"BOEF" --- BEAM ON ELASTIC FOUNDATION ANALYSIS

Program Description:

"BOEF" is a spreadsheet program written in MS-Excel for the purpose of analysis a finite length beam with free ends
supported continuously on an elastic foundation. This program is ideally suited for analyzing a soil supported beam,
a combined footing, or a strip of a slab or a mat. Specifically, the beam shear, moment, deflection, and soil bearing
pressure are calculated for 100 equal beam segments, as well as the maximum values. Plots of both the shear,
moment, and soil bearing pressure diagrams are produced, as well as a tabulation of the shear, moment,
deflection, and bearing pressure for the beam.

This program is a workbook consisting of two (2) worksheets, described as follows:

Worksheet Name Description

Doc This documentation sheet
Beam on Elastic Foundation Beam on elastic foundation analysis

Program Assumptions and Limitations:

1. The following reference was used in the development of this program (see below):
"Formulas for Stress and Strain" - Fifth Edition
by Raymond R. Roark and Warren C. Young, McGraw-Hill Book Company (1975), pages 128 to 146.
2. This program uses the equations for a "finite-length" beam in the analysis. This usually gives very similar to
exact results for a "semi-infinite" beam which has had end-corrections applied to "force" the moment and shear
values to be equal to zero at the ends. (Note: a "semi-infinite" beam is defined as one that has a b*L value > 6.)
3. This program uses the five (5) additional following assumptions as a basis for analysis:
a. Beam must be of constant cross section (E and I are constant for entire length, L).
b. Beam must have both ends "free". ("Pinned" or "fixed" ends are not permitted.)
c. Elastic support medium (soil) has a constant modulus of subgrade, K, along entire length of beam.
d. Applied loads are located in the center of the width, W, of the beam and act along a centroidal line of the
beam-soil contact area.
e. Bearing pressure is linearly proportional to the deflection, and varies as a function of subgrade modulus, K.
4. This program can handle up to twelve (12) concentrated (point) loads, a full uniformly distributed load with up to
six (6) additional full or partial uniformly distributed loads, and up to four (4) externally applied moments.
5. Beam self-weight is NOT automatically included in the program analysis, but may be accounted for as a full
uniformly distributed applied load. Beam self-weight will only affect the deflection and bearing pressure, and not
the moment or shear.
6. This program will calculate the maximum positive and negative shears, the maximum positive and negative
moments, the maximum negative deflection, and the maximum soil bearing pressure. The calculated values
for the maximum shears, maximum moments, deflection, and bearing pressure are determined from dividing
the beam into 100 equal segments with 101 points, and including all of the point load and applied moment
locations as well.
7. The user is given the ability to input four (4) specific locations from the left end of the beam to calculate the
shear, moment, deflection, and bearing pressure.
8. The plots of the shear, moment, and bearing pressure diagrams as well as the displayed tabulation of shear,
moment, deflection, and bearing pressure are based on the beam being divided up into 100 equal segments
with 101 points.
9. This program contains numerous comment boxes which contain a wide variety of information including
explanations of input or output items, equations used, data tables, etc. (Note: presence of a comment box
is denoted by a red triangle in the upper right-hand corner of a cell. Merely move the mouse pointer to the
desired cell to view the contents of that particular "comment box".)
 Formulas Used to Determine Shear, Moment, Slope, Deflection, and Pressure in Beam on Elastic Foundation

General Constants and Functions:

I = W*T^3/12
b = ((K*W)/(4*E*144*I))^(1/4) (Note: units of 'K' are "kcf".)
F1 = COSH(b*x)*COS(b*x)
F2 = COSH(b*x)*SIN(b*x) + SINH(b*x)*COS(b*x)
F3 = SINH(b*x)*SIN(b*x)
F4 = COSH(b*x)*SIN(b*x) - SINH(b*x)*COS(b*x)
C1 = COSH(b*L)*COS(b*L)
C2 = COSH(b*L)*SIN(b*L) + SINH(b*L)*COS(b*L)
C3 = SINH(b*L)*SIN(b*L)
C4 = COSH(b*L)*SIN(b*L) - SINH(b*L)*COS(b*L)
C11 = SINH(b*L)^2 - SIN(b*L)^2

