1.

0 TITLE

Deflection of Curved Bars

2.0 INTRODUCTION

The deflection of a beam or bars must be often be limited in order to provide integrity and
stability of structure or machine. Plus, code restrictions often require these members not
vibrate or deflect severely in order to safely support their intended loading.
This experiment helps us to show some kind of deflection and how to calculate the
deflection value by using Castiglianos Theorem and make a comparison between result of
the experiment and the theory.

3.0 OBJECTIVE

To validate the formula of deflection of curved bars based on Castiglianos Theorem.

4.0 APPARATUS

TECQUIPMENT curved bar apparatus, quarter circle and circle bars.

5.0 THEORY

When a force is exerted on an elastic object, work is done on it will deform. The work
energy which is stored in the elastic object is called strain energy. The elastic object
will return to its original shape when the force is released. Strain energy can be
caused by pressure, tension, bending, torsion, shear force, etc.

Castiglianos theorem states that the deflection caused by any external load is equal to
the partial differential of the strain energy with respect to that external load. At every
point of action of these forces there are deflections.

Figure 1 shows an elastic object which is acted upon by forces W1, W2, W3, .,
Wn. At every point of action of these forces there are deflections. According to
Castiglianos Theorem, the deflections at these points are:

U = X1 ; U = X 2; U = X 3; ..; U = X n
W1 W2 W3 W n

With U = total strain energy

W = force at point
 X = deflection at respective W

The deflection of point A in the direction of the force is equal to the partial differential of
the total strain energy U for the system with respect to W1 (force acting at point A).

W3
W2

B C
W4
x3
x2
x4 D
A x1

x5
W1

W5

A. Quarter Circle Bar

For conservation of energy, the total strain energy which is caused by bending
moment M is,
U = M2/2EI ds (1)

The bending moment for a quarter circle bar, at any section d is,

M = PvRsin (2)

So, the strain energy stored due to a load Pv is,

U = Pv2R3/8EI (3)

The vertical deflection is then,

v = dU/dPV = PR3/4EI (4)

The horizontal deflection can be calculated by applying an imaginary force PH in the

horizontal direction. From Castiglianos Theorem, the horizontal is given by,
 H = dU/dPH = PR3/2EI (5)

With R = radius of quarter circle bar = 150mm

E = elastic modulus of bar material = 200GN/m2
I = second moment of area of the cross section I = bh3 / 12

b = width of the cross section = 25mm

d = thickness of the cross section = 3mm

Figure 2(a) Quarter Circle Bar Figure 2(b) Circular Bar

B. Circular Bar

The deflection which is caused by force PV is,

U PR 2
V = = -
Pv EI 4

PR
= 0.149
EI

with the values of R, E and I the as above. The cross section of the bar is 25 x 3 mm.

6.0 PROCEDURE
 A. Quarter Circle Bar
(i) A hanger attached to the free end of the bar.
(ii) Two dial gauges clamped at their allocated points.
(iii) 0.2 kg load applied and the vertical and horizontal deflections are
recorded.
(iv) Loads added in increment of 0.2 kg until a maximum load of 1.6 kg.
(v) The deflections recorded for each loading.

B. Circular Bar
(i) The above method followed but with a load increment of 0.5 kg until a
maximum load of 4 kg.
(ii) The vertical displacements for each loading recorded.

6.0 RESULTS

Load Vertical deflection, P1 (mm) Horizontal deflection,P2 (mm)

Increasing load Decreasing load Average Increasing load Decreasing load Average
0.2 0.38 0.41 0.40 0.18 0.35 0.27
0.4 0.83 1.00 0.92 0.48 0.76 0.62
0.6 1.35 1.40 1.38 0.89 1.00 0.95
0.8 1.82 1.93 1.88 1.23 1.35 1.29
1.0 2.34 2.42 2.38 1.58 1.65 1.62
1.2 2.80 2.82 2.81 1.86 1.89 1.88
1.4 3.25 3.35 3.30 2.15 2.22 2.19
1.6 3.79 3.79 3.79 2.49 2.49 2.49

Table for quarter circular bar

Load Vertical deflection, P (mm)

Increasing load Decreasing load Average
0.5 0.20 0.21 0.21
1.0 0.41 0.42 0.41
1.5 0.62 0.63 0.63
2.0 0.83 0.84 0.84
2.5 1.03 1.05 1.04
3.0 1.22 1.26 1.22
3.5 1.43 1.46 1.45
4.0 1.64 1.64 1.64

Table for circular bar

 Load (kg) Vertical deflection Horizontal deflection
(mm) (mm)
0.2 0.462 0.294
0.4 0.925 0.589
0.6 1.387 0.883
0.8 1.849 1.177
1.0 2.311 1.472
1.2 2.774 1.766
1.4 3.236 2.060
1.6 3.698 2.354

Table for deflections of quarter bar for each loading using theory analysis

Load (kg) Vertical deflection

(mm)
0.5 0.219
1.0 0.438
1.5 0.657
2.0 0.876
2.5 1.095
3.0 1.314
3.5 1.534
4.0 1.752

Table for deflections of circular bar for each loading using theory analysis

6.1 Example of Calculation

a) Quarter Circle Bar

i. Second moment of area of the cross section

 I = bd3 / 12

= 25 x 10-3 x (3 x 10-3)3
12

= 5.625 x 10-11 m4

ii. Vertical deflection (theory)

0.2kg,
v = PR3
4 EI

= ( 0.2 x 9.81 ) (0.15)3

(4) (200 x 109 ) (5.625 x 10-11)

= 0.462 mm

iii. Second moment of area of the cross section

I = bd3 / 12

= 25 x 10-3 x (3 x 10-3)3
12

= 5.625 x 10-11 m4

iv. Horizontal deflection (theory)

