Influence Lines

1. An influence line is a diagram of the ordinate of which at

any point equals the value of some particular function due to
a unit load acting at that point.

2. An influence line is a graph of a response function of a

structure as a function of the position of a downward unit
load moving across the structure.
General Approach in determining the
influence line.
1. Use a moving load P = 1.0
2. Determine the effect of the unit load on a point being
considered.
3. Draw the influence line.
Purpose:

1. To determine what position live loads will lead to a

maximum value of a particular function.
2. To compute the value of the function with the loads on
placed.
Influence line for beams using Muller-
Breslau’s Principle
1. To obtain the influence line for a reaction, remove the
support giving resistance for this reaction and introduce a
unit displacement in the direction of the reaction.
2. To obtain the influence line for shear at a section, cut the
beam at the section and lift the cut end at the right a unit
displacement relative to the cut end at the left, without
introducing a relative rotation at the section.
3. To obtain the influence line for moment at a section, insert
a hinge at the section so that there is no moment resistance
at the section and introduce a unit relative rotation at the
section.
Loadings
Concentrated Force

Any concentrated force F acting on the beam at any position

x, the value of the function (reaction, shear, moment) can be
determined by multiplying the ordinate of the influence line
at the position x by the magnitude F.

Uniform Load

The Value of a function (reaction, shear, and moment)

caused by the uniform load is simply the area under the
influence line for the function multiplied by the intensity of
the uniform load.
Example: Influence line for simple beam reactions.

Unit load @ RL RR
A B C D E A 1.00 0.00
B 0.75 0.25
2m 2m 2m 2m C 0.50 0.50
D 0.25 0.25
E 0.00 1.00

1.0
0.75
0.50
0.25
0.0
Influence line for RL

1.0
0.75
0.50
0.25
0.0

Influence line for RR

Example: Draw the shear and moment influence line at
point B of the girder shown.

a VB VB b
RA L RC
A B C D

1m 2m 1m b/L

VB VB
RA a/L RC -1/3
MB
Influence line for VB
(SHEAR INFLUENCE LINE AT PT. B)
VB VB
ab/L
RA RC
A B C D

0
-1/3

Influence line for MB

(MOMENT INFLUENCE LINE AT PT. B)
Ex. From the given beam in the figure, using a uniform live load of
18 kN/m and a concentrated live load of 90 kN. Compute the
following using influence line in each case. Use Muller – Breslau’s
Principle.
a. Maximum reaction at D
b. Maximum negative shear at C
c. Maximum positive moment at C
d. Maximum negative moment at C due to deadload plus live
load. Uniform dead load is 30 kN/m
 a. Maximum reaction at D 90 kN
18 kN/m
A C D B

2m 1m 3m

2
1

1
= 2 6 18 + 2 90
2
= 288
 b. Maximum negative shear at C 90 kN
18 kN/m 18 kN/m
A C D B

2m VC VC1m 3m

1/3
0 0

-2/3
-1

1 1
= −2/3 2 18 + −1 3 18 + (−1) 90
2 2
( ) = −129
 90 kN c. Maximum positive moment at C
18 kN/m
MC MC
A C D B

2m 1m 3m

2/3

0 0

-2
1
= 2/3 3 18 + (2/3) 90
2
( ) = 78 -m
 18 kN/m 90 kN
30 kN/m c. Maximum Negative
D
moment at C due to
A C B
Dead load plus live load.
2m 1m 3m Uniform dead load is
30 kN/m
2/3

0 0

1 1
= 2/3 3 30 + (−2 3 30)
2 2
= −60 −

-2
1
= −2 3 18 + (−2)(90)
2
= −234 − = −60 + −234 −

= −294 −
Influence Lines for Girders with
Floor Systems

In most bridges and buildings, there are

some structural members that are not
subjected to live loads directly but to
which the live loads are transmitted via
floor framing systems. Example
of the framing system of a bridge is
shown in Fig. 8.12. The deck of the
bridge rests on beams called stringers,
which are supported by floor beams,
which, in turn, are supported by the
girders. Thus, any live loads (e.g., the
weight of the traffic), regardless of where
they are located on the deck and
whether they are concentrated or
distributed loads, are always transmitted
to the girders as concentrated loads
applied at the points where the girders
support the floor beams.
Example: Draw the influence lines for the shear in panel BC and
the bending moment at B of the girder with floor system shown.

