Notes on McCaulay equations or step functions

In one of the previous notes the load diagram was used to set up equations for the Shear
Force (SF) and Bending Moment (BM). One equation could be used for the whole length of
the beam, as there were no point loads, point moments, change in load distributions or
reactions between the beginning and the end of the beams used in the examples.
In SWK122 most of you were taught to use the method of sections to calculate the SF and BM
at various places in the beam, but you would have noticed that this can take a long time for a
beam with load combinations, as you had to set up and solve a new set of equations for every
SF or BM value required.
I am going to show you how to set up a step-function, where you only need to set up one
function for the load on the whole beam – regardless of load type or distribution. By integrating
once, while including boundary conditions, you get one equation for SF and by integrating
again, while including the additional boundary conditions, you get the BM equation for the
whole beam.
To set up step-functions we need an on/off switch, where with increasing x values, more and
more terms become active. For this we use McCaulay brackets in the format:
<x-a>n where:
the value of the bracket is 0 while x < a or n < 0
the bracket becomes a normal bracket when x ≥ a and n ≥ 0

This bracket is placed with any terms that are not there from the beginning of the beam and
the value ‘a’ is the distance from the start of the beam to the point where this term should be
included in the SF or BM equations. Different types of loads can be included as indicated in
the table below:

Load 𝒘(𝒙) = 𝒘 𝑽(𝒙) 𝑴(𝒙)

= ∫ 𝒘(𝒙) 𝒅𝒙 = ∫ 𝑽(𝒙) 𝒅𝒙

𝑀 < 𝑥 − 𝑎 >−2 𝑀 < 𝑥 − 𝑎 >−1 𝑀 < 𝑥 − 𝑎 >0

𝑃 < 𝑥 − 𝑎 >−1 𝑃 < 𝑥 − 𝑎 >0 𝑃 < 𝑥 − 𝑎 >1

𝑤0 < 𝑥 − 𝑎 >0 𝑤0 < 𝑥 − 𝑎 >1 𝑤0

< 𝑥 − 𝑎 >2
2

𝑚 < 𝑥 − 𝑎 >1 𝑚 𝑚
< 𝑥 − 𝑎 >2 < 𝑥 − 𝑎 >3
2 6
To explain the method I will add an example, but please look at the question and try to do it
on your own before looking at the solution!

We will set up equations for SF and BM for the problem below:

Answer:

RA = 9.75 kN; RC = 12.75 kN

The load can be divided into a

uniformly distributed load of
-3kN/m over the full length of
the beam plus a triangular load
that increases from zero at B to
-3 kN/m at C. The load
increases from 0 to -3 over 3 m
and thus the slope is -1.

Using the table, we can set up a load equation:

𝑤(𝑥) = −3 − 1 < 𝑥 − 3 >

1
𝑉(𝑥) = ∫ 𝑤(𝑥)𝑑𝑥 = −3𝑥 − < 𝑥 − 3 >2 + 𝐶1
2

3 2 1
𝑀(𝑥) = ∫ 𝑉(𝑥)𝑑𝑥 = − 𝑥 − < 𝑥 − 3 >3 + 𝐶1 𝑥 + 𝐶2
2 6

To get rid of the integration constants C1 and C2, we need to look at the boundary conditions.
What do we know about the shear force and bending moments? We know that

M(0) = 0 as A is a hinge and V(0)= RA as there is a vertical reaction at A

Thus, from substituting these values into the equations: C1 = 9.75 kN and C2 = 0 kNm

We can use these functions to plot the load, SF and BM diagrams as functions of x as indicated
in the diagrams on the next page. We can calculate all the extreme values and turning points.

To determine the maximum sagging bending moment in the span between A and C we have
to decide which terms should be active. The shear force diagram indicates that V(x) = 0 sits
between B and C on the beam and thus the term for the triangular load must be active when
we calculate the x where SF is zero and BM is maximum:

Thus, V(x) = 0 = -3x – 0.5(x-3)2 + 9.75 can be solved and x = 3.24 m

At x = 3.24 the maximum sagging bending moment is:
M(3.24) = -1.5 (3.24)2 – 0.1667(0.24)3+9.75 ( 3.24) = 15.841 kNm
 It is important to
note that this line is
curved! As the load
increases between
3m and 6m, the
slope of the SF
diagram also
increases with
increasing x

It is important to remember that you can remove loads by adding a term to get rid of a load
that you applied at a lower x value, for example:

The load w0 is applied from x = 0, but when x = a the load should

be removed by reversing the load resulting in a zero load for the
rest of the beam

w(x) = w0 – w0<x-a>

You can now set up McCaulay equations for all the problems of problem class 6 (excluding
question 2 on frames).