For Full Uniform or Distributed Loads:

Specific Constants and Functions:

Ca2 = COSH(b*(L-b))*SIN(b*(L-b)) + SINH(b*(L-b))*COS(b*(L-b))
Ca3 = SINH(b*(L-b))*SIN(b*(L-b))
Cb2 = COSH(b*(L-e))*SIN(b*(L-e)) + SINH(b*(L-e))*COS(b*(L-e))
Cb3 = SINH(b*(L-e))*SIN(b*(L-e))
If x > b:
Fa1 = COSH(b*(x-b))*COS(b*(x-b)) else: Fa1 = 0
Fa2 = COSH(b*(x-b))*SIN(b*(x-b)) + SINH(b*(x-b))*COS(b*(x-b)) else: Fa2 = 0
Fa3 = SINH(b*(x-b))*SIN(b*(x-b)) else: Fa3 = 0
Fa4 = COSH(b*(x-b))*SIN(b*(x-b)) - SINH(b*(x-b))*COS(b*(x-b)) else: Fa4 = 0
Fa5 = 1- Fa1 else: Fa5 = -Fa1
If x > e:
Fb1 = COSH(b*(x-e))*COS(b*(x-e)) else: Fb1 = 0
Fb2 = COSH(b*(x-e))*SIN(b*(x-e)) + SINH(b*(x-e))*COS(b*(x-e)) else: Fb2 = 0
Fb3 = SINH(b*(x-e))*SIN(b*(x-e)) else: Fb3 = 0
Fb4 = COSH(b*(x-e))*SIN(b*(x-e)) - SINH(b*(x-e))*COS(b*(x-e)) else: Fb4 = 0
Fb5 = 1- Fb1 else: Fb5 = -Fb1

Loading functions for each uniform or distributed load evaluated at distance x = L from left end of beam:
Va = 0
Ma = 0
qa = w/(2*E*144*I*b^3)*(C2*Ca3-C3*Ca2)/C11
Da = w/(4*E*144*I*b^4)*(C4*Ca2-2*C3*Ca3)/C11

Loading functions for each uniform or distributed load evaluated at distance = x from left end of beam:
Fvx = Va*F1 - Da*2*(E*144)*I*b^3*F2 - qa*2*(E*144)*I*b^2*F3 - Ma*b*F4 - w/(2*b)*Fa2
Fmx = Ma*F1 + Va/(2*b)*F2 - Da*2*(E*144)*I*b^2*F3 - qa*(E*144)*I*b*F4 - w/(2*b^2)*Fa3
Fqx = qa*F1 + Ma/(2*E*144*I*b)*F2 + Va/(2*E*144*I*b^2)*F3 - Da*b*F4 - w/(4*E*144*I*b^3)*Fa4
FDx = Da*F1 + qa/(2*b)*F2 + Ma/(2*E*144*I*b^2)*F3 + Va/(4*E*144*I*b^3)*F4 - w/(4*E*144*I*b^4)*Fa5
For Point Loads:

Specific Constants and Functions:

Ca1 = COSH(b*(L-a))*COS(b*(L-a))
Ca2 = COSH(b*(L-a))*SIN(b*(L-a)) + SINH(b*(L-a))*COS(b*(L-a))
If x > a:
Fa1 = COSH(b*(x-a))*COS(b*(x-a)) else: Fa1 = 0
Fa2 = COSH(b*(x-a))*SIN(b*(x-a)) + SINH(b*(x-a))*COS(b*(x-a)) else: Fa2 = 0
Fa3 = SINH(b*(x-a))*SIN(b*(x-a)) else: Fa3 = 0
Fa4 = COSH(b*(x-a))*SIN(b*(x-a)) - SINH(b*(x-a))*COS(b*(x-a)) else: Fa4 = 0

