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Solved Problems (Rayleigh Ritz method)

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1.Rayleigh Ritz method applied to Beams

#1) Find the deflection at the centre using Rayleigh Ritz method for the simply supported
beam subjected to Concentrated load at the centre
U

Solution:
k

Take y =

a
n 1

sin

nx
.
l

According to Rayleigh Ritz method

= U W and

C n

0 where = Potential

energy
U = Strain energy and W is the external work done.
1
d2y 2

EI
(
2 d 2 x ) dx pyc where yc is the deflection at the centre.

dy
n
an
dx
l

Cos
n 1

nx
l

d2y
n 2 2 k
nx
2 an 2 sin
l
l n1
dx
2

d2y
n 4 4
2 a 2 n 4
l
dx

We Know that

sin
0

sin
0

sin

n 1

4 4
1
2 n
EI a n 4
20
l
l

nx
l

K
nx
n
sin
dx P an sin
--------(1.a)

l
2
n 1
n 0
k

nx
mx
sin
dx 0 when m is not equal to n .
l
l

nx
mx
l
sin
dx when m = n Hence equation 1.a becomes,
l
l
2

C.RameshBabu/AP/Civil/MSEC

an

1
4 l
n
4
EI 2an 4 PSin
--------------(1b)
2
2
l 2

2 pl 3 1
n
sin
4
4
2
EI n
3
k
2 pl
1
n
nx
There fore y 4
------------(1c)
Sin
Sin

4
2
l
EI n1,3,5... n
To find out yc substitute x = l/2. in above equation (1.c)
From 1 b eqn, a n

yc

2 pl 3
4 EI

1
4
n 1, 3, 5... n

Hence we have y c

2 pl 3
1
1
1 4 4 which is the deflection at the centre.
4
EI 3 5

#2) Find the maximum deflection of a simply supported beam subjected to central
concentrated load P at the centre and uniformly distributed load P0/m through out the beam
U

P0/m

P0/m

Let y a1 sin
EI
U
2

x
l

a 2 sin

3x
l

d2y
0 dx 2 dx
L

C.RameshBabu/AP/Civil/MSEC

dy
x
3
3x
a1Cos a2
Cos
dx L
L
L
L
2
2
2
d y

x
9
3x
2 a1 Sin a2 2 Sin
2
L
L
dx
L
L
EI
U
2

U=

d2y
EI
0 dx 2 dx = 2
L

4 a1
x a 2 2 9
3x

dx which yields
Sin

Sin
2
0 L2
L
L
L
L

EI 4
2
(a1 81a 22 )
4
L
L

Now W =

P ydx Py
0

max

ymax = a1 a2
L
x
3x
Hence W = P0 a1 Sin a 2 Sin
dx P(a1 a 2 )
L
L
0
a
L
a1 2 + P(a1 a2)

3
=UW

W = 2 P0

2P L
a
EI 4
2
2
= 4L3 (a1 81a2 ) 0 (a1 32 ) P(a1 a2 )

0 and
0 which gives the following equations:
a1
a 2

2P L
EI 4
a1 0 P 0
3

2L
4
81EI a 2 2 P0 L

P0
3
2 L3
From the above equations we get a1

2P L
2 L3
a2
( 0 P)
4
3
81EI
ymax = a1-a2
P0 L4
PL3

ymax =
48EI 76.82 EI

C.RameshBabu/AP/Civil/MSEC

2 L3 2 P0 L
(
P) and
EI 4 3

2.Rayleigh Ritz Method applied to Columns:

#3) A Uniform Column is fixed at the bottom and free at the top. It carries a compressive load
at the free end. Investigate the critical load of the column by assuming a second degree
polynomial as
y = a0 +a1x + a2 x2.
Load P
U

Take the origin at the fixed end.

At x = 0, y = 0
At x = 0, dy/dx = 0
The above conditions give a0 = a1 = 0 and hence
y = a2 x2
When x = L, y = q
q =a2L2 and so we have a2 = q/L2
Hence y = qx2/L2

1
d2y 2
P dy
EI
(
) dx ( ) 2 dx
2

20
2 dx
d x
0

d2y
2q
dy 2qx
2 and ( 2 ) 2
dx
dx
l
l
L
L
1
2q
P 2qx
2 EI ( L2 ) 2 dx 2 ( L2 ) 2 dx which gives
0
0

2 EIq 2 2 pq 2

3L
L3
3EI

4 EIq 4 pq
and this equation yields P = 2
0 3
q
3L
L
L

Repeat the above problem by using

y a0 a1 x a2 x 2 a3 x 3 and satisfying the bending

moment condition at the top

When x = 0 , y = 0
Hence a0 = 0.
When x = 0 dy/dx = 0 and we get a1 = 0
d2y
0.
When x = l,
dx 2
d2y
dy
2a 2 6a 3 x
a1 2a 2 x 3a3 x 2 and
dx
dx 2

C.RameshBabu/AP/Civil/MSEC

d2y
d2y
.
Hence

0
2a 2 6a3 x =0 and a2 = -3a3l
dx 2
dx 2
So y = 3a3lx 2 a3 x 3 a3 ( x 3 3lx 2 )
At x = l,y = q
q
There fore q= a3 (l 3 3l 3 ) which gives a3 3
2l
d2y
q
q
dy
q
Hence y = 3 ( x 3 3lx 2 ) and
3 (6l 6 x)
3 (6lx 3x 2 ) ;
2
dx 2l
dx
2l
2l
At x = l,

1
d2y 2
P dy
EI
(
) dx ( ) 2 dx
2

20
2 dx
d x
0

EI

q2
P q2
2
(
6
l

6
x
)
dx

(6lx 3x 2 ) 2 dx On simplifying
0 4l 6
2 0 4l 6

3EIq 2 3 pq 2
.

