Understanding Beam Deflection: Theory, History, and Formulas Explained

[mlog]

Hey guys so I've been looking everywhere on the internet, and i can't find any theory and history on beam deflection. I understand the formulas and all but what is the theory behind it, who discovered the first rational answer to explain things etc..

Please Help

 

[AlephZero]

Galileo probably made the first recorded attempt at a theory of beams, but he got it wrong (he assumed the shear stress was constant across the cross section of the beam, which isn't correct).

Euler formulated what is usually called "engineer's beam theory" (curvature is proportional to bending moment, etc), and Timoshenko added some refinements to it in about 1920 - hence the name "Euler-Timoshenko beam theory"