Cantilevered Beam Deflection Problem

[MOUT]

I've got a cantilevered beam that has a bending moment on the free end and a downward load in the beam section. I have equations for the deflection for bending only and equations for loads only. To get a total deflection can I just add the two?

 

[rb1957]

yes, it's called superposition.

you can (should be able to ?) derive your own equations for the combined loads.

 

[MiketheEngineer]

Yep - rb is correct. Make sure you add them together with the correct conventions or you might get too much or too little deflection.

 

[msquared48]

If the downward load is anywhere along the beam but at the end, you will need to use the equation for the tip deflection, not the deflection at the point of the load.

Mike McCann
MMC Engineering
Motto: KISS
Motivation: Don't ask

 

[rb1957]

if he's got "max deflection" for the loads then he can add them ('cause for his particular problem, max deflection will be at the tip). but then this is bad practice since typically max deflections don't occur at the same point (and if all you learnt was "add the deflections" then you'll get it wrong); unless of course he's checking that the deflections he's using occur at the same point on the beam (and so can be added together).