Calculating the stiffness:

AB

BC

3 EI
L

3 EI
= 0.45 = 6.7EI

3 EI
L

3 EI
= 0.45 = 6.7EI

Noted that the distributions factors remain the same for all the weights applied:
Calculating the distribution factors:
Since the distribution factor is always 1, at the end of the beam
DFAB = 1 and DFCB = 1
6.7 EI
DFBA = 13.4 EI

= 0.5

6.7 EI
DFCB = 13.4 EI

= 0.5

For the 5N oad,Used the Fixed End Method (FEM):

P ab2
FEMAB =
= -281.25 Nmm
L2
2

Pa b
2
FEMBA =
= 281.25 Nmm
L
FEMBC =

PL
= -281.25 Nmm
8

FEMCB =

PL
8 = 281.25 Nmm

JOINT
MEMBERS
Distribution
Factors
INITIAL FIXEDEND MOMENT
BALANCING
CARRY OVER

A
AB
1

B
BA
0.5

BC
O.5

C
CB
1

-281.25

281.25

-281.25

281.25

281.25
0

0
140.625

0
-140.625

-281.25
0

BALANCING
CARRY OVER
BALANCING
TOTAL MOMENT

0
0
0
0

0
0
0
421.88

0
0
0
-421.88

0
0
0
0

Section of beam AB.

5N
A

B1

Sum of horizontal forces, H = 0

Sum of vertical forces at A, V = VA + VB - 5 = 0 (1)
Total moment, MA = 0
So, (H x 0) + (VA x 0) + (5 x 225) +421.8 (VB1 X 450)
VB1 = 3.4N
From
VA + VB - 5 = 0 (1)
VA = 1.6N
5N
B2

Sum of horizontal forces, H = 0

Sum of vertical forces at A, V = VB2 + VC - 5 = 0 (1)
Total moment, MB = 0
So, (H x 0) + (VB2 x 0) + (5 x 225) - 421.8 (VC X 450)
VC = 1.6N
From

VB2 + VC - 5 = 0 (1)
VB2 = 3.4N
VB1 + VB2 = 3.4N + 3.4N= 6.8N
For the 10N load, Used the Fixed End Method (FEM):
P ab2
2
FEMAB =
= -562.25 Nmm
L
P a2b
2
FEMBA =
= 562.25 Nmm
L
FEMBC =

PL
= -562.5.25 Nmm
8

FEMCB =

PL
8 = 562.25 Nmm

JOINT
MEMBERS
Distribution
Factors
INITIAL FIXEDEND MOMENT
BALANCING
CARRY OVER
BALANCING
CARRY OVER
BALANCING
TOTAL MOMENT

A
AB
1

BA
0.5

B
BC
O.5

C
CB
1

-562.25

562.25

-562.25

562.25

562.25
0
0
0
0
0

0
281.125
0
0
0
843.375

0
-281.125
0
0
0
-843.375

-562.25
0
0
0
0
0

Section of beam AB.

10N
A

Sum of horizontal forces, H = 0

Sum of vertical forces at A, V = VA + VB - 10 = 0 (1)

B1

Total moment, MA = 0
So, (H x 0) + (VA x 0) + (10 x 225) +843.375 (VB1 X 450)
VB1 = 6.9N
From
VA + VB - 10 = 0 (1)
VA = 3.1N
10N
B2

Sum of horizontal forces, H = 0

Sum of vertical forces at A, V = VB2 + VC - 10 = 0 (1)
Total moment, MB = 0
So, (H x 0) + (VB2 x 0) + (10 x 225) 843.375 (VC X 450)
VC = 3.1N
From
VB2 + VC - 10 = 0 (1)
VB2 = 6.9N
VB1 + VB2 = 6.9N + 6.9N= 13.8N

For the 15N load, used the Fixed End Method (FEM):
P ab2
2
FEMAB =
= -843.75Nmm
L
P a2b
2
FEMBA =
= 843.75Nmm
L
FEMBC =

PL
= -562.5.25Nmm
8

FEMCB =

PL
8 = 562.25Nmm

JOINT
MEMBERS
Distribution
Factors
INITIAL FIXEDEND MOMENT
BALANCING
CARRY OVER
BALANCING
CARRY OVER
BALANCING
TOTAL MOMENT

A
AB
1

BA
0.5

B
BC
O.5

C
CB
1

-843.75

843.75

-843.75

843.75

843.75
0
0
0
0
0

0
421.875
0
0
0
1265.63

0
-421.875
0
0
0
-1265.63

-843.75
0
0
0
0
0

Section of beam AB.

15N
A

B1

Sum of horizontal forces, H = 0

Sum of vertical forces at A, V = VA + VB - 15 = 0 (1)
Total moment, MA = 0
So, (H x 0) + (VA x 0) + (15 x 225) +1265.63 (VB1 X 450)
VB1 = 10.3N
From
VA + VB - 15 = 0 (1)
VA = 4.7N
15N

B2

Sum of horizontal forces, H = 0

Sum of vertical forces at A, V = VB2 + VC - 10 = 0 (1)
Total moment, MB = 0
So, (H x 0) + (VB2 x 0) + (15 x 225) 1265.63 (VC X 450)
VC = 4.7N
From
VB2 + VC - 15= 0 (1)
VB2 = 10.3N
VB1 + VB2 = 10.3N + 10.3N= 20.6N

