Gh.

Asachi Tehnical University of Iai Structural Statics Hyperstatic Structures

Department of Structural Mechanics Cezar Aanici, Dr. Eng.


- 1 -

CONTINUOUS BEAM
THE THREE BENDING MOMENTS EQUATION (THE CLAPEYRONS EQUATION)

Let draw the internal efforts diagrams for the following continuous beam applying the Clapeyron
equation:
B C D
6,3 m 3,15 m 4,2 m
40 kN/m
A
2 m
2I
0
I
0
4I
0
4I
0

1. Establishing the static indeterminacy degree:

3 ( ) 3 1 (0 6) 3
s
n c l r = + = + = - the beam is three times statically indeterminate

2. Choosing the primary system:

The primary system (statically determinate) is obtained by removing the corresponding continuity
internal links in the fixed end A, and along the beam, over the simple supports B and C, respectively,
introducing hinges and three couples of unknown bending moments as illustrated below:

6.3 m
3.15 m 4.2 m
40 kN/m
X
1
X
2
X
2
X
3
X
3
M =80 kNm
4
X
1
80 kN
length=0
0 1 2 3 4
I =
8
01
2I
or
0
I
0
4I
0

To find the recurrence relationship, a general primary system will be used, as follows:

i-1 i
X
i-1
X
i-1
X
i
X
i
i+1
X
i+1
X
i+1
l
i
l
i+1

For an internal arbitrary node i, along the continuous beam, the relative rotation in this node of the
primary system is different than zero, comparing with the initial situation. Consequently, the compatibility
equation will be obtained from the condition that the sum of all rotations induced by internal efforts X
i
, and by
the external loads, respectively, to be null, hence:
0
rel
i
=
or, if developed, the above relationship could be written as:

, 1 1 , , , 1 1
( " ' ) " ' 0
i i i i i i i i i i i i i
X X X
+ +
+ + + + + =

Gh. Asachi Tehnical University of Iai Structural Statics Hyperstatic Structures
Department of Structural Mechanics Cezar Aanici, Dr. Eng.


- 2 -
X =1
i-1
l
i
l
i+1
i-1 i
X
i-1
X
i-1
X
i
X
i
i+1
X
i+1
X
i+1
l
i
l
i+1
X =1
i-1
i,i-1
'
i,i-1
l
i
l
i+1
i,i
"
i-1,i
X =1
i
X =1
i
i,i
'
i+1,i
l
i
l
i+1
i+1,i+1
"
i,i+1
X =1
i+1
X =1
i+1
i
rel
l
i
l
i+1
i i+1 i+1 i
' ' "
"

in which
' , " ,
3 3 6
k k k
k k k
k k k
l l l
EI EI EI
= = =
are the corresponding end rotations of a simply supported beam (equivalent with a double hinged one)
induced by the unit bending moments X
i
= 1 applied on the primary system, and
1
1 i+1
1
" " , ' '
6 6
i i
i i i
i i
l l
m m
EI EI

+
+
+
= =
are the real rotations caused by the external loads applied on the primary system. The load factors m
and, m, respectively, are calculated with the following relationships:
( ) ( 1)
1
1
6 " 6 '
" , '
Mp i Mp i
i i
i i
R R
m m
l l
+
+
+
= =
where R and, R are the left and right, respectively, reactive forces in the node i produced by the
reduced bending moment diagrams considered as loads for the primary system.
Replacing the above expressions of the beam end rotations, the compatibility equation becomes:
( ) ( 1)
1 1 1
1 1
1 1 1 1
6 " 6 '
0
6 3 3 6 6 6
M i M i
i i i i i i
i i i
i
i i i i i i i
R R
l l l l l l
X X X
EI EI EI EI EI l EI l
+
+ + +
+
+ + + +

+ + + + + =



which, if simplified by 1/6E, could be written as follows:
Gh. Asachi Tehnical University of Iai Structural Statics Hyperstatic Structures
Department of Structural Mechanics Cezar Aanici, Dr. Eng.


- 3 -
1 1 1 1 ( ) ( 1)
' 2 ( ' ' ) ' 6 " 6 ' 0
i i i i i i i Mp i Mp i
l X l l X l X R R
+ + + +
+ + + + + =
which is known as the three bending moment equation or Clapeyrons equation l are the reduced lengths of
the corresponding spans of the continuous beam, and are calculated with the following relationships:
0
'
i i
i
I
l l
I
= ,
0
1 1
1
'
i i
i
I
l l
I
+ +
+
= , unde I
0
= min (I
1
, I
2
, I
k
)
6.3 m 3.15 m 4.2 m
40 kN/m
M =80 kNm
4
80 kN
length=0
0 1 2 3 4
I =
8
01
2I
or
0
I
0
4I
0
49.6125 kNm pl /8 88.2 kNm
2
M =80 kNm
4
+
M =80/4=20 kNm
4
M =88.2/4=22.05 kNm
M =49.6125 kNm
a)
b)
c)
d)
M
p
R'
+
R" R'
3p
R"
4p
R"
2
R'
1
R"
1
R'
3t
R"
4t
3p 2p

