UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, BERKELEY Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
SPRING SEMESTER 2011 Structural Engineering, Mechanics and Materials
Name: ________________________________
M.S. COMPREHENSIVE EXAMINATION
ANALYSIS
NOTE:
1. Dimensions, properties and loading are given in consistent units in all problems.
2. The following symbol indicates a roller, i.e. free horizontal translation and free rotation.
3. Note that all figures for the structural models are to scale.
4. Calculations should be shown in full detail with numerical results for all intermediate steps.
Results involving multiplication or division with a matrix larger than 2 x 2 will not receive
credit.
1
1. Problem (50% weight)
For the beam in the figure determine the vertical deflection under the applied force P at incipient
collapse. The flexural plastic capacity of the beam is M p and the flexural stiffness is EI.
L L
2
2. Problem (50% weight)
The beam in the figure is subjected to a concentrated force of 10 units. The beam has uniform
stiffness EI.
1. Determine the bending moment at the fixed end and over the middle support.
2. Draw the bending moment diagram.
3. Sketch the deformed shape of the beam under the given loading.
10
EI EI EI
10 4 6
3
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, BERKELEY Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
SPRING SEMSTER 2009 Structural engineering, Mechanics and Materials
Name: ____________________________________
COMPREHENSSIVE EXAMINATION
ANALYSIS
NOTE: Dimensions, properties and loading are given in consistent units in all problems.
Problem 1
What is the degree of static indeterminacy of the three structural models shown below?
To receive full credit provide the number of basic element forces (force unknowns) and the
corresponding number of necessary equilibrium equations.
For structure A only, what is the number of independent free global degrees of freedom (dof's),
if the elements labeled a, b, and c are assumed to be inextensible?
Structure A
Structure B
Structure C
Problem 2
The structure shown below is subjected to thermal extension strain of α ΔT = 6×10-4 in member
d. Members a and b have flexural stiffness EIa=3×105 and EIb=2×105 and negligible axial
deformations. Members c, d and e have axial stiffness EAc=1×104, EAd=1.5×104, and
EAe=5×103.
a) Set up the equilibrium equation for the smallest number of free degrees of freedom
possible.
b) Solve for the internal forces in all members.
c) Determine the vertical displacement at node 4.
10
20 20
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, BERKELEY Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
SPRING SEMESTER 2008 Structural Engineering, Mechanics and Materials
Name: ________________________________
M.S. COMPREHENSIVE EXAMINATION
ANALYSIS
NOTE: Dimensions, properties and loading are given in consistent units in the problem.
Problem
A computer analysis of the structural model in the figure under the given loading gives the
following values for the basic forces of primary interest, i.e. the end moments of elements a
through c and the axial force in element d:
Q T = ( 87.947 54.824 −54.824 22.844 −22.844 15.497 ) . Note that the end moments are
numbered in sequence starting from the fixed end of element a. The axial force is listed last.
1. Determine the axial forces in elements a through c.
2. Draw the bending moment diagram.
3. Determine the support reactions and check global equilibrium.
4. Use the principle of virtual displacements to confirm the value of the horizontal support
reaction at nodes 1 and 4 without the knowledge of the axial forces in elements a through c.
5. Draw the deformed shape of the structural model under the given loading. Assume that
elements a through c are inextensible and prismatic with flexural stiffness EI.
30
4
3
c
b d 6
1 a 2
8 8