BAA2113

THEORY OF STRUCTURE

CHAPTER 4

THREE PINNED ARCH

Learning outcomes.
At the end of the lesson, student should be able to:
 Explain the function of arch

 Describe the function of arch

 Determine the reaction at support for three arch

structure
 Determine the internal forces at any point at arch

structure
 Draw shear force, axial force and bending
moment diagram
What is the arch ?
 crown

hinge

Springingline
 FUNCTIONS OF ARCH
 Arches have been used for a very long time to span
large distance i.e bridges/building to carry
transverse loading efficiently.
 Arch carries most of the load axially with bending
moment greatly reduced due to the curvature of the
arch
TYPES OF ARCH
Due to support system

(a) Two-hinge arch

(a) Fixed arch

(a) Three-hinge arch

(a) Tied arch
TYPES OF ARCH

Due to its shape

(a) parabolic arch (a) Triangular arch

Equation of parabolic arch
y

C (L/2,h)
P (x,y)
h= height of
the arch

x
A (0,0) B (L,0)
L
 y yc=h h

L/2 L/2

x
L

y= kx ( L- x ) …………Parabolic equation

When x = L/2 , y = yc sub into enq.

yc=k (L/2) ( L- L/2 ) = kL2/4

Therefore k= 4yc/L2 = 4h/L2 then sub into eqn.

y= (4yc/L2 ) ( Lx- x2 )

y= (4h/L2 )( Lx- x2)

simplify y= (4h/L2 )x ( L- x )
At any point of the arch (parabolic)
dy
Slope 
dx
4hx
but y  2 ( L  x)
L
4hxL 4hx 2
 2  2
L L
4hx 4hx 2
  2
L L
dy 4h 2(4h) x
Slope   
dx L L2
4h 8hx
  2
L L
4h
 2 ( L  2 x)
L

Where,   tan -1 slope

Example 1
 Calculate the reaction at support A and B as
shown in figure below.
150kN
140kN
130kN C

8m

A B

5m 5m 5m 5m 20m
 150kN
Solution… 140kN
C
130kN

Draw FBD
8m

HA A B HB

VA 5m 5m 5m 5m 20m VB

Consider t he whole structure

M A 0
130(5)  140(10)  150(15)  VB (40)  0
VB  107.5kN

F y 0
VA  130  140  150  107.5  0
VA  312.5kN
Now, consider segment CB
C

HB

107.5 kN

M C 0
107.5(20)  H B (8)  0
H B  268.75kN
Hence, H A  268.75kN
The axial force, N shear force, Q and bending moment,
M in the arch rib

 Shear force must be parallel to the cross section

surface, whilst the axial force must be perpendicular
to the shear force. The positive were shown in figure
below.

M M
N N

Q Q

Left hand side Right hand side

 Example 2
 Determine the internal forces at the points D and
E in the three hinge parabolic arch as shown in
figure below.
16 kN/m

C
D E

2.5 m

A B

2.5 m 2.5 m 3m 2m
Solution…
Apply equation of equilibrium, consider the whole
structure then taking moment about A and B.

VA  60kN, VB  20kN
Consider RHS or LHS, take moment about C is equal
to zero

H  40kN
 Consider segment CD
40 kN 4hx
yD  ( L  x)
θ L2
N 4(2.5)( 2.5)
D
 (10  2.5)
θ 10 2
 1.875m
Q
4h
40 kN
θ Slope  2 ( L  2 x)
A L
4(2.5)
θ  (10  2(2.5))
10 2
60 kN  0.5

  tan 1 (0.5)
 26.57 o
Resolving in Q direction
Q  40 sin( 26.57)  60 cos( 26.57)  40 cos( 26.57)  0
Q  0.003kN
 Consider segment CD

40 kN 4hx
yD  ( L  x)
θ L2
N 4(2.5)( 2.5)
D
 (10  2.5)
θ 10 2
 1.875m
Q
4h
40 kN
θ Slope  2 ( L  2 x)
A L
4(2.5)
θ  (10  2(2.5))
10 2
60 kN  0.5

  tan 1 (0.5)
 26.57 o
Resolving in N direction
N  40 cos( 26.57)  60 sin( 26.57)  40 sin( 26.57)  0
N  44.72kN
 Consider segment CD
40 kN 4hx
yD  ( L  x)
θ L2
N 4(2.5)( 2.5)
D
 (10  2.5)
θ 10 2
 1.875m
Q
4h
40 kN
θ Slope  2 ( L  2 x)
A L
4(2.5)
θ  (10  2(2.5))
10 2
60 kN  0.5
  tan 1 (0.5)
 26.57 o
Bending moment
M D 0
2.5
 M D  40( )  60(2.5)  40(1.875)  0
2
M D  25kNm
Example 3
 Determine the bending moment at 25 m from
the right hand support B and axial and shear
force at point D and E.
10 kN/m

