Reaction Forces on a Structure with a Moveable Load

by Zachary Keller

Submitted : Spring 2010

In this problem I analyzed a real life problem dealing with reaction forces across a structure. The problem was provided with a force diagram and the two equations for the reaction forces for the structure given in the form of integrals. The goals of the project was to see how far a movable load could be displaced before the structure would no longer be static and begin to tip. The equations provide contained two unknown variables, so the first step was to step up an equation using these variables and then eliminate one of the two. The first unknown was the reaction force at point B of the structure. This was solved by dividing the equation into three separate parts and taking the integral of them, because the reaction force at point A was known to be 0. The reaction force at point B was then found to be 8550N/m. with one of the unknowns solved for it could then be paced into a separate integral in the problem to solve for the distance that the moveable load could be displaced (a). This distance was found to be 1537/48m or approximately 32.02083m.

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