A B C D

6m 6m 6m

MB

VBC VBC
RA VBC=RA RD
VBC=-RD

Unit load @ RA RD VBC

A 0 0
B 1/3 -1/3
C 1/3 1/3
D 0 0
 1/3
A B C D

-1/3

Influence line for VBC

A B C D

Influence line for MB

Absolute Maximum Shear and Moment
Maximum shear – maximum reaction – reaction to which the resultant in nearest

Maximum moment – occurs when the center of the beam is midway between the load and
the resultant of all the loads on the span.

Example: A truck and trailer combination having axle loads shown rolls across the simply
supported beam of 12m span. Compute the absolute maximum shear and moment.

R
15 kN 25 kN 50 kN

A B

12m
2m 6m

= 15 + 25 + 50 = 90
90 ̅ = 25 2 + 50(8)
̅=5
Absolute max. Shear

25 kN
R
15 kN 50 kN

2m 3m 3m

A 12m B

Abs. max. shear

RB= 90(9/12) = 67.5 kN
 R = 75
Absolute max. Moment
75 ̅ = 50(6)
Considering load 2 Considering load 3 ̅=4

25 kN
R R
25 kN
15 kN 50 kN 50 kN
2m 3m 3m 4m 2m
2.5m 1.5m 1m 5m

A 12m B A 12m B

RA= 90(4.5/12) RB= 75(5/12)

RA = 33.75 kN RB = 31.25 kN

25 kN 50 kN
15 kN

2m
2.5m

6m 6m B
A

M= 33.75(4.5) – 15(2) = 121.88 kN-m M= 31.75(5) = 156.25 kN-m

 Example: For the bridge truss shown, determine the maximum
tensile and compressive forces on a member DH due to two
moving loads of 60 kN and 80 kN which are 3 meters apart.
F G H I J

3m

A E
B C D

=0
3m 3m 3m 3m
1
=
2
= 2 F G H I J

=0 3m
A E
1 B C D
=−
2
RA 3m 3m 3m 3m RE
=− 2
 =0
F G H I J
1
=
2 3m

= 2 A E
B C D

=0 RA 3m 3m 3m 3m RE

1
=−
2

=− 2 Unit load @ RA RE FDH

A 0 0
B 1/4 -√2/4 = -0.354
C 1/2 -√2/2 = -0.707
D 1/4 √2/4 = 0.354
E 0 0
 60 kN 80 kN

0.354

-0.354
-0.707

Max. Tension – Put the maximum load to the max. positive ordinate
Max. Tension – 80 (0.354) = 28.32 kN
Max. Compression – Put the max. load to the max. negative ordinate
Max. Compression – 80 (-0.707) + 60 (-0.354) = -77.80 kN
Assignment:
1. Determine the maximum tensile and compressive forces on a member CH and BC from
the previous example.

2. For the beam shown, determine the maximum positive and negative shears and the
maximum positive and negative bending moments at point C due to a concentrated live
load of 90 kN, a uniformly distributed live load of 40 kN/m , and a uniformly distributed
dead load of 20 kN/m.
Cables
Example: Find the maximum tension in the cable from the figure shown.
VA VB

3m 5m 5m 3m
HA HB

3m

40 kN 60 kN

80 kN
=0

16 = 40 3 + 80 8 + 60(13)

= 96.25

=0

= 40 3 + 80 8 + 60 13 − 96.25

= 83.75
 VA VB

3m 5m 5m 3m
HA HB

3m

40 kN 60 kN

80 kN 80 kN

=0 =0

3 = 83.75 8 − 40(5) 3 = 96.25 8 − 60(5)

= 156.67 = 156.67

. = 96.25 + 156.67
. = 183.87
Parabolic cable
Find:
TA
TB
A X1 X2

40m B
C 18m

W = 12 Kn/m

L = 360 m
= W1=WX1=12(215.5)=2586 kN
=

40
40m
18
θA
= 215.5
= 144.5 X1/2
40
θ = θ =
2
θ = 20.37° T = 7430.5
W2=WX2=12(144.5)=1734 kN

18m
θB
X2/2

18
θ =
2
θ = 13.99°

θ =

T = 7172.62
 Hyperbolic cable
Find: s
TA
y
TB c
A x

S1=40m B = +
S2=30m
+
6m =
h2
y1
W = 600 N/m y2

= +6 = +
= = 600 136.33 = 81.80
= +
( + ℎ ) = 30 + = = 600 133.74 = 80.24
( + 6) = 40 +
ℎ = 3.41
= 130.33 =ℎ + = 133.74