A Beginners Guide to Structural Analysis & Mechanics last modified: 1 August 2008

Example CB.1 by: TBQ

Given: A continuous beam over three spans with integral column supports as shown.
Given: A continuous beam over three spans with integral column supports as shown.

Loads:
Length Ix w P a
(ft) (in )
4
(klf) (k) (ft)
Span1 13.50 510.00 2.00 15.00 5.00
Span2 15.00 480.00 1.40 20.00 7.00
Span3 30.00 754.00 1.60 5.00 12.00

Length I
(ft) (in4)
Col. 1 10 200
Col. 2 10 200
Col. 3 10 200
Col. 4 10 200

Wanted: Develop the shear and moment diagrams for the beam using moment distribution using an electronic
Wanted: Develop the shear and moment diagrams for the beam using moment distribution using an electronic
spreadsheet..
spreadsheet..

Solution:

Moment Distribution

Col. 1 Span AB Col. 2 Span BC Col. 3 Span CD

Length 10 13.50 10 15.00 10 30.00
I 200 510.00 200 480.00 200 754.00
I/L 1.67 3.15 1.67 2.67 1.67 2.09
Load, w 2.00 1.40 1.60
Load, P @ a 15.00 5.00 20.00 7.00 5.00
Joint A A B B B C C C
DF 0.346 0.654 0.421 0.223 0.356 0.415 0.259 0.326
FEM: w 30.38 -30.38 26.25 -26.25 120.00
FEM: P 29.73 -17.49 39.82 -34.84 21.60
FEM: Start 0 60.108 -47.865 0 66.072 -61.094 0 141.600
Balance -20.806 -39.301 -7.662 -4.056 -6.490 -33.399 -20.874 -26.232
CO -3.831 -19.651 -16.700 -3.245 37.422
Sum -20.806 16.976 -75.177 -4.056 42.883 -97.738 -20.874 152.789
Balance 1.326 2.505 15.296 8.098 12.956 -14.179 -8.862 -11.136
CO 7.648 1.252 -7.089 6.478 3.652
Sum -19.480 27.128 -58.629 4.042 48.750 -105.439 -29.736 145.305
Balance -2.647 -5.001 2.456 1.300 2.081 -4.203 -2.627 -3.301
CO 1.228 -2.500 -2.101 1.040 1.550
Sum -22.128 23.356 -58.673 5.342 48.729 -108.601 -32.363 143.555
Balance -0.425 -0.803 1.936 1.025 1.640 -1.075 -0.672 -0.844
CO 0.968 -0.401 -0.537 0.820 0.460
Sum -22.553 23.521 -57.138 6.367 49.832 -108.856 -33.034 143.170
Balance -0.335 -0.633 0.395 0.209 0.335 -0.531 -0.332 -0.417
CO 0.198 -0.317 -0.265 0.167 0.118
Sum -22.888 23.086 -57.059 6.576 49.901 -109.220 -33.366 142.871
Balance -0.068 -0.129 0.245 0.130 0.207 -0.118 -0.074 -0.093
CO 0.122 -0.065 -0.059 0.104 0.058
Sum -22.956 23.079 -56.879 6.706 50.050 -109.234 -33.440 142.836
Balance -0.042 -0.080 0.052 0.028 0.044 -0.067 -0.042 -0.053
CO 0.026 -0.040 -0.034 0.022 0.013
Sum -22.999 23.025 -56.867 6.733 50.060 -109.279 -33.482 142.796
Balance -0.009 -0.017 0.031 0.016 0.026 -0.015 -0.009 -0.011
CO 0.015 -0.009 -0.007 0.013 0.007
Sum -23.008 23.023 -56.845 6.750 50.079 -109.280 -33.491 142.792
Balance -0.005 -0.010 0.007 0.004 0.006 -0.008 -0.005 -0.007
CO 0.003 -0.005 -0.004 0.003 0.002
Final -23.013 23.016 -56.843 6.753 50.080 -109.286 -33.496 142.787
Shears 20.439 21.561 17.220 23.780 29.463

Local Global Shear Moment

x x
(ft) (ft) (k) (ft-k) Shear Diagram
0.0 0.0 20.44 -23.02
1.4 1.4 17.74 2.75 40.00
2.7 2.7 15.04 24.88
Shear, (k)

30.00
4.1 4.1 12.34 43.36
5.4 5.4 -5.36 52.19 20.00
6.8 6.8 -8.06 43.13
8.1 8.1 -10.76 30.43 10.00
9.5 9.5 -13.46 14.08 0.00
10.8 10.8 -16.16 -5.92 0.0 10.0 20.0 30.0 40.0 50.0 6
12.2 12.2 -18.86 -29.56 -10.00
13.5 13.5 -21.56 -56.84 -20.00
0.0 13.5 17.22 -50.08
1.5 15.0 15.12 -25.83 -30.00
Location "x", (ft)
3.0 16.5 13.02 -4.72
4.5 18.0 10.92 13.23
6.0 19.5 8.82 28.04
7.5 21.0 -13.28 29.69
9.0 22.5 -15.38 8.20 Moment Diagram
Moment, (ft-k)

10.5 24.0 -17.48 -16.45

150.00
12.0 25.5 -19.58 -44.24
13.5 27.0 -21.68 -75.19 100.00
15.0 28.5 -23.78 -109.29
50.00
0.00
0.0 10.0 20.0 30.0 40.0 50.0 6
-50.00
 Moment, (
150.00
100.00

0.0 28.5 29.46 -142.79 50.00

3.0 31.5 24.66 -61.60 0.00
6.0 34.5 19.86 5.19 0.0 10.0 20.0 30.0 40.0 50.0 6
9.0 37.5 15.06 57.58 -50.00
12.0 40.5 5.26 95.57 -100.00
15.0 43.5 0.46 104.16
18.0 46.5 -4.34 98.35 -150.00
21.0 49.5 -9.14 78.14
-200.00
24.0 52.5 -13.94 43.53 Location "x", (ft)
27.0 55.5 -18.74 -5.48
30.0 58.5 -23.54 -68.89
lectronic
electronic

Col. 4 Units
10 ft
200
1.67
k/ft
12.00 0.00
D D
0.557 0.443
-120.00
-14.40
-134.400 0 ft-k
74.843 59.557 ft-k
-13.116 ft-k
-72.673 59.557 ft-k
 7.304 5.812 ft-k
-5.568 ft-k
-70.937 65.369 ft-k
3.101 2.467 ft-k
-1.650 ft-k
-69.487 67.836 ft-k
0.919 0.731 ft-k
-0.422 ft-k
-68.990 68.568 ft-k
0.235 0.187 ft-k
-0.208 ft-k
-68.963 68.755 ft-k
0.116 0.092 ft-k
-0.046 ft-k
-68.894 68.847 ft-k
0.026 0.021 ft-k
-0.026 ft-k
-68.894 68.868 ft-k
0.015 0.012 ft-k
-0.006 ft-k
-68.885 68.879 ft-k
0.003 0.003 ft-k
-0.003 ft-k
-68.885 68.882 ft-k
23.537 k

Diagram

30.0 40.0 50.0 60.0 70.0

Location "x", (ft)

t Diagram

30.0 40.0 50.0 60.0 70.0

 30.0 40.0 50.0 60.0 70.0

Location "x", (ft)