Theory of Beams: The Application of the Laplace Transformation Method to Engineering Problems

The Commonwealth and International Library of Science Technology Engineering and Liberal Studies

THEORY OF BEAMS

The Application of the Laplace Transformation Method to Engineering Problems

Second Enlarged Edition

T. IWIŃSKI, Dr.

Institute of Mathematics, Polish Academy of Sciences Warsaw

PERGAMON PRESS

Table of Contents

Cover image

Title page

Copyright

PREFACE TO THE SECOND EDITION

PREFACE TO THE FIRST EDITION

Chapter 1: INTRODUCTORY INFORMATION

Publisher Summary

1 General Introduction

2 Step functions and multi-step functions

3 Some remarks on the Laplace transformation method†

Chapter 2: THEORY OF BEAMS

Publisher Summary

1 Assumptions. Differential equation of the elastic curve. Load function

2 The elastic curve of single-span beams

3 Determination of static quantities for a single-span beam

4 Beams on three supports

5 The elastic curve of continuous beams

6 Theorem of three moments

7 Single-span beams on elastic supports

8 Continuous beams on elastic supports

9 The theorem of five moments

Chapter 3: THEORY OF BEAMS WITH VARIABLE FLEXURAL RIGIDITY

Publisher Summary

1 Derivation of the differential equation of the deflection curve Shape function. Examples

2 Deflection curve for single-span beams

Chapter 4: PROBLEMS WITH MORE COMPLEX LOADING

Publisher Summary

1 The transform of the load function

2 Beams with transverse and axial loading

3 Beams on elastic foundations (Winkler’s type): general solution

4 Free beam on an elastic foundation

5 Simple beam with terminal forces and couples resting on an elastic foundation

6 Beams on non-homogeneous elastic foundations whose elasticity varies in a stepwise manner

7 On the non-continuous solutions in the theory of structures

Chapter 5: TABLES OF TRANSFORMS

REFERENCES

INDEX

Copyright

Pergamon Press Ltd., Headington Hill Hall, Oxford

4 & 5 Fitzroy Square, London W.1

Pergamon Press (Scotland) Ltd., 2 & 3 Teviot Place, Edinburgh 1

Pergamon Press Inc., 44–01 21st Street, Long Island City, New York 11101

Pergamon of Canada, Ltd., 6 Adelaide Street East, Toronto, Ontario

Pergamon Press (Aust.) Pty. Ltd., 20–22 Margaret Street, Sydney,

New South Wales

Pergamon Press SARL, 24 rue des Écoles, Paris 5e

Vieweg & Sohn GmbH, Burgplatz 1, Braunschweig

Copyright © 1958 and 1967 Pergamon Press Ltd.

First edition 1958

Second edition 1967

Library of Congress Catalog Card No. 66–28689

This book is sold subject to the condition

that is shall not, by way of trade, be lent

resold, hired out, or otherwise disposed

of without the publisher’s consent,

in any form of binding or cover

other than that in which

it is published.

(3009/67

PREFACE TO THE SECOND EDITION

THE amount of material contained in the second edition is roughly doubled compared with the first edition. It was a great encouragement for the author to continue his work when the first edition of the book met with the approval of readers and reviewers and was then translated into Japanese [32].

The introductory sections of Chapter I and sections 1–9 of Chapter II of the first edition are retained unchanged, but section 10 of Chapter II, which deals with beams of variable cross-section, has been substantially expounded and appears now as Chapter III. It contains the fundamental equations of the theory and also some examples on boundary conditions, but not as numerous as those in the Chapter II. This is because the theory of Chapter II may, without much difficulty, be applied also to the corresponding cases of beams with variable rigidity.

Throughout the whole book the stress is put rather on the method used than on the comprehensive coverage of all the important cases which may be met in engineering practice. This approach has influenced the contents of Chapter IV. Although the problems selected for discussion should be of interest to all who specialize in the field of structural engineering, the choice was decided upon primarily with a view to illustrate the applications of the method (or more precisely to illustrate some important subtle variations of the same method).

The application of the Laplace transformation and the step functions necessitates a regular use of some transformation formulae. These formulae are tabulated, for convenience, in Chapter V.

PREFACE TO THE FIRST EDITION

THIS monograph is addressed mainly to technically minded readers. Its principal aim is to discuss the solutions of the ordinary differential equations with assigned boundary conditions which occur in the theory of beams by means of integral transforms, now called the Laplace integrals or Laplace transformation.

This method of solving linear differential equations was originally published by Laplace nearly one hundred and fifty years ago (1812), and has been used by mathematicians alongside the other methods as a regular training in higher mathematics for a good many years. Engineers, on the other hand, whose mathematical training, of necessity, covers a more restricted range are still not very familiar with the method. But following the natural evolution of events, the engineer finds nowadays that he is continuously requiring more and more mathematical knowledge, i.e. more powerful mathematical tools to be able to solve the more complicated problems in ever expanding fields of engineering science. And so the engineer came in recent years to realize the usefulness of the Laplace transformation method.

The method provides a form of shorthand by means of which very quick and elegant solutions of a great many engineering problems may be obtained, often saving much of the laborious calculations involved in the classical approach. It may be objected that these solutions are in a rather symbolic form and in fact require conversion into the more practical form in order to be directly amenable to physical interpretation and this, in turn, may be either a difficult or laborious process. However, the solutions can be given in standardized forms, e.g. arranged as tables similar, say, to those of logarithms or other specific functions, thus greatly simplifying the actual procedure of analysis. And once the technique has been mastered, the method of solution becomes more direct and straightforward than the classical methods.

E.P.B,     Sheffield

September 1957

Chapter I

INTRODUCTORY INFORMATION

Publisher Summary

This chapter discusses the introductory information in the field of the theory of structures. The step functions are so characteristic for the structural problems that without them it would be almost impossible to formulate any general problem. Therefore, the concept of the step functions, in one form or the other, had been introduced at the very beginning of formulation of the theory of structures. The problem of finding the deflection curve is transformed from the problem of solving a differential equation to that of solving algebraic equations. It reduces to finding the coefficients of the polynomial W(x) by solving a system of simultaneous algebraic equations. The chapter also presents the solutions for beams on two supports under various conditions of end fixing as well as for continuous beams both with rigid and elastic supports.

1 General Introduction

The topics discussed in this book are taken from the field of the theory of structures but from the point of view of the method employed for solving these problems the book may be considered as the study of some linear differential equation. The solution of several simple equations proves to be not so simple a matter. Much attention has been given to this problem both by engineers and mathematicians, but it does not appear that the subject is fully exhausted. The reason for this is the nature of the practical engineering problem: complex boundary conditions and complex loading.

The mathematical representation of these complications is the appearance of discontinuities in the functions describing the physical quantities or the geometry of the problems. Usually, this is an ordinary discontinuity (see the note in section 2 of Chapter II), which leads to the appearance of the so-called step functions.

The step functions