CE 315

Structural Theory
Prepared by:
Engr. Aldous Neil Jocson
Civil Engineer
 Three Moment Equation

Week 14
 Intended Learning Outcome:
1. To apply the three-moment equation to analyze continuous beams.
2. To demonstrate proficiency in deriving and solving the equation to determine
the moments at supports and the resulting deflections.
3. To use the three-moment equation to assess the structural behavior under
various loading conditions, ensuring accuracy in practical engineering
applications.
 Three Moment Equation
• First developed by Clapeyron who published it in 1857
• Provides a convenient tool for analyzing continuous beams
• The three-moment equation gives us the relation of the moments between any
three points in a beam and their relative vertical distances or deviations. This
method is widely used in finding the reactions in a continuous beam.

𝑴𝟏
𝑳𝟏
𝑬𝟏 𝑰 𝟏 (
+𝟐 𝑴 𝟐
𝑳𝟏
+
𝑳𝟐
𝑬𝟏 𝑰 𝟏 𝑬𝟐 𝑰 𝟐)+𝑴𝟑
𝑳𝟐
+
𝟔 𝑨𝟏 𝒂
+
𝟔 𝑨𝟐 𝒃
𝑬 𝟐 𝑰 𝟐 𝑬 𝟏 𝑰 𝟏 𝑳𝟏 𝑬 𝟐 𝑰 𝟐 𝑳𝟐 (
=𝟔
𝒉𝟏 𝒉𝟐
)
+𝑬𝒒 . 𝟏
𝑳𝟏 𝑳𝟐
 Three Moment Equation
Consider three points on the beam loaded as shown.

𝑡 3/ 2
𝑡1 / 2

𝒉𝟏 −𝒕 𝟏/𝟐 𝒕 𝟑 /𝟐 −𝒉𝟐
=
𝑳𝟏 𝑳𝟐 𝒕𝟏 𝒕𝟑
𝒉𝟏 𝒉𝟐
𝒕𝟏 𝒕𝟑 𝟐
+ 𝟐
= +
𝒉𝟏 𝒉 𝑳𝟏 𝑳𝟐 𝑳 𝟏 𝑳𝟐
− 𝟐= 𝟐− 𝟐
𝑳𝟏 𝑳𝟏 𝑳𝟐 𝑳 𝟐
 Three Moment Equation

𝟏 𝟏
𝒕 𝟏 /𝟐= ( 𝑨𝒓𝒆𝒂𝟏 −𝟐 ) . 𝒙𝟏 𝒕 𝟑 /𝟐=
𝑬𝟐 𝑰𝟐
( 𝑨𝒓𝒆𝒂𝟐 −𝟑 ) . 𝒙𝟑
𝑬𝟏 𝑰𝟏

𝒕 𝟏 /𝟐=
𝟏 𝟏 𝟏
( )
𝟏
( 𝑳𝟏 𝑴 𝟏 𝑳𝟏 + 𝑳 𝟏 𝑴 𝟐
𝑬𝟏 𝑰𝟏 𝟐 𝟑 𝟐
𝟐
( )
𝑳 + 𝑨 𝟏 𝒂𝟏 )
𝟑 𝟏
𝒕 𝟑 /𝟐=
𝟏 𝟏 𝟐
( )
𝟏
( 𝑳𝟐 𝑴 𝟐 𝑳𝟐 + 𝑳 𝟐 𝑴 𝟑
𝑬𝟐 𝑰𝟐 𝟐 𝟑 𝟐
𝟏
( )
𝑳 + 𝑨 𝟐 𝒃𝟐)
𝟑 𝟐
𝟏 𝟏 𝟐 𝟏 𝟐 𝟏 𝟏 𝟐 𝟏 𝟐
𝒕 𝟏 /𝟐= ( 𝑳𝟏 𝑴 𝟏+ 𝑳𝟏 𝑴 𝟐 + 𝑨 𝟏 𝒂𝟏 ) 𝒕 𝟑 /𝟐= ( 𝑳𝟐 𝑴 𝟐+ 𝑳𝟐 𝑴 𝟑 + 𝑨 𝟐 𝒃𝟐)
𝑬𝟏 𝑰𝟏 𝟔 𝟑 𝑬𝟐 𝑰𝟐 𝟑 𝟔
𝟏 𝟐 𝟐 𝟏 𝟐 𝟐
𝒕 𝟏 /𝟐= ( 𝑴 𝟏 𝑳𝟏 +𝟐 𝑴 𝟐 𝑳𝟏 +𝟔 𝑨𝟏 𝒂 𝟏) 𝒕 𝟑 /𝟐= ( 𝟐 𝑴 𝟐 𝑳 𝟐 + 𝑴 𝟑 𝑳𝟐 +𝟔 𝑨𝟐 𝒃𝟐 )
𝟔 𝑬𝟏 𝑰𝟏 𝟔 𝑬𝟐 𝑰𝟐
 Three Moment Equation