Applying this recurrence equation for the above continuous beam, the following three-diagonal and
band equation system is obtained, with no more than three unknown bending moments in one equation:
1 2 1
1 1
( ) 1 0 0 2 0 6.3 6.3 6 "
2 2
a nod X X R

+ + + +


6 ' R +
1
1 2 3 2
0
1 1
( ) 2 6.3 2 6.3 3.15 3.15 6 "
2 2
b nod X X X R
=

+ + + +


2
2 3 4 3 3

2 3
6 ' 0
1 1
( ) 3 3.15 2 3.15 4.2 4.2 6 " 6 ' 0
4 4
sau
1 1
( ) 3 3.15 2 3.15 4.2 4.2 0
4 4
p
p p
R
c nod X X M R R
d nod X X
+ =

+ + + + =



+ + +


( )
3 3 3
6 " 6 ' ' 0
p p t
R R R + + =

Gh. Asachi Tehnical University of Iai Structural Statics Hyperstatic Structures
Department of Structural Mechanics Cezar Aanici, Dr. Eng.


- 4 -
When the continuous beam is extended with a cantilever, it will be removed, and its effect is replaced
with equivalent loads (shear forces, and bending moment, respectively). In such cases, like in the current
application, there are two options to apply the Clapeyrons equation for the node 3, as below:
- case c) in which the equivalent bending moment corresponding to the replaced cantilever , could be
used in the equation as the fourth unknown, with the initial value (unreduced), the required
reactive forces being solved only for the parabolic diagram load;
- or case d) in which the concentrated bending moment corresponding to the replaced cantilever is
reduced and it is superposed to the parabolic distribution load, with its own sign.
The bending moment diagrams M
p
on the primary system consist in two second order parabolic
variations, both having a maximum magnitude of pl
2
/8, and a linear variation on beam 3-4, corresponding to the
concentrated bending moment from the overhang. Applying as loads on the opposite fibre of the primary system
the reduced bending moment diagrams M
p ,
the magnitude of the reactive forces R and R areas follows:
1 2 2
' " " 0 R R R = = = ,
2
2 3
2 3 2 3
12 12
' " 49.6125 3.15 52.093 kN
23 8 23
p p
pl
R R l

= = = = ,
2
3 4
3 4 3 4
12 1 2
' " 22.05 4.20 30.87 kN
23 8 2 3
p p
pl
R R l

= = = = ,

3 4 3 4
1 1 1 1
' 20 4.20 14 kN
3 2 3 2
t
R M l

= = = ,
4 4 3 4
2 1 2 1
" 20 4.20 28 kN
3 2 3 2
t
R M l

= = = ,
and the system of compatibility equations becomes:
1 2
1 2 3
2 3
( ) 1 6.30 3.15 0
( ) 2 3.15 12.6 3.15 6 52.093 0
1
( ) 3 3.15 8.40 4.2
4
a nod X X
b nod X X X
c nod X X
+ =
+ + + =
+ 80

2 3
20
6 52.093 6 30.87 0
or
1
( ) 3 3.15 8.40 4.2 0
4
d nod X X
+ + =
+ + 6 52.093 6 30.87 6 + +
1
3

1
2
20 4.2 0

=



or
1 2
1 2 3
2 3
6.3 3.15 0
3.15 12.6 3,15 312.558
3,15 8.40 413.778
X X
X X X
X X
+ =

+ + =

+ =

with the solution:
1
2
3
7.994
-15.989
-43.263
X
X kNm
X


=




Once solved for the unknowns, a couple of bending moments will be applied at the ends of the
simply supported beam corresponding to each span of the continuous beam, with their corresponding
signs, and the internal efforts diagrams will be drawn separately. Finally, all these diagrams will be
assembled in one, corresponding to the full length continuous beam.
The final reactive forces are obtained from an algebraic sum of the shear forces in the
corresponding outward links of the continuous beam.
Gh. Asachi Tehnical University of Iai Structural Statics Hyperstatic Structures
Department of Structural Mechanics Cezar Aanici, Dr. Eng.


- 5 -


2
6,3 m
1
7,994
3.80 3.80
Q
3.80
M
7.994
15.989
15.989
-



2 3
3,15 m
54.34 71.66
15.989
40 kN/m
Q
1.3585
M
43.263
20.92
15.989
43.263
54.34
71.66
3 4
4,2 m
40 kN/m
43.263
75.25 172.75
Q
75.25
92.75
1.88
43.623
27.52
M
80
80
80
Gh. Asachi Tehnical University of Iai Structural Statics Hyperstatic Structures
Department of Structural Mechanics Cezar Aanici, Dr. Eng.


- 6 -

FINAL INTERNAL EFFORTS DIAGRAMS

2 3 4
6,3 m 3,15 m 4,2 m
40 kN/m
1
75.25
71.66
3.80
43.263
27.52
20.92
15.989
7.994
Q
M
2 m
92.75
80 54.34
80
3.80
58.14 146.91 172.75


The vertical reactive forces in external links are:
1
3.80 V kN =
2
3.80 54.34 58.14 V kN = + =
3
75.25 71.66 146.91 V kN = + =
4
80 92.75 172.25 V kN = + =