Question 13.13: Figure 13.15(a) shows a cantilever beam of length L carrying...

Figure 13.15(a) shows a cantilever beam of length L carrying a concentrated load W at its free end. The section of the beam changes midway along its length so that the second moment of area of its cross section is reduced by half. Determine the deflection of the free end.

F13.15
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In this problem the bending moment and M/EI diagrams have different geometrical shapes. Choosing the origin of axes at C, Eq. (13.10) becomes

x_B\left(\frac{dv}{dx} \right) _B – x_A\left(\frac{dv}{dx} \right) _A -(v_B – v_A) = \int_{A}^{B}{\frac{M}{EI} } x \ dx                                                (13.10)

x_A\left(\frac{dv}{dx} \right) _A – x_C\left(\frac{dv}{dx} \right) _C -(v_A – v_C) = \int_{C}^{A}{\frac{M}{EI} } x \ dx                                                         (i)

in which (dv/dx)_A = 0, x_C = 0, v_A = 0 . Hence

v_C = \int_{0}^{L}{\frac{M}{EI}x } \ dx                                                   (ii)

From the geometry of the M/EI diagram (Fig. 13.15(c)) and taking moments of areas about C we have

v_C = \left[\left(\frac{-WL}{2EI} \right) \frac{L}{2} \frac{3L}{4} + \frac{1}{2} \left(\frac{-WL}{2EI} \right) \frac{L}{2}\frac{5L}{6} + \frac{1}{2} \left(\frac{-WL}{EI} \right) \frac{L}{2} \frac{2}{3} \frac{L}{2} \right]

which gives

v_C = -\frac{3WL^3}{8EI}

Analytically we have

v_C = \left[\int_{0}^{L/2}{\frac{-Wx^2}{EI/2} } \ dx + \int_{L/2}^{L}{\frac{-Wx^2}{EI} } \ dx \right]

or

v_C = -\frac{W}{EI} \left\{\left[\frac{2x^3}{3} \right]_0^{L/2} + \left[\frac{x^3}{3} \right]_{L/2}^L \right\}

Hence

v_C = -\frac{3WL^3}{8EI}

as before.

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