2.0.

Objective
To determine the relationship between applied load and the horizontal thrust at the support
of a three-hinge parabolic arch.

3.0. Equipment and Materials used

1. Support Frame

2. Three Hinge Arch Assembly

3. A Simple Support

4. A Roller Support

5. A Digital Force Display

6. A Set of Weights

1 4

3 5

6
2

(Picture 3.1) (Picture 3.2)

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4.0. Procedure

1. The simple support and the roller support were fixed to the support frame equally with the
1000mm span of arch.

(Picture 4.1)
2. The roller support was anchored such that the pulley was located on the inside of the arch.
3. The wire rope at the roller end of the arch was taken and pass over the pulley attached to
the roller support.
4. A load hanger was placed at the end of the wire rope and at a selected location of the arch.

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 (Picture 4.2)
5. Sufficient load was placed to offset the dead load on the load hanger at the end of the wire
rope so that the arch is level.
6. A load was placed on the load hanger at the selected location of the arch.

(Picture 4.3)
7. Sufficient load was added on the load hanger at the end of the wire rope to level the arch.

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8. The magnitude of the applied load and the load at the roller support was recorded.

(Picture 4.4)
9. The applied load was increased and step 6 to 9 were repeated.

(Picture 4.5) (Picture 4.6)

10. The experiment above was repeated for another two tests to obtain average reading of the
measured values.

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5.0. Results
Span of arch = 1000 mm
Distance of the load from the pinned support (A) = 125 mm

Load, W Horizontal Thrust (N)

Experimental Theoretical

Test 1 Test 2 Average

10 2.90 2.80 2.85 2.98

20 5.90 5.80 5.35 5.95

30 8.90 8.80 8.50 8.93

40 11.80 11.70 11.35 11.90

50 14.80 14.70 14.35 14.88

Table 5.1. Table of the load from the pinned support (A)

Equation of Theoretical Result

HA = WkL / (2h)

Table of the load from the pinned support (A)

10 N:
HA = 10 (0.125) / 2 (0.21)
= 1.25 / 0.42
= 2.98
20 N:
HA = 20 (0.125) / 2 (0.21)
= 2.5 / 0.42
= 5.95

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30 N:
HA = 30 (0.125) / 2 (0.21)
= 3.75 / 0.42
= 8.93
40 N:
HA = 40 (0.125) / 2 (0.21)
= 5 / 0.42
= 11.90
50 N:
HA = 50 (0.125) / 2 (0.21)
= 6.25 / 0.42
= 14.88

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6.0. Individual Report
6.1. Pak Ru Jing 19WVR08755
Individual Background
The arch is a curved structural form that carries loads around an opening, transferring them around
the profile of the arch to abutments, jambs or piers on either side. Nowadays, the arch still widely
used in the modern engineering.

From the experiment, I have learned that three-hinged arch is a beam curved in the plane of the
loads to a radius that is very large relative to the depth of section. Loads induce both bending and
direct compressive stress. Reactions have horizontal components, though all loads are vertical.
Deflections, in general, have horizontal as well as vertical components. At supports, the horizontal
components of the reactions must be resisted. For the purpose, tie rods, abutments, or buttresses
may be used. With a series of arches, however, the reactions of an interior arch may be used to
counteract those of adjoining arches.

A three-hinged arch is constructed by inserting a hinge at each support and at an internal point,
usually the crown, or high point (Fig. 4.1). This construction is statically determinate.

There are four unknowns—two horizontal and two vertical components of the reactions— but four
equations based on the laws of equilibrium are available.

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Discussion

1. Derive the horizontal thrust at the pinned support for the three hinged arches in
terms of the applied loading, span and height of the crown.
Span of arch = 1000 mm
Distance of the load from the pinned support (A) = 125 mm

Load, W Horizontal Thrust (N)

Experimental Theoretical

Test 1 Test 2 Average

10 2.90 2.80 2.85 2.98

20 5.90 5.80 5.35 5.95

30 8.90 8.80 8.50 8.93

40 11.80 11.70 11.35 11.90

50 14.80 14.70 14.35 14.88

Table 5.1. Table of the load from the pinned support (A)

Equation of Theoretical Result

H = WkL / (2h)
A

Table of the load from the pinned support (A)

10 N:
H A = 10 (0.125) / 2 (0.21)
= 1.25 / 0.42
= 2.98
20 N:
H A = 20 (0.125) / 2 (0.21)
= 2.5 / 0.42
= 5.95

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 30 N:
H A = 30 (0.125) / 2 (0.21)
= 3.75 / 0.42
= 8.93
40 N:
H A = 40 (0.125) / 2 (0.21)
= 5 / 0.42
= 11.90
50 N:
H A = 50 (0.125) / 2 (0.21)
= 6.25 / 0.42
= 14.88

2. Using the data in Table 5.1, plot the graph of load versus horizontal thrust for the
experimental and theoretical case.
(Refer to graph attached)

3. Draw the best-fit curve to pass through the plotted points.

(Refer to graph attached)

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 4. Calculate the percentage error between theoretical and experimental results
𝐸𝑥𝑝𝑒𝑟𝑖𝑚𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑎𝑙−Theoretical
Percentage error = × 100%
Theoretical

Load, W Horizontal Thrust (N)

Experimental Average Theoretical Percentage Error
10 2.85 2.98 4.36
20 5.35 5.95 10.08
30 8.50 8.93 4.82
40 11.35 11.90 4.62
50 14.35 14.88 3.56
Table 1. Percentage error of Table 5.1.

Calculation

Table 1

2.85−2.98
10 N = × 100 %
2.98

= 4.36 %

5.35−5.95
20 N = × 100 %
5.95

= 10.08%

8.50−8.93
30 N = 8.93
× 100 %

= 4.82 %

11.35−11.90
40 N = × 100 %
11.90

= 4.62 %

14.35−14.88
50 N = × 100 %
14.88

= 3.56 %

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Conclusion

1. From the results above state the relationship between the horizontal thrust at the
support and the applied load.
Based on the results above, I found that the horizontal thrust at the support become higher
when the applied load to the support increased.

2. State the probable source of error for this experiment.

The probable source of errors for this experiment includes,

- Human error, apply the loads without jerk and placing the weights on the load hanger
gently and have to wait for the applied loads stop vibrating to take the readings.
- Systematic error, some measuring equipment need some time to reach equilibrium due
to the applied load keep vibrating.
- This experiment also affected by the wind and other environmental factors.
- Lack of maintenance of the apparatus in the laboratory also may cause the reading of
the apparatus inaccurate.

References

Engineering, C., 2018. Three-Hinged Arches. [Online]

Available at: http://www.civilengineeringx.com/structural-analysis/structural-steel/three-hinged-
arches/
[Accessed 23 July 2019].

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