Structural 1B

INFLUENCE LINES FOR STATICALLY INDETERMINATE BEAMS

Influence lines for statically indeterminate structures may be obtained by the applications of Muller-
Breslau's principle and Maxwell's reciprocal theorem.

For a beam, the Müller-Breslau principle states that the influence line for a function (reaction, shear, or
moment) is to the same scale as the deflected shape of the beam when the beam is acted upon by the
function. To draw the deflected shape properly, the capacity of the beam to resist the applied function
must be removed so the beam can deflect when the function is applied.

NOTE For statically determinate beams, the deflected shapes (or the influence lines) will be a series of
straight-line segments. For statically indeterminate beams, curves will result in the construction of each
of the three types of influence lines (reaction, shear, and moment)

Determination of ordinates of the influence line,

In order to determine the ordinate of influence line, the conjugate-beam method is applied. Conjugate
beam method is a method used to determine a beam’s slope or deflection. However, this method relies
only on the principles of statics,

In this method, shear (V) compares with the slope (Ѳ) the moment M compares with the displacement (v)
and the external load w compares with the M/EI diagram. Which results to two theorems namely

Theorem 1: The slope at a point in the real beam is numerically equal to the shear at the corresponding
point in the conjugate beam.

Theorem 2: The displacement of a point in the real beam is numerically equal to the moment at the
corresponding point in the conjugate beam.

SUMMARY

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Reaction at A.

To determine the influence line for the reaction at A in Fig. 1 below, a unit load is placed on the beam at
successive points, and at each point the reaction at A must be determined. A plot of these results yields
the influence line.

Figure 1 Real beam

When the load is at point D of the beam in Fig. 1, the reaction at A, which represents the ordinate of the
influence line at D, can be determined by the force method. To achieve this, the principle of superposition
is applied, as shown in Fig 2

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By principal of superposition,

Real structure = primary structure + redundant stricture

= +

Figure 2 principal of superposition

The unknown reaction Ay causes the beam at A to be displace fAD

The compatibility equation for point A is thus

0 = fAD + Ay fAA

or

Ay = - fAD /fAA

however, by Maxwell’s theorem of reciprocal displacements (state that: The displacement of a point B
on a structure due to a unit load acting at point A is equal to the displacement of point A when the unit
load is acting at point B, that is fBA = fAB )

Then,

fAD = - fDA (Fig 3 illustrates),

Figure 3 Maxwell’s theorem of reciprocal displacements

So Ay can be computed (or the ordinate of the influence line at D) using the equation
1
Ay = (𝑓𝐴𝐴)fDA ............................1

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 Structural 1B

By comparison, the Müller-Breslau principle requires removal of the support at A and application of a
vertical unit load. Then the resulting deflection curve in figure 3 is to some scale the shape of the
influence line for Ay. From equation 1 above, the scale factor is
1
(𝑓𝐴𝐴) ......................................2

Shear at E

If the influence line for the shear at point E of the beam in Fig. 4a is to be determined,

Figure 4

then by the Müller-Breslau principle the beam is imagined cut open at this point and a sliding device is
inserted at E, Fig. 4b. This device will transmit a moment and normal force but no shear. When the beam
deflects due to positive unit shear loads acting at E, the slope on each side of the guide remains the same,
and the deflection curve represents to some scale the influence line for the shear at E, Fig. 4c.

Had the basic method for establishing the influence line for the shear at E been applied, it would

then be necessary to apply a unit load at each point D and compute the internal shear at E, Fig. 4a. This
value, would represent the ordinate of the influence line at D. Using the force method and Maxwell’s
theorem of reciprocal displacements, as in the previous case, it can be shown that
1
VE = (𝑓𝐸𝐸 )fDE ............................3

This again establishes the validity of the Müller-Breslau principle, namely, a positive unit shear load
applied to the beam at E, Fig. 4c, will cause the beam to deflect into the shape of the influence line for the
shear at E and the scale factor is
1
(𝑓𝐸𝐸 ) ......................................4

Moment at E

The influence line for the moment at E in Fig. 5a can be determined by placing a pin or hinge at E, since
this connection transmits normal and shear forces but cannot resist a moment, Fig. 5b.

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 Structural 1B

Figure 5

Applying a positive unit couple moment, the beam then deflects to the dashed position in Fig. 5c, which
yields to some scale the influence line, again a consequence of the Müller-Breslau principle. Using the
force method and Maxwell’s reciprocal theorem, it can be show that
1
ME = (∝𝐸𝐸 )fDE ............................5

And the scale factor is

SUMMARY OF THE ANALYSIS

Qualitative influence line

At the point on the beam for which the influence line is to be determined, place a connection that will
remove the capacity of the beam to support the function of the influence line. If the function is a vertical
reaction, use a vertical roller guide; if the function is shear, use a sliding device; or if the function is
moment, use a pin or hinge.

Place a unit load at the connection acting on the beam in the “positive direction” of the function. Draw
the deflection curve for the beam.

This curve represents to some scale the shape of the influence line for the beam.

Quantitative Influence Line

If numerical values of the influence line are to be determined, compute the displacement of successive
points along the beam when the beam is subjected to the unit load placed at the connection mentioned
above. Divide each value of displacement by the displacement determined at the point where the unit
load acts. By applying this scalar factor, the resulting values are the ordinates of the influence line.

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