Three Moment Equations

The three-moment equation, which was initially presented by Clapeyron in 1g57, provides a

convenient tool for analyzing continuous beams. The three-moment equation represents, in a
generalform, the compatibility condition that the slope of the elastic curve be continuous at an

interior support of the continuous beam. Since the equation involves three moments- the
bending moments at the support under consideration and at the two adjacent supports-it
commdnly is referred to as the three-moment equation.
Beams that have more than one span are defined as continuous beams. Continuous beams
are
quite common in bridge and building structures. Hence, one needs to analyze continuous
beams
subjected to transverse loads and support settlements quite often in design. When beam is

continuous over many supports and moment of inertia of different spans is different, the force

method of analysis becomes quite cumbersome if vertical components of reactions are taken as
redundant reactions. However, the force method of analysis could be further simplified for this
particular case (continuous beam) by choosing the unknown bending moments at
the supports
as unknowns. One compatibility equation is written at each intermediate support of a continuous
beam in terms of the loads on the adjacent span and hending moment at left, center (the support

where the compatibility equation is written) and rigid supports. Two consecutive spans of the
continuous beam are considered at one time. Since the compatibility equation is written in terms

of three moments, it is known as the eguation of three moments. ln this manner, each span is

treated individually as a simply supported beam with external loads and two end support
moments. For each intermediate support, one compatibility equation is written in terms of three

moments. Thus, we get as many equations as there are unknowns. Each equation will have only

three unknowns.
-

{ml *.xn'*ifi**&u* bexwt"

rJ
.+r ? l'' u..*{

8*rdltrg r**trtrn*rt **agra,wt dm* ta m#pAN,** l**ding.

6srd,lng msrc*** dia#re!ft ( E-[t"g] du* ta *apgort maiwr*#**

{hl1fwx. adfamext spe**e of o e**trtlrrrr*rus ha&fir"

Mt, Mcand M* respectively denote support moments at left, center and right supports. The
moments are taken to be positive when they cause tension at bottom fibers. The moment of
inertia is taken to be different for different spans. ln the present case 1, and 1* denote respectively
 moment of inertia of; left and right support and I, and lp are the left and right span respectively.
It is assumed that supports are unyielding.

Three moment equation

r, }:-6,'{xT, 6*trI
t,t,{L\*r*.1,L*'.
-l.rj, i*jr-i
'1.1, I*j "1, I*) I*1, - Irl, ftr 11
Support Yielding Case

Let 51, 6r and 6^ be the support settlements of left, centre and right supports, respectively.6l,
5c and 5* are taken as negative if the settlement is downwards. The tangent to the elastic curve
at support C makes an angle 0., at left support and 06,a at the right support as shown in Figure
below.
,et- \fi* M*,
$^ 74

i;' --- Elastic cut,€

origkre! gnrilian ?ang*nt to tha *l.artis surrs
at E{

Gor*tinuarls hpam with rrrpport sotflpffiant

i I t I'
M,iyl+z,brrj+-*l*ir"l+ t
't

""\Tj-'*'rlT trrj'- 'i l=-6f,,t" --g15

! I

rrt,
,,
**rl{6,
-"-i_L
ai--l",,
*6,1-io. **,
d4 e Kr -

L j-l t
li
:

Ji
Ir
llT'
,

i
The above equation relates the redundant support moments at three successive spans with the
applied loading on the adjacent spans and the support settlements.
w gOta* n/mg Sv//a,lf *6uaa.nLS 4 fuqr,fi's*S *+
FL= A-44-+-a*
Ih-A Cs.*Lh'*"s1r{ VP"*, 4.t brls*

20 t,nt 2t rl
p r<t/a
E

tJ t-" -f'2^ -f l- 4

1l'r a 11"^zA SP* Cs.-hh*e4l hr,-

0"Yt>E
V r"\d4-L?h,4/*/q7 : !
c*r^&"t',p-q/
fi/,(qhb,-/,r at
/LUO
/Y//,.//{d

"AkW tlrryeB,ywd1/>t41f _l?r'/_,4*rp41'fastLe.,

&1.1c(
/*9
nBQ Bc
Seoa! /** BC 4 CD

(+) " * { aB
Ae-Ye < {AL YL
ls tL LL

+dL AB4 Bc
Lt = L/.., LR =9*, E7= C , A, s"lPoll 1 yla
L4/*
$ -> A.,bw ,/ lu"
luc
ria (,r) + 2 Pts (u+e) * A4c6: -YT-r"
--E- 6 Atn "-0
(Mc
',na
I

=t poz)xto : 6e
KA ^')
/20 2o
i AL
)
I

6r^x *
I
I A*= !xex8o= Y26'67
* 7e ------ Po'= 20
"'fi,a
Il
?e
lt il= 2o+9.?oxil = 6a
5,,w14 fu,*t )4***u'tb,V* by nB( Bt
 s A sqllat rt ),,iV"J ) t4a-o , k *n"** fu/ A
o (4) f- 2tt PQ a I /"/c = 6Xtt2l,tVXL{ 6X6o y2
5

;2

FB+ BC 4 co

-D
---^ t,
,R,
o= tryo/9
At = 42/'67
c< A1
t x Ae'*XiXia= tCD

t-Tp= $'--l
9 Sqhpt* /-L'-7e

S,*,rp$ 9a* //z,',e-ry e,'"1"-*, /*5 B( + Co ) /40- o

4s @) + 2 Nc (sn4 -+ /1s (4 : *6vt"/2d'67xY/ 6X lgorS

5

A Bi = /6t)(tox *)+ zo
Bl =: ->o
Ro=
Srlr:,:r1 O 4- O kM' u'a
p/,u -^ + /17 = -52,70
/.le = -U2.2s

n
AA R;** ,, * [- "ft' : 3,Y4 KN

flc' Pte, 6o + Lr;9 [isz'\o- tq''"tJ-

"--r-l---g;- ,t,
r Ns -t- =
&= R; I
---
LnB LeC
s,'vd) tt:_14_ : Ta,o(
+ [-ryP'29\= -L,
6
Pc+ NS- t'qc
I

