SUPPORT REACTIONS

BY
GP CAPT NC CHATTOPADHYAY

NEED FOR SUPPORT

THE LOAD CARRYING

STRUCTURES NEED SUPPORTS
TO AVOID
-DEFORMATION
-BENDING
-INSTABILITY

Types of loads

Several types of loads can act on beams, such as concentrated

loads, distributed loads , varying loads and couples.

Concentrated loads are idealized from loads applied on a very small

area.
Magnitudes are known
.

Distributed loads are spread along the axes of beams. For example,
the weight of the beam can be assumed as a distributed force.
Distributed loads are converted into equivalent forces to make the
solution process easier. For vertical loads, the equivalent force
isthrough the centroid of the distributed load. Thus, if the
distributed load is a basic shape, the centroid is easy to determine
without integration.

Couples are moments applied on the beam. Do not contribute to

force .

Uniform varying Load

In this case the load varies uniformly along the length (gradual
increase, gradual decrease)

POINT LOAD

UDL

Length
Length
=l =L

UNIFORMLY VARYING
LOAD

COMBINED UDL AND UVL

W= 1500N/m

TYPES OF SUPPORT
SUPPORTS
SIMPLE

ROLLER

2 OR MORE
VERTICAL
SUPPORTS

2 (USUALLY
ONE) ROLLER
SUPPORTS

JUST PIVOTS

SUPPORTS
ALLOW FREE
EXPANSION

TAKES ONLY
VERTICAL
LOADS

TAKES VERTICAL
LOADS NORMAL
TO ROLLER PLANE

HINGED
2 (USUALLY ONE) HINGED
SUPPORTS
SUPPORTS TAKE VERTICAL
AND HORILOAD
USUALLY DESIGNED WITH A
ROLLER SUPPORT FOR FREE
EXPANSION OF ONE END
VERTICAL AND HORI
LOADS DETERMINE
REACTION AND LINE OF
ACTION

SIMPLE SUPPORT

ROLLER SUPPORT

LOCATION OF
ROLLER BEARING
TO SUPPORT JET
ENGINE ROTOR

HINGED SUPPORT

KNEE

COMBINED SUPPORT
DISTRITIBUTED LOAD = w

HINGED
SUPPORT

ROLLER SUPPORT

I THINK. I CAN THINK.

Calculate the support reactions

Solution:
First change UDL in to point load.
Resolved all the forces in horizontal and vertical direction. Since roller at B (only one
vertical reaction) and hinged at point B (one vertical and one horizontal reaction).
Let reaction at hinged i.e., point B is RBH and RBV, and reaction at roller support i.e. point
D is RDV Let H & V is the sum of horizontal and vertical component of the forces ,The
supported beam is in equilibrium, hence

H = V = 0
RH = RBH = 0
RBH = 0 ...(i)
V = RBV 50 5 RDV = 0
RBV + RDV = 55 ...(ii)

Taking moment about point B

50 0.5 RBV 0 RDV 5 + 5 7 = 0
RDV =12 KN .......ANS
Putting the value of RBV in equation (ii)
RBV = 43KN .......ANS
Hence RBH = 0, RDV = 12KN, RBV = 43KN

NUMERICAL

A 9m long beam ABCD is

supported on a hinge at A and a
roller support at an angle of 45o
at D. The beam has a clockwise
moment of 9 kNm at B and a
point load of 6 kN at C. If the
points are equidistant, find the
support reactions.