𝟏 𝟐 𝟐 𝟏 𝟐 𝟐
𝒕 𝟏 /𝟐= ( 𝑴 𝟏 𝑳𝟏 +𝟐 𝑴 𝟐 𝑳𝟏 +𝟔 𝑨𝟏 𝒂 𝟏) 𝒕 𝟑 /𝟐= (𝟐 𝑴 𝟐 𝑳 𝟐 + 𝑴 𝟑 𝑳𝟐 +𝟔 𝑨𝟐 𝒃𝟐 )
𝟔 𝑬𝟏 𝑰𝟏 𝟔 𝑬𝟐 𝑰𝟐

𝒕𝟏 𝒕 𝟑
𝟐 𝒉𝟏𝟐 𝒉𝟐
+ = +
𝑳𝟏 𝑳𝟐 𝑳𝟏 𝑳𝟐

)+

𝑴𝟏
𝑳𝟏
𝑬𝟏 𝑰 𝟏
+𝟐 𝑴 𝟐
(
𝑳𝟏
+
𝑳𝟐
𝑬𝟏 𝑰 𝟏 𝑬𝟐 𝑰 𝟐 )
+𝑴𝟑
𝑳𝟐
+
𝟔 𝑨𝟏 𝒂 𝟏 𝟔 𝑨 𝟐 𝒃𝟐
+
𝑬 𝟐 𝑰 𝟐 𝑬 𝟏 𝑰 𝟏 𝑳𝟏 𝑬 𝟐 𝑰 𝟐 𝑳𝟐
=𝟔
(
𝒉𝟏 𝒉𝟐
+𝑬𝒒 . 𝟏
𝑳𝟏 𝑳𝟐 )
 Three Moment Equation
𝑴𝟏
𝑳𝟏
𝑬𝟏 𝑰 𝟏
+𝟐 𝑴 𝟐
𝑳𝟏
(
+
𝑳𝟐
𝑬𝟏 𝑰 𝟏 𝑬𝟐 𝑰 𝟐
+𝑴𝟑
𝑳𝟐
)+
𝟔 𝑨𝟏 𝒂 𝟏 𝟔 𝑨 𝟐 𝒃𝟐
+
𝑬 𝟐 𝑰 𝟐 𝑬 𝟏 𝑰 𝟏 𝑳𝟏 𝑬 𝟐 𝑰 𝟐 𝑳𝟐
=𝟔
𝒉𝟏 𝒉𝟐
+𝑬𝒒 . 𝟏
𝑳𝟏 𝑳𝟐 ( )
If E is Constant

𝑴𝟏
𝑳𝟏
𝑰𝟏
+𝟐 𝑴 𝟐
𝑳 𝟏 𝑳𝟐
+
𝑰𝟏 𝑰 𝟐(+ 𝑴𝟑
𝑰𝟐
+
)
𝑳𝟐 𝟔 𝑨𝟏 𝒂 𝟏 𝟔 𝑨𝟐 𝒃𝟐
𝑰 𝟏 𝑳𝟏
+
𝑰 𝟐 𝑳𝟐
=𝟔 𝑬
𝒉𝟏 𝒉𝟐
𝑬𝒒
+
𝑳𝟏 𝑳 𝟐
.𝟐
( )
If E and I are Constant

𝑴 𝟏 𝑳𝟏 +𝟐 𝑴 𝟐 ( 𝑳𝟏 + 𝑳 𝟐 ) + 𝑴 𝟑 𝑳𝟐 +
𝟔 𝑨 𝟏 𝒂𝟏 𝟔 𝑨 𝟐 𝒃𝟐
𝑳𝟏
+
𝑳𝟐
=𝟔 𝑬𝑰
𝒉𝟏 𝒉𝟐
𝑬𝒒 . 𝟑
+
𝑳𝟏 𝑳𝟐 ( )
Also, if points 1, 2, and 3 are supports (no deflection occurs) that is h1 and h2 = 0
𝟔 𝑨 𝟏 𝒂𝟏 𝟔 𝑨 𝟐 𝒃𝟐 𝑬𝒒 . 𝟒
𝑴 𝟏 𝑳𝟏 +𝟐 𝑴 𝟐 ( 𝑳𝟏 + 𝑳 𝟐 ) + 𝑴 𝟑 𝑳𝟐 + + =𝟎
𝑳𝟏 𝑳𝟐
 Three Moment Equation

