EngiRef / Civil Engineering Formula
Simply Supported Beam Deflection
Simply Supported Beam Deflection: Maximum deflection at center of simply supported beam. A Beams formula in civil engineering. Variables δₘₐₓ, F, L, E and I…
Beams
Specification
- Name
- Simply Supported Beam Deflection
- Discipline
- civil
- Category
- Beams
- LaTeX
- \delta_{max} = \frac{FL^3}{48EI}
- Description
- Maximum deflection at center of simply supported beam
- Conditions
- Point load at center; small deflection, linear elastic, prismatic beam
- Can solve for
- δₘₐₓ, F, L, E, I
- Tags
- beam, simply supported, deflection, center load
Variables
| Symbol | Name | Unit | Si Unit | Imperial Unit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| δₘₐₓ | Max Deflection | m | m | in |
| F | Force | N | N | lbf |
| L | Span | m | m | ft |
| E | Elastic Modulus | Pa | Pa | psi |
| I | Moment of Inertia | m⁴ | m⁴ | in⁴ |
Common questions
- What is the Simply Supported Beam Deflection formula?
- Maximum deflection at center of simply supported beam. It sits under Beams, Civil engineering in the EngiRef reference.
- What do the symbols in the Simply Supported Beam Deflection formula mean?
- In Simply Supported Beam Deflection, δₘₐₓ is max deflection in m; F is force in N; L is span in m; E is elastic modulus in Pa; I is moment of inertia in m⁴.
- When does the Simply Supported Beam Deflection formula apply?
- Simply Supported Beam Deflection holds under this condition: Point load at center; small deflection, linear elastic, prismatic beam.