Flexural behaviour of beams resting on elastic media

Abstract

This thesis is concerned vith the analysis of beams resting on elastically deformab1e media. In particular, the analytical studies are restricted to the treatment of infinite and finite beams subjected to concentrated and distributed loadings. Integral expressions are derived for the plane strain and three dimensional problems of the infinite beam resting on an isotropic homogeneous and non-homogeneous (plane strain) media. The solution to the problem of the finite beam is obtained by using the solution developed for the infinite beam together with a superposition technique. The numerical values of the integral expressions are tabulated for the finite and infinite beam. The results of contact force distribution, obtained from the superpositon technique, are then compared with the results obtained from Barden's and Ohde's approximate solutions.The influence of the length to width ratio of a beam, subjected to a central concentrated load, on contact force distribution is also investigated. Laboratory model tests have been conducted on finite beams of different flexibility which rest on a granular subgrade. These tests have been carried out under both two dimensional pJane strain, and three dimensional conditions. These experimental results are compared with the theoretical analyses which assume hoth Winkler and elastic continum behaviour of the granular medium.