Calculating Moment of a Beam | PSU Professional Portfolio

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SUMMARY

The discussion focuses on calculating the moment of a beam using the formula Mu = w L^2 / 8, where w is the load in lb/ft and L is the span in feet. Given w = 1000 lb/ft and L = 20 feet, the calculated moment Mu is 50,000 lb-ft. The user encounters discrepancies in unit conversions between lb-ft and kN-m, specifically converting 65.65 kN-m to lb-ft, resulting in 48,424 lb-ft, which does not match the initial calculation. Additionally, the conversation touches on the significance of beam deflection, particularly in spans between 6 and 7 meters, and the importance of determining the Moment of Inertia for accurate deflection calculations.

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  • Understanding of beam mechanics and moment calculations
  • Familiarity with unit conversions between lb-ft and kN-m
  • Knowledge of deflection theory in structural engineering
  • Experience with online calculators for structural analysis
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  • Research the calculation of Moment of Inertia for different beam shapes
  • Learn about the significance of beam deflection limits in construction
  • Explore advanced unit conversion techniques for engineering applications
  • Investigate the use of online calculators for structural analysis and deflection
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Civil engineers, structural engineers, and students studying beam mechanics and structural analysis will benefit from this discussion, particularly those focused on moment calculations and deflection in beams.

rodsika
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http://www.personal.psu.edu/kar5230/blogs/kyles_professional_portfolio/How%20to%20Design%20a%20Singly%20Reinforced%20Concrete%20Beam.pdf

I'm stuck with a formula above. It says that to calculate for Moment of a beam... use the formula

Mu= w L^2 / 8

now given w = 1000 lb/ft, L=20 feet... then Mu= w L^2/8 = 1000(20)^2/8 = 50,000 lb-ft
(although it's written as 500,000 lb-ft in the site.. i think it's wrong?)

Anyway. my question is.. i have spent half a day doing conversion from lb-ft to KiloNewton-meter and I can't seem to get it right.

I found out the following formula for converting between the two units:

1 kN - m = 737.56 ft-lb
1 kN/m = 68.52 lb/ft

Now in the above example given w = 1000 lb/ft, L=20 feet

1000 lb/ft = (14.59 kn/m x 6^2) / 2 = 525 kn-m/8 = 65.65 Kn-m

Now converting Kn-m to ft-lb...

65.65 KN-m x 737.56 ft-lbs / 1 KN-m = 48424 ft-lb or (lb-ft I assume this is the same).

Now why can't it be equal to the 50,000 lb-ft in earlier calculation??
 
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20 feet = 6.096 meters, not 6.
 
AlephZero said:
20 feet = 6.096 meters, not 6.

Thanks. I have spent a day trying to find out even going to this particular Theorem in math which says some equations just can't be solved. So 0.1 is significant.. :)
 
I'm trying to determine the deflection of the above beam. An engineer told me that deflections of beams from 6 meter to 7 meter is non-linear and high that is why many in constructions limit beam span to 6 meters for economy. What do you think of this. Anyway. Let's prove it by formula/calculations. On the following page is online calculator to solve for deflection.

http://civilengineer.webinfolist.com/str/sdcalcuf.php

Supposed span of beam is 6 meters, w of beam is 4.23 Kn/m, distance of deflection measured is at middle, Modulus of Elasticity is 57000x sqrt (fc=21) or 261206, what is the formula or how do you determine the Moment of Inertia so I can input it to the online calculator above, thanks?
 

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