Department of Civil Engineering

University of Engineering and Technology, Taxila, Pakistan

Three Moment
Equation
Theory of Structure - I
Department of Civil Engineering
University of Engineering and
Technology, Taxila, Pakistan
2
Lecture Outlines

Introduction
Proof of Three Moment Equation
Example
Department of Civil Engineering
University of Engineering and
Technology, Taxila, Pakistan
3
Introduction
Developed by French Engineer Clapeyron in
1857.
This equation relates the internal moments in
a continuous beam at three points of support
to the loads acting between the supports.
By successive application of this equation
to each span of the beam, one obtains a set
of equations that may be solved
simultaneously for the unknown internal
moments at the support.
Department of Civil Engineering
University of Engineering and
Technology, Taxila, Pakistan
4
Proof: Real Beam
A general form of three moment equation can
be developed by considering the span of a
continuous beam.
L
C R
M
L
M
C
M
C
M
R
P
1
P
2
P
3
P
4
W
L
W
R
L
L
L
R
Department of Civil Engineering
University of Engineering and
Technology, Taxila, Pakistan
5
Conjugate Beam (applied
loads)
The formulation will be based on the
conjugate-beam method.
Since the real beam is continuous over the
supports, the conjugate-beam has hinges at
L, C and R.
L
X
L
X
R
L
L
L
R
C
L
1
C
R
1
R
A
L
/EI
L
A
R
/EI
R
Department of Civil Engineering
University of Engineering and
Technology, Taxila, Pakistan
6
Conjugate Beam (internal
moments)
Using the principle of superposition, the M /
EI diagram for the internal moments is
shown.
L L
L
L
R
C
L
2
C
R
2
R
M
L
/EI
L
M
C
/EI
L
M
C
/EI
R
M
R
/EI
R
Department of Civil Engineering
University of Engineering and
Technology, Taxila, Pakistan
7
In particular A
L
/EI
L
and A
R
/EI
R
represent the
total area under their representative M / EI
diagrams; and x
L
and x
R
locate their
centroids.
Since the slope of real beam is continuous
over the center support, we require the shear
forces for the conjugate beam.
) (
2 1 2 1
R R L L
C C C C + = +
Department of Civil Engineering
University of Engineering and
Technology, Taxila, Pakistan
8
( ) ( )
L
L C
L
L L
L
L L
L L
L
C
L L
L
L
L
L
L
L
L
L L
EI
L M
EI
L M
EI
x A
L L
EI
M
L L
EI
M
L
x
EI
A
L
C C
3 6
3
2
2
1
3
1
2
1 1
) (
1
2 1
+ + =
(

|
.
|

\
|
|
|
.
|

\
|
+
|
.
|

\
|
|
|
.
|

\
|
+ = +
Summing moments about point L for left
span, we have



Summing moments about point R for the
right span yields
( ) ( )
R
R C
R
R R
R
R R
R R
R
C
R R
R
R
R
R
R
R
R
R R
EI
L M
EI
L M
EI
x A
L L
EI
M
L L
EI
M
L
x
EI
A
L
C C
3 6
3
2
2
1
3
1
2
1 1
) (
1
2 1
+ + =
(

|
.
|

\
|
|
|
.
|

\
|
+
|
.
|

\
|
|
|
.
|

\
|
+ = +
Department of Civil Engineering
University of Engineering and
Technology, Taxila, Pakistan
9
Equating


and simplifying yields
) (
2 1 2 1
R R L L
C C C C + = +

= +
|
|
.
|

\
|
+ +
R R
R R
L L
L L
R
R R
R
R
L
L
C
L
L L
L I
x A
L I
x A
I
L M
I
L
I
L
M
I
L M 6 6
2
General Equation
(1)
Department of Civil Engineering
University of Engineering and
Technology, Taxila, Pakistan
10
Eq. Modification for point load
and uniformly distributed load
Summation signs have been added to the
terms on the right so that M/EI diagrams for
each type of applied load can be treated
separately.

In practice the most common types of
loadings encountered are concentrated and
uniform distributed loads.
Department of Civil Engineering
University of Engineering and
Technology, Taxila, Pakistan
11
L C C R C R
L
L
K
L
L
L
K
R
L
R
P
L
P
R
w

( ) ( )
R
R R
L
L L
R R
R
R R
L L
L
L L
R
R R
R
R
L
L
C
L
L L
I
L w
I
L w
k k
I
L P
k k
I
L P
I
L M
I
L
I
L
M
I
L M
4 4
2
3 3
3
2
3
2
= +
|
|
.
|

\
|
+ +

If the areas and centroidal distances for their
M/EI diagrams are substituted in to 3-Moment
equation,
(2)
Department of Civil Engineering
University of Engineering and
Technology, Taxila, Pakistan
12
Special Case:
If the moment of inertia is constant for the
entire span, I
L
= I
R
.

( ) ( ) ( )
4 4
2
3 3
3 2 3 2
R R L L
R R R R L L L L R R R L C L L
L w L w
k k L P k k L P L M L L M L M = + + +

(3)
Department of Civil Engineering
University of Engineering and
Technology, Taxila, Pakistan
13
Example:
Determine the reactions at the supports for
the beam shown. The moment of inertia of
span AB is one half that of span BC.
15k
3 k/ft
I 0.5 I
25 ft 15 ft 5 ft
A C
B
Department of Civil Engineering
University of Engineering and
Technology, Taxila, Pakistan
14
M
L
= 0
L
L
= 25ft
I
L
= 0.5I
P
L
= 0
w
L
= 3k/ft
k
L
= 0
M
C
= M
B
L
R
= 20ft
I
R
= I
P
R
= 15k
w
R
= 0
k
R
= 0.25
M
R
= 0

Data
Department of Civil Engineering
University of Engineering and
Technology, Taxila, Pakistan
15
Substituting the values in equation 2,
( )
f t k M
I I I I
M
B
B
. 5 . 177
0
5 . 0 * 4
25 * 3
25 . 0 25 . 0
20 * 15
0 0
20
5 . 0
25
2 0
3
3
2
=
= +
|
.
|

\
|
+ +

Department of Civil Engineering
University of Engineering and
Technology, Taxila, Pakistan
16
For span AB:
k V
V
F
k A
A
M
A F
BL
BL
y
y
y
B
x x
6 . 44
0 75 4 . 30
; 0
4 . 30
0 ) 5 . 12 ( 75 5 . 177 ) 25 (
; 0
0 ; 0
=
= +
=
=
= +
=
= =

75 k
A B
12.5 12.5
V
BL
177.5k.ft
A
y
Department of Civil Engineering
University of Engineering and
Technology, Taxila, Pakistan
17
For span BC:
k V
V
F
k C
C
M
BR
BR
y
y
y
B
6 . 12
0 15 38 . 2
; 0
38 . 2
0 ) 15 ( 15 5 . 177 ) 20 (
; 0
=
= +
=
=
= + +
=

15 k
B C
15 ft 5 ft
V
BR
177.5k.ft
C
y
Department of Civil Engineering
University of Engineering and
Technology, Taxila, Pakistan
18
A free body diagram of the differential
segment of the beam that passes over roller
at B is shown in figure.
k B
B
F
y
y
y
2 . 57
0 6 . 12 6 . 44
0
=
=
=

B
y
44.6 k

12.6 k

177.5k.ft 177.5k.ft
Department of Civil Engineering
University of Engineering and
Technology, Taxila, Pakistan
19
Practice Problems:
Chapter 9
Example 9-11 to 9-13 and Exercise
Structural Analysis by R C Hibbeler
Department of Civil Engineering
University of Engineering and
Technology, Taxila, Pakistan
20