Pc
-{a
LBc
/*cp.7a t 1,96 P ct/
Pp pj+ -z;0 /'4c
L",/
A
V
JVo'{ a: 3 -/t'/sr,rp,J
b( .,#1*l *
&tt",fuP'r4 Ca/.'L ,,{r,

F'xzd €,qJ lat*r,*l /fu luyituJ' *17""be4

Cs,rr,)-,'Ct'0-wr,/ 4(rrtoh'p4 c-,ot k a44ao-d ?
Co""trdav-y &-t,? t+'<7b-,ta!/ Sy'ou adft C/o'17 l?
,{/e fl'*d ,lrtl 4'{ /t*lty/ iLu( a4li4y
S/rL",t -/*yttt L0l/1 4//t t.o/,h"t/g'vVat'rzzz'd y Tbwthl,

Ex,z 9 g. {.erl *r,t iu g il.-l Sap/el,f ,r-a*A--,1,t 4 )-kchs-A: iful a

C*"^-h'".-o-t4 $pa","t h'red a.f gt-r1ra -g-"ld + hattyl e

,**? a-t ,tr]'( e//ra+ a-{ *Luo,--l'- /'-( +Y**' EZ = (

2D ea/

14* {*a -----*- 2 ^ -t

2D
?
L.
Let q=7t D
'7= e
a' n

'7i^2a ,/l4a*,u-d fi/ Ye4 Atl 4 AB

uL@)" ,r{#.+)+ Pts[4)= -43P -n

g t"ja + t/ fle = -.2 4c o
a
/)',u -lfvur,t frt' /" AB { tC
Plc = - 20 x2- - 40 P,t/'-a

40 vN
B lo r)/* C.
n/ t v14o+JxloX6=50
KB
,/5 Pc'
R;

Rr' = )-X1axl+2u=92
?

C
t xp' ''

t'l (Ua) + Z /"te(u+6)+ lla ft)- - 6xrl?rs--&*

{rl
lxa? xz

Ll I'h {- 2o Ng - Vo x 6 = -syo -2yo

L/N
A + zo r"1g = -5 4t -e
cabtt-f O 4-O HB: z 3'33 r"'/ -'r
yl a klr/'d {-

9 /"4 AB 4 8C + fit, d Mkl '&"-ez''f

0"lo Lil T,B
r)s {\t +r4L
nNo
IA
\ ^il8
IB cl^'l l. .o
(,- ') lr- /l
. E-
20+ Lo?,33-(-tgtrfl
Rr'= Bi, o = - : l8' Vg Pa/

')a
zs- (-'s * fZ-e-l'Y,
P.a=
^i
Re + (taa- fiB) = so + b? ,/
"7.
O
-.J
LpB

- urS
Pc= 9o + (
= 52' W t'n/
r-ts

Lgc
7
6)
r x,3_ g*l* -,,r**-14 4 N e{--m',4 p4 fh? 6-47*rou,
L,'
"L-at**"t-.1
b-e^r^ a4 ,"/.a-on /*< /y"u, Yfu @p.,.n 'B' -s"Z&l' fu 5*'-
b"/r,il A'I '(', f 7=c' f'=2'oxtcs/. 7=gx/ou*^-4
./

z rrt/*

v_ 2 -___1_ 2 _____t_ 4
________

lu,soSpo-r C*"''*n'al'5 92'*-

aO =2 ? !z-,-to al)t.//a--qo-( G-,4d.i/7"e-4a0 ey,te) a4-? tl-ty,ai,zj
ePru %4/p 2.+s+^a-4.1t 4qgalt'o-t't, h-fco
A44a o-n t1/L4a))-oy S/ta^.< U Z-*, A'A /- AB
kcr^s )t gpa,u-,- AB 4 8t:

A' A,A {- AB
{"
R,\
t- z'-------JF- 2 -----J' : o (t *, e#ill
A'o Et
get6,*

AuS.=o [&-+'a tl )1)

Ee S? = -5** (fu24
/ t ,1 )J

u,@"+) * nr(+) :
'' e) *z -
#?- ** - {r
[e*)r W)
N'^W) t 2 r4a +). r' (+) : - 6 xsr? -
g# _,, .(r+z
F" [_(f)
SYta+4/ulg: *2Ll -6EI *5*)o-t

8 frlp + 4/16 = -zr/- 6 x 2ooX to6 y s X)o-, X s U!:

---
,/v4Lt Ll-
kN

?rtln+ lrt= -%1 O R^

: 2Kl
l-
As 4 8c
24/* A u E2=o
g; Sc = -5 r to-3 J'
TW) ca SP=o
Nc-D (S'*^P{'k'/h^n,
ftrp= t--l
l-7r= 2 ---4

M(4)+
^l
Ll Nn + )6Ns = -zt,ss -2'/ -t- 6E-[:F* ti"'f
I
t4 + 6 x 2ao x 1)t x I r t-txl:-Xf-11
4fie + t6 Ns = -sz -2 t

l-- (a
a ^/ r
R;<6 ol
Kt

S nX^/,') Eqr O +O

0,A"w ,trB

Ra: Rl + ( rr- uo)

o /* AB4

)-* e
Bc + Fqa 94lrn fu""*r"'l
: z+ b, *t'll - z.vsty'
Ll H'
Sr-,1a^l!
Rg 4 Pc c-ao' b{ JLtz}'*'/;^il '