Calculating Beam Deflection with Different Materials Using PL/AE

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To calculate the deflection of a beam made of steel with a brass shell using PL/AE, it's important to recognize that both materials will deflect together under load. The steel, having a higher modulus of elasticity (E), will carry a larger portion of the load, but the brass shell will still influence the overall deflection. An average of the E values is not appropriate; instead, the deflection should be calculated based on the contribution of each material to the total load. The dimensions of the beam and the uniform force applied at the end are also crucial for accurate calculations. Understanding how the load is distributed between the two materials will guide the correct approach to solving the problem.
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I'm supposed to find the deflection of a beam. It's steel with a brass shell, so they have different values for E. How do I do this problem using PL/AE.

Intuitively I think I should take the average, but I have no idea if that's right or not.

Thanks.

I should probably give some more information:
the steel part is 1m x 1m and the shell is 1/4 m on all sides, so the total area of the beam is 1.5m x 1.5m. The force is applied evenly on the end of the beam.

I thought maybe I should just use PL/AE for the material with the higher E value - steel - but the brass shell would have to have some effect on the deflection.
 
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glid02 said:
I'm supposed to find the deflection of a beam. It's steel with a brass shell, so they have different values for E. How do I do this problem using PL/AE.

Intuitively I think I should take the average, but I have no idea if that's right or not.

Thanks.

I should probably give some more information:
the steel part is 1m x 1m and the shell is 1/4 m on all sides, so the total area of the beam is 1.5m x 1.5m. The force is applied evenly on the end of the beam.

I thought maybe I should just use PL/AE for the material with the higher E value - steel - but the brass shell would have to have some effect on the deflection.
When the beam is subject to the axial load P, part of that load is carried by the steel, and the other part by the brass. Both the brass and steel must deflect together by the same amount. Does that give you a hint as to how to proceed?
 
Yeah, that helps. I'll give it a shot and you'll hear back from me if I still can't get the right answer.

Thanks.
 

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