Reactions of a Simply Supported Beam

Description This product allows student to explore the behaviour of reaction forces on beam with supports. Two ‘simply
supported’ supports are attached to load cells so that a precise measure of reactional force can be measure
for a loading parameter.
The load cell output in connected to the LCD displays and the USB interference for data acquisition, for further
experimental analysis.
The beam has a measure indicator for accurate distance measured between supports, while both support
blocks can slide along the rail for exploring the behaviour of varying length.
The beam has incremental pins for hanging weights on at different places to create different point loads and
can balance the weights on top to create uniformly distributed loads. Overhanging point loads can be achieved
too to create negative reaction forces to show direction of forces. This allows student to explore reactional
forces that are positive and negative and the principle of superposition.

Learning objectives / experiments:
• Reactions due to point loads
• Reactions due to UDL’s
• Reactions due to overhangs
• Reactional force change due to
varying distance between supports.