Concentrated & Distributed Loads
Important Terms
• In Structural Analysis, the Load Centroid refers to the Geometric
Center of a Distributed Load
• It is crucial for determining the Equivalent Point Load's Location
and Magnitude
• Distributed Load - Load that is Spread over an Area or Length,
rather than acting at a Single Point
• Centroid - Geometric Center of a Shape or Area
• Equivalent Point Load - A Single Point Force that has the same
effect as the Distributed Load
Concentrated Load or Point Load
• Load acting on a small elemental area
• In practice, a load cannot be assumed to act on a single point just like
a contact made by a sharp needle.
• However, when a load is transferred through a roller or a sphere on to
the beam the contact will be through a point. In all other cases, the
load is presumed to act on a small restricted area of the beam. In
general, the concentrated loads are vertical. In certain cases it can be
inclined, horizontal and act below the beam
•
Concentrated Load or Point Load
Concentrated Load or Point Load
Point Load is a force that is applied to a concentrated point on the support.
A person standing at the free end of a diving board
Distributed Loading
• On Engineering Structures forces act on structures are of two
types
• Concentrated Forces or Distributed Forces
• Concentrated force acts at a Single Point
• Car Tire pressing on a Bridge or on a Road
• Person standing on a Beam
• Distributed Force is Spread over a Length, Area, or Volume rather
than acting at a Single Point.
Distributed Loading
Distributed Loading
• A beam supporting a brick wall experiences a uniformly
distributed load
• Hydrostatic pressure acting on a dam and increases with depth,
creating a linearly varying load
• Bridge beams supporting the weight of vehicles
• Roof beams carrying the weight of snow
• Wind force acting on tall buildings
Real-Life Examples of Distributed Loads
Structure Type of Distributed Load
Self-weight, Vehicle Load, Wind Load, Seismic
Bridge
Load
Self-weight, Load from Occupants and Furniture,
Building
Wind Pressure
Distributed Loading
Uniform Distributed Load is a Force that is applied evenly over the
distance of a support. For a Minimum Deflection possible, the Load is
Distributed over the Entire Length of the support
[Link]
Distributed Load
Case of Buildings
• In Structural Engineering, one of the key Applications of a
Distributed Load is designing and validating the Strength and
Stability of Infrastructure Elements such as Bridges, Buildings,
and Cranes
• Engineers consider Distribution of Loads such as the Structure's
Self-weight, the Weight of the Occupants, Furniture, Wind
Pressure, and more
• Accumulated Weight acting on the Floors, Walls, and Beams is
duly considered in the Design Process
Difference Between Concentrated
and Distributed Forces
Aspect Concentrated Force Distributed Load
Spread over a
Definition Acts at a single point
length/area
Unit Newtons (N) or kN N/m, N/m², or N/m³
Example A person standing on a plank Snow load on a roof
Concentrated Load - Person Standing on a Plank
Introduction to Structural Loads
• A point load is a concentrated load
that is applied to a single point or
small area of a structure.
• Such a Load Is Often Modeled as a
Single Force Vector acting on the
Structure
• Point Load can be caused by a variety
of factors such as a heavy object or a
person standing in one spot
• Distributed Load" and “Distributed
Force" are essentially the same
Concept in Engineering, referring to
the Spread over a Surface or Volume
Distributed Load
• Hydrostatic Pressure exerted by
Water against a Dam acts as a
Distributed Load
• Uniformly Varying Load
• Increasing Linearly with Depth
from Zero at the Water Surface
to a Maximum at the Base
• Center of this Pressure acts at a
Height of H/3 from the base
Distributed Load
• Signboard Truss Design
• Supports a Horizontal Wind Load
• Analysis shows that 5/8 of this
Force is transmitted to the
Center Connection at C
• Rest of the Load is equally
divided between D and B
Distributed Load
A shelf of books with various weights
Each book represented as an individual weight
All the books represented as a distributed load
Reduction of a Simple Distributed Loading
Distributed Loadings
Sometimes, a body may be subjected to a loading that is distributed over
its surface.
• Pressure of the Wind on the Face of a Signboard
• Pressure of Water within a Tank
• Weight of Sand on the Floor of a Storage Container
• The pressure exerted at each point on the surface indicates the
Intensity of the Loading.
• Measured using Pascals Pa 𝑁/𝑚2 in SI Units or lb/ft 2 in the U.S.
Customary system
Reduction of a Simple Distributed Loading
Loading Along a Single Axis
• Most common type of
• Distributed Loading encountered in
Engineering Practice can be
represented along a Single Axis
• Example: A Beam or Plate in Figure
has a Constant Width and is
subjected to a Pressure Loading that
varies only along the x axis
• The Loading is described by the
Function that contains only one
variable 𝑥, 𝑝 = 𝑝 𝑥 𝑁/𝑚2
Reduction of a Simple
Distributed Loading
• One variable x, represent as Coplanar
Distributed Load
• To do so, we multiply the loading
function by the width b meter of the
beam and is given as,
w(x ) = p(x )b N/m
• We can replace this Coplanar Parallel
Force System with a Single
• Equivalent Resultant Force FR acting at
a specific Location on the Beam
Magnitude of Resultant Force
• Magnitude of Resultant Force FR is equivalent to the sum of all the forces
in the system 𝐹𝑅 = σ 𝐹
• Integration is performed because there is an infinite number of parallel
forces dF acting on the beam element of length dx, and w(x) is a force per
unit length then
dF = w(x) dx = dA
• Magnitude of dF is determined from the Colored Differential Area dA
under the Loading Curve. Integration is performed for the entire Length L
Location of Resultant Force
Location of Resultant Force
• Applying 𝑀𝑅𝑜 = σ 𝑀𝑜 + σ 𝑀 , the location x of the line of action of
FR can be determined by equating the moments of the Force
Resultant and Parallel Force Distribution about Point O (the y axis)
• dF produces a moment of
x dF = x w(x) dx about O,
as shown in Figure b, above then for the entire length, Figure c,
Solving for coordinate 𝑥ҧ we substitute value of 𝐹𝑅 in the above
Equation