Simple beam deflection is the bending or deformation of a beam when a load is applied to its center. This occurs due to the force of the load causing the beam to bend, with the amount of deflection depending on the properties of the beam and the magnitude of the load.
The formula for calculating simple beam deflection is: Δ = (5 * W * L^4) / (384 * E * I), where Δ is the deflection, W is the load, L is the length of the beam, E is the modulus of elasticity, and I is the moment of inertia of the beam.
The magnitude of the load directly affects the deflection of a simple beam. The greater the load, the greater the deflection will be. This is because a larger load causes a greater force on the beam, resulting in more bending and deformation.
There are a few assumptions made in simple beam deflection calculations, including: the beam is made of a homogeneous material, the load is applied at the center of the beam, the beam is initially straight and has a constant cross-sectional area, and the beam is only subjected to pure bending and not any other external forces.
The position of the load on a simple beam can greatly affect the deflection. Placing the load closer to the support of the beam will result in less deflection compared to placing it closer to the center of the beam. This is because the closer the load is to the support, the less leverage it has to cause bending in the beam.