0.2kg,
H = PR3
2 EI
 = (0.2 x 9.81) (0.15)3
(2) (200 x 109 ) (5.625 x 10-11)

= 0.294 mm

b) Circular bar

i. Second moment of area of the cross section

I = bh3 / 12

= 25 x 10-3 x (3 x 10-3)3
12

= 5.625 x 10-11 m4

ii. Deflection (theory)

0.5kg,
= 0.149PR3
EI

= 0.149 ( 0.5 x 9.81 ) (0.15)3

(200 x 109 ) (5.625 x 10-11)

= 0.219 mm

7.0 DISCUSSION

Graph is straight lines with a positive slope. So, its can be said that load is linearly
dependent with vertical deflection for quarter circle bar. the vertical deflection will
increase when the load increases. From the graph plotted, the result from the experiment
is match or same with the results that calculated using theorem castigliano's.

Theoretically the straight lines obtained are through the origin point. Slope for
both of the lines are almost the same value. This shows that the error occur in the
experiment are very small and the results can be accepted.

Graph obtained is straight line with a positive gradient. Even though the graph is straight
line, but there is a difference between the experiment results and theoretical results.

Besides that, theoretical result is bigger compare than experiment results. There
are differences in the both results because there are some errors occurred during the
experiment. The errors may be caused by the Castiglianos Theorem formula which is not
recommended to be used in the calculation for horizontal deflection for quarter circle bar.
This is because the forces applied are only assumptions values and not the real values.
But, it still can use for compare with theory and experiment.

Graph in a straight line shape obtained for load (N) versus vertical deflection v (mm)
for circular bar. The gradient for both of the lines are positive. The lines are through the
origin point.

There differences between the experiment results and theoretical results are very
small compare to graph of load (N) versus horizontal deflection H (mm) for quarter
circle bar. This shows that the experiment results and calculation results are almost the
same. Even though the errors are very small, but it could not be neglected and have to be
taken in consider.

Fro the graphs plotted, we can conclude that deflection is linearly dependent on
applied load. Deflection will be increase, when the applied load increases.

From the data that has been recorded, there are a lot of errors occurred causes the
differences between the experiment results and theoretical results. The factors which
cause the errors are:

Applied load is not a standard value

The bar is already in deformed condition before the experiment begin
The mistakes done by the person who recording the readings
Random errors caused by the equipments
Dial gauge is not placed at the exact place and always dislocated

(b) The advantages of using Castiglianos Theorem

 Castiglianos theorem can be used to measure deflection of curved beams, but other
theorems such as Macaulay theorem can be used only to measure vertical or horizontal
bar. This are the advantages of using Castiglianos theorem compared to other theories.

i. This theorem can measured deflection of the bar that bend but Macaulay
methods can only measured deflection of vertical and horizontal.
ii. The value of young Modulus E is fixed according to the material been used.
iii. Calculation that is to get the value of beam deflection is more simple if the
differences between load is solve first before we integrate or other solution.
iv. This method is using the dummy where it function is to take the point that is
not mentioned the actual load.

(c) Besides Castiglianos Theorem, other methods that can be used to measure
the beam deflection are:-

i. Macaulay method Need an equation for all beams. This method is using all
three basics equations to find the value of deflection and beam slope.

ii. Double integration method This method is having 3 equations to find the
value of deflection that is overall beam moment equation, deflection equation
and slope equation. If the load situation is changed along the beam, the
moment equation is also changed.

Besides Castiglianos method, other methods such as Macaulay method, Superposition

method, and Moment Area method can be used to calculate beam deflection.

8.0 CONCLUSION
 As a conclusion, this experiment has achieved its main objective to validate the
formula of deflection of curved bars based on Castiglianos Theorem. The formulas are:

Vertical deflection (quarter circle bar) = PR3/4EI

Deflection (circular bar) = 0.149PR3/EI

Even though the formula for horizontal deflection for quarter circle bar is given as
H = PR3/4EI, but the results obtained from experiment is much bigger compare to the
calculation done using that formula. According to reference book Mechanics of
Engineering Materials, the formula for horizontal deflection for quarter circle bar is
H = PR3/2EI. This formula is almost matching with results obtained from the
experiment. So the more exact formula to calculate the horizontal deflection for quarter
circle bar is H = PR3/2EI.

The conclusion are:

i. with using the Castiglianos Theorem Method in calculate the bar deflection, it
more easier if compared with other method.
ii. the result of deflection value is not far between experimental and theoretical.
iii. this experiment is succesful that is the deflection bar formula according to the
Castiglianos Theorem can be approved it punctuality for getting the beam
deflection.

There are some differences of results obtained from the experiment and the
theorem. This is because of the errors occurred during the experiment. However the
overall conclusion is, deflection is linearly dependent on the applied weight.

9.0 REFERENCES
Books:
a) Benham, P.P. and Crawford, R. J., Mechanics of Engineering Materials, 1994,
Longman Scientific & Technical, England.
b) Beer & E.Russell Johnston, Jr.(1992). "Mechanics of Materials, Metrics Editions,
McGraw-Hill Book Company
c) 1. Clive L. Dyme (1997), Structural Modelling & Analysis
Cambridge University Press, UK. Page: 261

d) 2. R.C Hibbeler (2011), Mechanics of Materials Eighth Edition in S.I Units

Prentice Hall Inc, Page: 569 & 619.

e) 3. William A. Nash (1998), Schaums of Theory & Problems of Strength of Materials

McGraw Hill, Page : 474

Internet:

http://www.public.iastate.edu/~fanous/ce332/virtualwork/homepage.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Macaulay%27s_method

http://www.codecogs.com/reference/engineering/materials/curved_beams.php#sec8