Loading functions for each point load evaluated at distance x = L from left end of beam:
Va = 0
Ma = 0
qa = P/(2*E*144*I*b^2)*(C2*Ca2-2*C3*Ca1)/C11
Da = P/(2*E*144*I*b^3)*(C4*Ca1-C3*Ca2)/C11

Loading functions for each point load evaluated at distance = x from left end of beam:
Fvx = Va*F1 - Da*2*(E*144)*I*b^3*F2 - qa*2*(E*144)*I*b^2*F3 - Ma*b*F4 - P*Fa1
Fmx = Ma*F1 + Va/(2*b)*F2 - Da*2*(E*144)*I*b^2*F3 - qa*(E*144)*I*b*F4 - P/(2*b)*Fa2
Fqx = qa*F1 + Ma/(2*E*144*I*b)*F2 + Va/(2*E*144*I*b^2)*F3 - Da*b*F4 - P/(2*E*144*I*b^2)*Fa3
FDx = Da*F1 + qa/(2*b)*F2 + Ma/(2*E*144*I*b^2)*F3 + Va/(4*E*144*I*b^3)*F4 - P/(4*E*144*I*b^3)*Fa4

For Applied Moments:

Specific Constants and Functions:

Ca1 = COSH(b*(L-c))*COS(b*(L-c))
Ca4 = COSH(b*(L-c))*SIN(b*(L-c)) - SINH(b*(L-c))*COS(b*(L-c))
If x > c:
Fa1 = COSH(b*(x-c))*COS(b*(x-c)) else: Fa1 = 0
Fa2 = COSH(b*(x-c))*SIN(b*(x-c)) + SINH(b*(x-c))*COS(b*(x-c)) else: Fa2 = 0
Fa3 = SINH(b*(x-c))*SIN(b*(x-c)) else: Fa3 = 0
Fa4 = COSH(b*(x-c))*SIN(b*(x-c)) - SINH(b*(x-c))*COS(b*(x-c)) else: Fa4 = 0

Loading functions for each applied moment evaluated at distance x = L from left end of beam:
Va = 0
Ma = 0
qa = -M/(E*144*I*b)*(C3*Ca4+C2*Ca1)/C11
Da = M/(2*E*144*I*b^2)*(2*C3*Ca1+C4*Ca4)/C11

Loading functions for each applied moment evaluated at distance = x from left end of beam:
Fvx = Va*F1 - Da*2*(E*144)*I*b^3*F2 - qa*2*(E*144)*I*b^2*F3 - Ma*b*F4 - M/(2*b)*Fa2
Fmx = Ma*F1 + Va/(2*b)*F2 - Da*2*(E*144)*I*b^2*F3 - qa*(E*144)*I*b*F4 - M*Fa1
Fqx = qa*F1 + Ma/(2*E*144*I*b)*F2 + Va/(2*E*144*I*b^2)*F3 - Da*b*F4 - M/(2*E*144*I*b)*Fa2
FDx = Da*F1 + qa/(2*b)*F2 + Ma/(2*E*144*I*b^2)*F3 + Va/(4*E*144*I*b^3)*F4 - M/(2*E*144*I*b^2)*Fa3

Summations of shear, moment, slope, and deflection at distance = x from left end of beam:

Shear: Vx = S(Fvx)
Moment: Mx = S(Fmx)
Slope: qx = S(Fqx)
Deflection: Dx = S(FDx)
Pressure: Qx = Dx*K
 "BOEF.xls" Program
Version 1.2

BEAM ON ELASTIC FOUNDATION ANALYSIS

For Soil Supported Beam, Combined Footing, Slab Strip or Mat Strip
of Assumed Finite Length with Both Ends Free
Job Name: Subject:
Job Number: Originator: Checker:

Input Data:
c
Beam Data: e
b
Length, L = 25.0000 ft. a
Width, W = 4.0000 ft. +P
Thickness, T = 0.7500 ft. +wb +we +M +w
Modulus, E = 3600 ksi
Subgrade, K = 100 pci T
Inertia, I = 0.141 ft.^4
E,I L Subgrade
Beam Loadings: x
Nomenclature
Full Uniform:
w= 0.6000 kips/ft. Results:

