Deflection and Stresses in Beams Subjected to Bending and Creep

Abstract

Abstract This paper presents theories for the determination of deflections and stresses in beams subjected to bending and creep. The theories are based on a creep-stress-time relation in simple tension which gives an accurate fit of most test data. The theory takes into account the variation in stress distribution in bending with time. For this purpose a time-hardening theory is used to express the stress variation or stress relaxation of each fiber in bending. A comparison between actual creep deflections for Plexiglas specimens subjected to pure bending and values predicted by the proposed theory shows good agreement between experimental and theoretical results. The creep behavior for other materials in tension indicates that this method could be used for predicting bending creep deflections for these materials. The application of the theory to the determination of deflections in various kinds of beams is also explained.