ENG5312 Mechanics of Solids II

Discontinuity Functions
Discontinuity functions are used to develop a single epression for the
elastic curve of a !ultiply loaded "ea! or shaft#
$se of a single epression %ill per!it evaluation of integration constants
fro! "oundary conditions only& as continuity conditions %ill "e satisfied
auto!atically#
Define the Macaulay function:

x a
n
=
0
(x a)
n
, x < a
, x a

%here

n 0
'nd

x a

n
dx =
x a
n+1
n +1
+c
(his function can "e used to represent a unifor!ly distri"uted load&

w
o
&
starting at

x = a)

w(x) = w
o
x a
0
i#e#

w(x) = 0 for

x < a and

w(x) = w
o
for

x a#
(hen shear force is)

V(x) = w(x)dx = w
o
x a

+c
*ut

c = 0
at

x = a& therefore)
5+
ENG5312 Mechanics of Solids II

V(x) = w
o
x a =
0
w
o
(x a)
, x < a
, x a

*ending !o!ent is)

M(x) = V(x)

dx =
w
o
2
x a
2
+c
*ut

c = 0
at

x = a& therefore)

M(x) =
w
o
2
x a
2
=
0

w
o
2
(x a)
2
, x < a
, x a

Singularity functions are used to descri"e the application of point

loadings and !o!ents#
'pplication of a force at a point& or concentrated force& can "e considered
a special case of a distri"uted load over a short distance ,

P > 0
do%n-#
So

w(x) = P x a
1
=
0
P
, x a
, x = a

.here the /1 eponent is used to ensure

w(x) has units force0length#
(he integral of this epression is perfor!ed using operational calculus)

x a

n
dx = x a
n+1
&

n = 1,2
55
ENG5312 Mechanics of Solids II
So shear force and "ending !o!ent are given "y)

V(x) = w(x)dx = P x a

0
M(x) = V(x)dx = P x a

1
' !o!ent&


r
M
o
& positive counter/cloc1%ise& is a li!it as

0
of the
application of t%o distri"uted loads#

w(x) = M
o
x a
2
=
0
M
o
, x a
, x = a

.here the /2 eponent is used to guarantee the units of

w(x) are
force0length#
(he shear force and "ending !o!ent that result fro! this epression are)

V(x) = w(x)dx = M
o
x a

1
M(x) = V(x)dx = M
o
x a

0
.here the integrals are perfor!ed using operational calculus#
52
ENG5312 Mechanics of Solids II
(he functions used for the different loadings are su!!ari3ed in (a"le 12/2
of 4i""eler#
(he discontinuity functions provide a !eans of directly specifying the
"ending !o!ent as a function for a "ea!# (his function can then "e
integrated to deter!ine the deflection& and only t%o "oundary conditions
%ill "e re5uired to evaluate the constants of integration#
56