Start End Beam Flexiblity Criteria:

Distributed: b (ft.) wb (kips/ft.) e (ft.) we (kips/ft.) for b*L <= p/4 beam is rigid
#1: for p/4 < b*L < p beam is semi-rigid
#2: for b*L >= p beam is flexible
#3: for b*L >= 6 beam is semi-infinite long
#4:
#5: b= 0.221 b = ((K*W)/(4*E*144*I))^(1/4)
#6: b*L = 5.52 b*L = Flexibility Factor

Point Loads: a (ft.) P (kips) Beam is flexible

#1: 5.0000 8.00
#2: 20.0000 12.00
#3: Max. Shears and Locations:
#4: +V(max) = 6.27 k @x= 20.00 ft.
#5: -V(max) = -5.73 k @x= 20.00 ft.
#6:
#7: Max. Moments and Locations:
#8: +M(max) = 13.00 ft-k @x= 20.00 ft.
#9: -M(max) = -4.95 ft-k @x= 12.75 ft.
#10:
#11: Max. Deflection and Location:
#12: D(max) = -0.034 in. @x= 20.25 ft.

Moments: c (ft.) M (ft-kips) Max. Soil Pressure and Location:

#1: Q(max) = 0.494 ksf @x= 20.25 ft.
#2:
#3:
#4:

4 of 5 09/27/2017 21:36:17
 Bearing P ressure (ksf) Moment (ft-kips) Shear (kips)

0.600
0.500
0.400
0.300
0.200
0.100
0.000
10.00
12.00
14.00

-6.00
-4.00
-2.00
0.00
2.00
4.00
6.00
8.00
-6.00
-4.00
-2.00
0.00
2.00
4.00
6.00
8.00

0.0000 0.0000
0.0000
0.5000 0.5000
0.5000
1.0000 1.0000
1.0000
1.5000 1.5000
1.5000
2.0000 2.0000
2.0000
2.5000 2.5000
2.5000
3.0000 3.0000
3.0000
3.5000 3.5000
3.5000
4.0000 4.0000
4.0000
4.5000 4.5000 4.5000
5.0000 5.0000 5.0000
5.5000 5.5000 5.5000
6.0000 6.0000 6.0000
6.5000 6.5000 6.5000
7.0000 7.0000 7.0000
7.5000 7.5000 7.5000
8.0000 8.0000 8.0000
8.5000 8.5000 8.5000
9.0000 9.0000 9.0000
9.5000 9.5000 9.5000
10.0000 10.0000 10.0000
10.5000 10.5000 10.5000
11.0000 11.0000 11.0000
11.5000 11.5000

5 of 5
11.5000
12.0000 12.0000 12.0000
12.5000 12.5000 12.5000

x (ft.)
x (ft.)

x (ft.)
13.0000 13.0000 13.0000
13.5000 13.5000 13.5000
14.0000 14.0000 14.0000
Shear Diagram

14.5000 14.5000 14.5000

Moment Diagram

15.0000 15.0000 15.0000

15.5000 15.5000 15.5000

Bearing Pressure Diagram

16.0000 16.0000 16.0000
16.5000 16.5000 16.5000
17.0000 17.0000 17.0000
17.5000 17.5000 17.5000
18.0000 18.0000 18.0000
18.5000 18.5000 18.5000
19.0000 19.0000 19.0000
19.5000 19.5000 19.5000
20.0000 20.0000 20.0000
20.5000 20.5000 20.5000
21.0000 21.0000 21.0000
21.5000 21.5000 21.5000
22.0000 22.0000 22.0000
22.5000 22.5000 22.5000
23.0000 23.0000 23.0000
23.5000 23.5000 23.5000
24.0000 24.0000 24.0000
24.5000 24.5000 24.5000
"BOEF.xls" Program

25.0000 25.0000

09/27/2017 21:36:17
25.0000
Version 1.2