The calculation is repeated for the 15, 20 and 25N loads, the following table
shows the results.
Weight 1
(N)

Weight 2
(N)

5
10
15
20
25
30

5
10
15
20
25
30

Theoretical support reaction

RA

RB

RC

1.6
3.1
4.7
6.2
7.9
9.4

6.8
13.8
20.6
27.6
34.2
41.2

1.6
3.1
4.7
6.2
7.9
9.4

Table: Comparison between Theoretical and Experiment

Weight
1 (N)
5
10
15

calculatio
n
1.6
3.1
4.7

RA
experimen
t
1.7
3.5
5.5

calculatio
n
6.8
13.8
20.6

RB
experimen
t
5.1
12.6
20.5

calculatio
n
1.6
3.1
4.7

RC
experiment
1.6
3.4
5.1

20
25
30

6.2
7.9
9.4

7.2
8.7
10.3

27.6
34.2
41.2

28.1
33.9
42.6

6.2
7.9
9.4

6.7
8.4
10.0

Graphs:
The following are the graphs comparing the experimental and theoretical reactions with
the loads applied.
Graph showing Reactions at Point A against the Load.

Reactions at Point A against the Load

12
10.3
10

8.7
7.2

Reaction at A

5.5

7.9

6.2

Theoritical

4.7

experiment

3.5
3.1

1.7

2
0

9.4

1.6
0

10

15

20

25

30

35

Load P (N)

Figure 1: RA theoretical vs RA Experiment

Well, figure 2 above shows the experimental and theoretical results. It can be noted that
when the load increases, so does the support reaction.
Well the graph shows two different colors of lines. The orange line stands for
experimental results while the blue color line stands for the theoretical results. It can be
noted that the line is moving parallel to each other except at the 10 N to 30N of x-axis,
which means that there is some sort experimental error occurring at this point.

Reactions at Point B against the Load

42.6
41.2

45
40

34.2
33.9

35

28.1
27.6

30
25
Reaction at B

20.6
20.5

20

13.8
12.6

15

6.8
5.1

10
5
0

10

15

20

25

30

35

Load P (N)
Theoritical

Experiment

Figure 2: RB Theoretical vs RB Experiment

From the figure 2, it can be noted that the support at the middle has the highest moment
among all the three supports. This is because some of the moment from the right and
left support is shared by the middle support. As it can be seen from the figure above, the
line keeps increasing as more load is placed. The load is shared by the left and middle
support and the moment is shared and distributed among the two loads because the
distance of the load wasnt exactly centered.
Figure 2 shows two lines which were parallel to each other and sometimes overlapping.
The two lines were increasing from 5N till 10N. As the load increases the two space
between the two lines was increasing and that is due to errors. However, the error
percentage for the results of middle support was very less.

Reactions at Point c against the Load

12
10

9.4

10

8.4

7.9

6.7

6.2
Reaction at C

Experiment

3.4
3.1

1.6

2
0

Theoritical

5.1
4.7

1.6
0

10

15

20

25

30

35

Load P (N)

Figure 3: RC Manual vs RC Experiment

From what can be seen, the highest point on the graph was at 30N. It shows two
different color lines, one representing the theoretical line and the other experimental.
Both lines were again parallel to each other until it reached the point of 10N, where the
lines began to split showing signs of error during the experiment.
Percentage error for every reaction.
Reaction A
Weight 1 (N)

RA

Percentage error (%)

experiment
1.7

calculation
1.6

10

3.5

3.1

3.53.1
3.1

x100%=12.9

15

5.5

4.7

5.54.7
4.7

x100%=17.0

20

7.2

6.2

7 .26 .2
6 .2

x100%=16.1

1. 71.6
x 100%=6.3
1.6

25

8.7

7.9

8.77.9
7.9

30

10.3

9.4

10.39.4
9.4

x100%=10.1

x100%=9.6

Error at Reaction B
Weight 1 (N)

RB

Percentage error (%)

experiment
5.1

calculation
6.8

10

12.6

13.8

12.613.8
13.8

x100%=8.7

15

20.5

20.6

20.520.6
20.6

x100%=0.5

20

28.1

27.6

28.127.6
28.6

x100%=1.8

25

33.9

34.2

33.934.2
34.2

x100%=0.9

30

42.6

41.2

42.641.2
41.2

x100%=3.4

5.16.8
x 100%=25
6.8

Error at Reaction C
Weight 1 (N)

RA

Percentage error (%)

experiment
1.6

calculation
1.6

10

3.4

3.1

1.61.6
x 100%=0
1.6
3.43.1
3.1

x100%=9.7

15

5.1

4.7

5.54.7
4.7

x100%=17.0

20

6.7

6.2

6.76 .2
6 .2

x100%=8.1

25

8.4

7.9

8.47.9
7.9

x100%=6.3

30

10.0

9.4

10.09 . 4
9.4

x100%=6.4

Author anonymous http://civilengineer.webinfolist.com/fb/fbcalcp.php (accessed on

16/09/2016)
http://civilengineer.webinfolist.com/str/prob81.htm- 16/09/2016

author Mohd Sobri Hussin (PKB) published on 16 November 2011 can be accessed
at http://mshgm77politeknik.blogspot.my/search/label/C%20Bab%203-%20contoh
%201%20Daya%20Ricih%20Dan%20Momen%20Lentur ( accessed on 17/9/2016 )