3/1/2015

TheThreeMomentEquation|StrengthofMaterialsReview

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StrengthofMaterialsChapter08ContinuousBeams

TheThreeMomentEquation
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Thethreemomentequationgivesustherelationbetweenthemomentsbetweenanythreepointsinabeamandtheir
relativeverticaldistancesordeviations.Thismethodiswidelyusedinfindingthereactionsinacontinuousbeam.

Considerthreepointsonthebeamloadedasshown.

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3/1/2015

TheThreeMomentEquation|StrengthofMaterialsReview

Fromproportionsbetweensimilartriangles:
h1 t1/2

t3/2 h3
=

L1

L2

t1/2

h1

t3/2

L1

=
L1

t1/2

L2

t3/2
+

L1

L2

h1
L1

h3
L2

h3
L2

equation(1)

Valuesoft1/2andt3/2
1
t1/2 =

E1 I1
1

t1/2 =

E1 I1

(Area12 ) X 1

1 + (
[A1 a

1
t1/2 =

6E1 I1

1
2

M1 L1 )(

1 + M1 L1
(6A1 a

1
3

L1 ) + (

1
2

M2 L1 )(

2
3

L1 )]

+ 2M2 L1 )

1
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23 )

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TheThreeMomentEquation|StrengthofMaterialsReview
1
t3/2 =

E2 I2
1

t3/2 =

E2 I2

(Area23 ) X 3

[A2 b 2 + (

t3/2 =

6E2 I2

1
2

M2 L2 )(

2
3

L2 ) + (

M3 L2 )(

1
3

L2 )]

2
2

(6A2 b 2 + 2M2 L2 + M3 L2 )

Substitutet1/2andt3/2toequation(1)
1
(

1
6A1 a

6E1 I1

L1

6A2 b 2

1
+ M1 L1 + 2M2 L1 ) +

(
6E2 I2

L2

h1

+ 2M2 L2 + M3 L2 ) =

L1

h3
L2

Multiplybothsidesby6
1
E1 I1

1
6A1 a
L1

1
+ M1 L1 + 2M2 L1 ) +

E2 I2

6A2 b 2
L2

+ 2M2 L2 + M3 L2 ) = 6 (

h1
L1

h3
L2

Distribute1/EI
1
6A1 a
E1 I1 L1

M1 L1
E1 I1

2M2 L1

E1 I1

6A2 b 2
E2 I2 L2

2M2 L2
E2 I2

M3 L2

= 6(

E2 I2

h1
L1

h3
L2

Combinesimilartermsandrearrange
M1 L1
E1 I1

+ 2M2 (

L1

E1 I1

L2

)+

E2 I2

M3 L2

E2 I2

1
6A1 a

6A2 b 2

E1 I1 L1

= 6(

E2 I2 L2

h1

L1

h3

L2

IfEisconstantthisequationbecomes,
M1 L1
I1

+ 2M2 (

L1
I1

L2
I2

)+

M3 L2

I2

1
6A1 a

I1 L1

6A2
b2

= 6E (

I2 L2

h1

L1

h3

L2

IfEandIareconstantthen,

M1 L1 + 2M2 (L1 + L2 ) + M3 L2 +

1
6A1 a
L1

6A2
b2
L2

= 6EI (

h1
L1

h3

L2

Fortheapplicationofthreemomentequationtocontinuousbeam,points1,2,and3areusuallyunsettlingsupports,
thush1andh3arezero.WithEandIconstants,theequationwillreduceto

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TheThreeMomentEquation|StrengthofMaterialsReview

M1 L1 + 2M2 (L1 + L2 ) + M3 L2 +

1
6A1 a
L1

6A2 b 2
L2

= 0

Factorsforthethreemomentequation
/L and6A
Thetablebelowlistthevalueof6Aa
b /L fordifferenttypesofloading.

TypeofLoading

6Aa

6A b

Concentratedloadanywhereonthespan.

Pa

(L

Pb

a )

(L

b )

Concentratedloadatthemidspan.

3P L
8

3P L
8

Uniformloadovertheentirespan.

wo L
4

wo L
4

Increasingtriangularloadonthewholespan.

8w o L
60

7w o L
60

Decreasingtriangularloadonthewholespan.

7w o L
60

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8w o L
60

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TheThreeMomentEquation|StrengthofMaterialsReview

Isoscelestriangularloadovertheentirespan.

5w o L

5w o L

32

32

Momentloadatanypointonthespan.

(3a

L )

(3b

L )

Generaluniformloading.

6Aa
=
L

[ b (2L

b ) a (2L

a )]

4L

6A b
=
L

wo

wo

[d

(2L

) c (2L

c )]

4L

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