been found a priori. Even though we
will not determine now R1 in the course of this short way, it is important to describe

how it could be determined, in principle, deflection A . To achieve that, we release

in a simultaneous manner with the

the support affiliated to R1 , and

consider the resulting statically determinate structure to be loaded now by and

PA , and the unknown redundant reaction R1 . The reactions Qi can be solved in terms of , PA , and R1 through the use of the equilibrium equations. Let us
denote the solutions for Qi symbolically by

Qi ( R1 , PA ) . Then the internal ,

energy can be written in the form:

U = h R1 , , PA , Qi ( R1 , PA , )
(2.3)

with

i =1,2,3.

The reaction R1 can, in principle, be found by demanding that the deflection

affiliated to it be zero:
3 U h h Qi = + =0 R1 R1 i =1 Qi R1

(2.4)
Equation (2.4) allows to determine R1 , but we will not do so. We only indicate that, in view of (2.4), R1 will turn out to be a function of and PA in the form

of R1 = R1 (, PA ). Substituting this form into (2.3) provides:

U = h R1 (, PA ), , PA , Qi[ R1 (, PA ), PA , ]
(2.5)

The deflection at point A is obtained by taking the derivative of the internal energy with respect to PA and then setting PA = 0. This gives:
U A = P A
3 3 h h R1 h Qi h Qi + = + + R1 i =1 Qi R1 P =0 PA P =0 PA i =1 Qi PA P =0 PA =0 A A A

(2.6) Note that in view of (2.4) the first term in the right hand-side of (2.6) vanishes and one is left with:
U A = P A
3 h h Qi = + PA =0 PA i =1 Qi PA PA =0

(2.7)

The derivatives on the right hand side of (2.7) can be identified as follows: the derivative
h A P

consists in taking the derivative of h with respect to the specific

PA denoted in bold in h R1 (, PA ), , PA , Qi[ R1 (, PA ), PA , ] , and then

everything is evaluated at PA = 0 . This means that one can define an internal energy
~ U
built on: a) the values of R1 = R1

( )

PA =0

, b) The added load PA , c) the new

quantities Qi which are obtained from the equilibrium equations by using R1 , PA , and the external load . Performing the derivative with respect to PA gives:
~ U A = PA PA =0

(2.8) In summary, the following strategy can be applied: 1) Arbitrarily choose the redundant reaction. 2) Apply the load PA at point A. 3) Using the equilibrium equations, find the values of Q1 , Q2 , Q3 arising from the presence of PA together with the other external loads , and the value R1
~ ~ ~

which was present before the load PA was applied. 4) Finally take the derivative of the internal energy with respect to PA . This means that if one knows already the reaction R1 before the load PA was applied, one does not need to resolve the statically indeterminate structure. All what one needs to do is to find the reactions Q1 , Q2 , Q3 simply for the equilibrium conditions. This certainly is a much shorter way , specially if one has an indeterminate structure of degree N to which the present analysis can readily be extended. In the case of a structure with indeterminacy N , one needs to use the values of arbitrarily chosen N redundant reactions which present in the structure before the load PA was added.
~ ~ ~

Exercise 2.1 Find the rotation at the left hand support in the indeterminate structure of Example 1.1 Apply a clockwise moment C at support A. Chose the left hand reaction to be the redundant one, use its value R1 = wL , find the other reactions by loading the beam with C and the external load
R1 =

w . The reactions are

3 8

3 ~ 5 ~ wL 2 3 wL , Q1 = wL , Q2 = wL 2 C 8 8 2 8

(2.9) Now, proceed from the left support:

3 wx 2 M ( x) = wLx + C 8 2

(2.10)

This leads to:

1 A = EI 3 wx 2 1 wL 3 ( wLx )(1)dx = 8 2 48 EI 0
L

(2.11) Let us recover the same answer by proceeding from the right support. Now we have:
M () = 5 wL 2 3 w 2 wL ( wL2 C ) 8 2 8 2

(2.12)

Thus
A = 1 5 wL2 3wL2 w 2 1 wL3 [ wL ( ) ](1)d = EI 8 2 8 2 48 EI 0
L

(2.13) Which is the same answer.

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Exercise 2.2 Consider a beam of length 2 L supported at its left end A and its right end E by simple supports, and at its middle C by a roller. Let the beam be loaded uniformly by a load w per unit length. Determine the deflection at point B located at distance L / 2 from the left end. Suppose this indeterminate structure has been solved and the reactions from left to right are
3wL 5wL 3wL , , . 8 8 8

Let us choose the rightmost reaction at point D to be the redundant one. Thus, the reactions in the presence of w will be named as follows:
3wL 8 5wL At point C: Q2 = 4 3wL At point E: R1 = 8

At point A: Q1 =

Use the value of R1 = reactions will be:

3wL , load the beam at point B, with a load P , and w . The 8

~ P 3wL ~ P 10 wL 3wL Q1 = + , Q2 = + , R1 = . 2 8 2 8 8

Define a coordinate system running towards the left from point E. The moment is:

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3wL w 2 , 0 L 8 2 3wL 10 wL P w 2 3L M () = +( + )( L) , L 8 8 2 2 2 2 3wL 10 wL P 3L w 3L M () = +( + )( L) P ( ) , 2 L 8 8 2 2 2 2 M () =

These moments lead to the following integrals and deflection of the point B:
3L / 2

B =

3wL 10 wL w 2 L +( )( L) ][ ]d + 8 8 2 2
2L

3L / 2

3wL 10 wL w 2 wL4 +( )( L) ][ L ]d = 8 8 2 2 192 EI

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