5l
2l 3
15EI
EI
3EIq 6 pq
3
0 From this equation we get P= 2 2.5 2
q
5l
6l
l
l

#4) A uniform column hinged at both ends is subjected to a compressive load P at the two
ends. Find the critical load using Rayleigh Ritz method if the trial function is
4hx(l x)
i) y
l2
x
ii) y aSin
l
Solving (i)
L
L
1
d2y 2
P dy
2 EI ( d 2 x ) dx 2 ( dx ) 2 dx
0
0
U

d2y
8h
4hx(l x)
dy 4h
and
so
we
have
;

(
l

2
x
)
2
2
2
2
dx l
dx
l
l
l

EI 64h 2 dx P 16h 2 2

4 (l 4 x 2 4lx )dx
4

2 0 l
20 l
64 EIh 16 ph
12 EI

0 . This equation gives the critical load.Pcr= 2

3
h
l
3l
l

C.RameshBabu/AP/Civil/MSEC

Solving (ii)
d 2 y a 2
x
x
dy a
x
and

Sin
y aSin . This provides

Cos
2
2
l
l
dx
l
l
dx
l
L
L
2
1
d y
P dy
2 EI ( d 2 x ) 2 dx 2 ( dx ) 2 dx
0
0

Sin

0
l

Cos
o

a 2 4
P a 2 2
x
2 x
Sin
dx

Cos 2 dx ------------------------------------------------A
2
0 l 4

l
20 l
l
l

EI
2

x
l

dx

2 x

2x
l dx l
2
2

1 Cos

0
l

dx
0

2x
l dx l
2
2

1 Cos

Substituting the above results in the equation A and finding

The above expression yields critical Load Pcr=

2 EI 4 a l P 2a 2 l

. . 2 . 0
a
2 2 l
2
2l 4

2 EI
l2

#5) A uniform column is fixed at one end and is kept on rollers at the other end. In other
words one end is fixed and other end is hinged. The length is 1m. Find the critical load.
U

x
At x = 0, y=0; -------(1)
At x = 1, y = 0 ; -----(2)
dy
At x = 1,
0 -----(3)
dx
Let y = A0 A1 x A2 x 2 A3 x 3 A4 x 4 . On applying (1), A0 = 0
When x = 1, y = 0. This implies that A1+A2+A3+A4 = 0-----(4)
dy
When x = 1,
0
dx
dy
Hence
A1 2 A2 3 A3 4 A4 0 ---------------------------(5)
dx
(4) (5) Implies that A2 2A3 3A4 =0 And so A2= - (2A3 +3A4).-----(6)
Substitute (6) in (4) so that we get A1=A3 + 2A4 ------------------------------(7)
Hence y = (A3 + 2A4)x - (2A3 +3A4)x2 +A3x3 + A4x4
y = A3 ( x 2 x 2 x 3 ) A4 (2 x 3x 2 x 4 ) Put A3 = a and A4 = b
y= a( x 2 x 2 x 3 ) b(2 x 3x 2 x 4 )

C.RameshBabu/AP/Civil/MSEC

d2y
dy
a(4 6 x ) b(6 12 x 2 ) -------(8)
a(1 4 x 3x 2 ) (b(2 6 x 4 x 3 ) and
2
dx
dx
L
L
2
1
d y
P dy
2 EI ( d 2 x ) 2 dx 2 ( dx ) 2 dx ---------------------------------------------------------(9)
0
0
Substituting (8) in (9)

1680a 2 7056b 2 6720ab P 56a 2 288b 2 252ab ----------------------------(10)

0and
0 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------(11)
a
b
Equation 11 gives us the following two results:
a[3360 112 P] b[6720 252 P] 0

----------------------------------------------------(12)
a[6720 252 P] b[14112 576 P] 0 ----------------------------------------------------(13)
These are linear homogeneous equations. We know a and b cannot be equal to zero.
If they are zero they will not be buckled form. Therefore to get trivial solution the following must be
true
(3360 112P )

(6720 252P )
=0

(6720 252P ) (14112 576P)

Upon expanding and simplifying, we get
1008 P2 129024 P + 2257920 = 0 which gives P= (128 + 86.166)/2
P= 20.92 is the lower value. During simplification EI was omitted. The same can be reintroduced.
The length 1m can also represented by l.
20.92 EI
Hence P =
l2

References:
Theory of Elasticity by Sadhu Singh
Finite Element Primer by V.K.Manickaselvam.
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C.RameshBabu/AP/Civil/MSEC