8 kN 20 m
10 m 10 m
C
5 kN
D 15 m E

HA A B HB

30 m 30 m
VA VB
Solution…
 Calculate YE
4(15)(10)
yE  2
(60  10)
60
 8.33m

• Consider whole structure

M A 0
 VB (60)  8(10)  10(20)(10  20)  5(8.33)  0
VB  100.64kN

F y 0
VA  100.64  8  10(20)  0
VA  107.36kN
 Consider RHS of the arch, taking moment at C is equal to
zero.
10 kN/m

5 kN
15 m
8.33 m
HB
10 m 10 m 10 m

100.64 kN
M C 0
 100.64(30)  10(10)(5)  5(15  8.33)  H B (15)  0
H B  165.72kN

F x 0
H A  165.72  5  0
H A  170.72kN
 Calculate the bending moment at 25 m from support , say
point F 10 kN/m

MF
5 kN
yF
8.33 m
165.72 kN
5m 10 m 10 m

100.64 kN
4(15)( 25)
yF  2
(60  25)
60
 14.58m

M F 0
M F  100.64(25)  165.72(14.58)
 5(14.58  8.33)  10(5)( 2.5)  0
M F  56.45kNm
  At point D (with point load)

8 kN Resolving in Q direction
Q  170.72 sin( 33.67)  107.36 cos(33.67)
N
 8 cos(33.67)  0
Q  12.03kN
Q

170.72 kN 8.33 m
Resolving in N direction
10 m
N  170.72 cos(33.67)  107.36 sin( 33.67)
 8 sin( 33.67)  0
107.36 kN N  197.16kN
  At point F (with point load)

Resolving in Q direction
N
5 kN Q  100.64 cos(33.67)  165.72 sin( 33.67)
 5 sin( 33.67)  0
Q
Q  10.96kN
8.33 m 165.72 kN

Resolving in N direction
10 m
N  100.64 sin( 33.67)  165.72 cos(33.67)
 5 cos(33.67)  0
100.64 kN
N  197.87 kN
Example 4
Determine the reactions at supports and bending moment
under the load
5m 10 m
80kN 100kN

16 m

B
10 m
30 m
Solution…
l1 r
 1
l2 r2
20 r
 1
40 16
 r1  4m y A  16  4  12m

Or…
4hx
yA  ( L  x)
L2
4(16)(10)
yA  (40  10)
40 2
y A  12m
 Consider the whole structure. Taking moment at A is equal
zero

M A 0
80(5)  100(20)  VB (30)  H B (12)  0
30VB  12 H B  2400 ......................... (i )

• Consider RHS, taking moment at C is equal to zero

M C 0
100(10)  VB (20)  H B (16)  0
20VB  16 H B  1000 .......................(ii )
 Resolving by using calculator
VB  110kN
H B  75kN

• Apply static equation

F y 0
VA  110  80  100  0
VA  70kN

F x 0
H A  H B  75kN
 Consider LHS, taking moment under load 80kN

80 kN 4hx
y80  2 ( L  x)
M80 L
4(16)(15)
 2
(40  15)
y80' 40
75 kN
 15m
70 kN
'
y80  15  12  3m

M 80 0
 M 80  70(5)  75(3)  0
M 80  125kNm
 Consider RHS, taking moment under load 100kN

4hx
100 kN y100  2 ( L  x)
L
M100 4(16)(10)
 2
(40  10)
40
y100
75 kN  12m

110 kN

M 100 0
M 100  75(12)  110(10)  0
M 100  200kNm
Example 5
 Draw shear force, bending moment and axial force
diagram for the parabolic arch shown in figure below.

100 kN
C
E
D

A B

25 m 25 m 25 m 25 m
Solution…

Summary
Bending
Axial Force, N Shear Force, Q
Point Moment
(kN) (kN)
(kNm)
A 106.32 21.1 0
97.262 47.63
(without load) (without load)
D 937.5
66.79 -47.6
(With load) (With load)
C 78.125 -25 0
E 82.207 -0.006 -312.5
B 79.278 21.06 0
106.32
97.262
78.125 82.027
79.278

66.79

A D C E B

AFD
 47.63

21.1 21.06

A D C E B
-0.006

-25

-47.6

SFD
 -312.5

Hogging

A D C E B

Sagging

937.5

BMD