Are Displacement and Deflection the Same in Beam Analysis?

Join the discussion
Ask a follow-up here, or get your own question answered by working scientists, mathematicians and engineers — people, not an autocomplete.
Real named experts · corrections over time · the nuance an AI answer skips
2 replies · 3K views
EngineeringDave
Messages
9
Reaction score
0
Hi I am tackling a question which combines Beam deflection with Bending Virtual Load.
I am wondering whether the displacement found at a point through complementary energy (virtual load) is the same an the deflection through beam integration at that same point?

It maybe a stupid question but I'm struggling to tell the difference!
 
Engineering news on Phys.org
Sorry just to clarify when I said displacement I mean the transverse displacement (usual symbol is v).
 
EngineeringDave said:
Hi I am tackling a question which combines Beam deflection with Bending Virtual Load.
I am wondering whether the displacement found at a point through complementary energy (virtual load) is the same an the deflection through beam integration at that same point?

It maybe a stupid question but I'm struggling to tell the difference!

If the two deflections aren't equal, then there is a problem somewhere. You can always analyze a simple problem from a beam table (like a cantilever, for instance) using the two methods to check.