𝑴𝟏
𝑳𝟏
𝑬𝟏 𝑰 𝟏
+𝟐 𝑴 𝟐
( 𝑳𝟏
+
𝑳𝟐
𝑬𝟏 𝑰 𝟏 𝑬𝟐 𝑰 𝟐 )
+𝑴𝟑
𝑳𝟐
+
𝟔 𝑨𝟏 𝒂 𝟏 𝟔 𝑨 𝟐 𝒃𝟐
+
𝑬 𝟐 𝑰 𝟐 𝑬 𝟏 𝑰 𝟏 𝑳𝟏 𝑬 𝟐 𝑰 𝟐 𝑳𝟐
=𝟔
( )
𝒉𝟏 𝒉𝟐
+𝑬𝒒 . 𝟏
𝑳𝟏 𝑳𝟐

Where: M1, M2, M3 = respective moments at the three points considered

L1, L2 = length of each span adjacent to each other
I1, I2 = moment of inertia of each span
6Aa/L1 = Three moment factor of span 1
6Ab/L2 = Three moment factor of span 2
h1 = height of point 1 with respect to point 2
h2 = height of point 3 with respect to point 2
E1 , E2 = modulus of elasticity of the beam material in each span
Sign Conventions
 Three Moment Factors
6Aa/L and 6Ab/L
General formula applicable to all types of loading
except for concentrated moment:
 Problem 1
Calculate the 6Aa/L and 6Ab/L of the following loadings:

𝟑 𝟑 𝟑
𝟏𝟕𝟐𝟖𝟎 𝒌𝑵 .𝒎
𝟑
𝟏𝟕𝟐𝟖𝟎 𝒌𝑵 .𝒎 𝟔𝟔𝟒𝟕 .𝟐𝟕𝒌𝑵 .𝒎 𝟔𝟐𝟐𝟒 .𝟕𝟑 𝒌𝑵.𝒎

𝟑 𝟑
𝟗𝟎𝟖.𝟓𝟐𝒌𝑵 .𝒎 𝟖𝟏𝟐.𝟕𝟑𝒌𝑵 .𝒎
 Problem 2
Calculate the following for the given continuous beam. Assume constant EI
a. Moment at B, kN-m
b. Vertical reactions at A, B, and C in kN
c. Deflection under the 90 kN load using three moment equation

𝑴 𝑩 =−𝟐𝟓𝟗 .𝟐𝟖𝟔 𝒌𝑵 .𝒎, 𝑹 𝑨=𝟏𝟓𝟒 .𝟑𝟖𝟖 𝐤𝐍 , 𝑹 𝑩=𝟑𝟔𝟕.𝟒𝟔𝟗 𝐤𝐍 , 𝑹 𝑪=𝟒𝟖.𝟏𝟒𝟑 𝒌𝑵 ,𝜹𝟗𝟎 =− 𝟏𝟎𝟗𝟔.𝟑𝟐𝟗/ 𝑬𝑰

 Problem 3
Calculate the following for the given continuous beam. Assume constant EI
a. Moment at B, kN-m
b. Vertical reactions at A, B, C, and D in kN
c. Deflection midway between A and B
 Problem 4
Determine the reactions for the continuous beam shown in the by the three-
moment equation.
 Problem 5
Assuming that A is a fixed support, B is a roller support, and C is a pin. EI is
constant. Determine the following
a. Moments at point A and B.
b. Vertical reactions at A, B and C.

𝑴 𝑨=−𝟓𝟏.𝟖𝟖𝟐𝒌𝑵 .𝒎,𝑴 𝑩 =−𝟖𝟓.𝟐𝟑𝟓 𝒌𝑵 .𝒎, 𝑹 𝑨=𝟐𝟔.𝟐𝟗𝟒 𝒌𝑵 , 𝑹 𝑩=𝟏𝟏𝟕 .𝟗𝟏𝟐 𝐤𝐍 , 𝑹𝑪 =𝟐𝟓.𝟕𝟗𝟒𝒌𝑵

Thank you!
End of Week 14
 Reminder
Quiz 5 Next Meeting!!
Coverage:
• Deflections
• Reactions
• Shear and Moment Diagram
 References:
• Hibbeler, R.C. (2020). Structural Analysis in SI Units (10th Edition).Harlow,
United Kingdom : Pearson Education Inc.
• Kassimali, Aslam (2020). Structural Analysis. 6 th ed. Boston, Massachusetts:
Cengage Learning