Influence Line for

Determinate Structure
By: Francis Verbo
Images from Google
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Since the Load is moving and travels across the structure

VARIES DEPENDING ON THE

LOCATION OF THE UNIT LOAD

These forces behavior can easily understood as the unit passes

across the structure by using
 are diagrams that
represent the variation of functions
(reaction, shear, moment) at a specific
point as a concentrated load moves over
the span of the member.
 A method that involves the use of the static equilibrium
equations to solve for the reaction, internal shear and bending
moment as the moving unit load traverses the beam positioned at
different points within the span.

A method that uses the deflected diagrams of beams after

removing the constraints and letting the body behave as a rigid body
obeying the constraints of remaining supports
The graphical method of constructing influence lines,
termed as qualitative influence lines, are coined by
Heinrich Muller Breslau

“The influence line of any function (Reaction, Shear or Moment)

in a structure is the same as the deflected shape of the member
when the resistance is removed and replaced with a
corresponding unit displacement or rotation.”
 1. Identify the function that you want to
draw an influence line for.

2. Remove the resistance related to that

function.

3. Apply a unit displacement or rotation at that

point and draw the deflected shape of the
member.
1. For the simply supported beam shown, draw the influence line for:

A) Reaction at A.
B) Reaction at C.
C) Internal Shear (Shear) at B.
D) Internal Bending Moment (Moment) at B.

A B C

1m 1m 1m
 A B C

Ay

STEP 1 STEP 2 STEP 3

Remove the Apply unit Draw the
support restraint deflection at Deflected
corresponding that point. Shape of the
to Ay.
(TANGAL SUPPORT)
beam
1 B
Ay
C

STEP 1 STEP 2 STEP 3

Remove the Apply unit Draw the
support restraint deflection at Deflected
corresponding that point.
Influence Line Diagram
to Ay. for Reaction at Shape
A of the
(TANGAL SUPPORT)
beam
 A B C

Cy

STEP 1 STEP 2
Remove the Apply unit
support restraint deflection at
corresponding then point
to Cy.
(TANGAL SUPPORT)
 C
B
1
Cy
A

STEP 1 STEP 2 STEP 3

Remove the Apply unit Draw the
support restraint deflection at Deflected
corresponding then point
Influence Line Diagram
to Cy. for Reaction at Shape
C of the
(TANGAL SUPPORT)
beam
A B C
 v
B
A C

STEP 1 STEP 2 STEP 3

Apply
Remove the Draw the
restraint equivalent
positive shear Deflected
corresponding
to Shear at B. forces sa Shape of the
(Roller Method) putol. beam
 A C
vv

STEP 1 STEP 2 STEP 3

Apply
Remove the Draw the
restraint equivalent
Deflected
corresponding positive shear
Shape of the
to Shear at B. forces sa
beam
(Putol Method) putol.
Influence Line Diagram for Shear at B
 A B C
+M

Internal Hinge

STEP 1 STEP 2
Remove the Apply
restraint equivalent
corresponding positive
to Mb or change
Moment at left
B to internal
hinge.
and right
segment of B.
 Internal Hinge

A B C

ab
STEP 1 STEP 2 L
Remove the Apply STEP 3
restraint equivalent
corresponding Draw the
positive Deflected
to Mb or change Moment at left
B to internal
Influence Line Diagram
and for Moment at BShape of the
right
hinge. beam
segment of B.
Solving for Values of Functions Using Influence Lines
A. Concentrated Load
Since the ordinates of the function of the influence line are constructed using
a moving unit load, the value of a function concerning a concentrated load is
multiplying the ordinate of the influence diagram at the point where you will
place the moving load by the magnitude of the load.

𝒇 𝒙 = 𝑷 (𝑶𝒓𝒅𝒊𝒏𝒂𝒕𝒆 𝒐𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑰𝑳)

1/3

-2/3
Influence Line Diagram for Shear at B
Solving for Values of Functions Using Influence Lines
B. Uniform Load
The value of a function caused by a uniform moving load is equal to the intensity
of the uniform load multiplied by the area under the influence line diagram that
the load is covering.

𝒇 𝒙 = 𝒘 (𝑨𝒓𝒆𝒂 𝑼𝒏𝒅𝒆𝒓 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑰𝑳 𝑫𝒊𝒂𝒈𝒓𝒂𝒎)

1/3

-2/3
Influence Line Diagram for Shear at B
The beam shown will carry the following loads,

Uniform Live Load = 2 kN/m

Concentrated Load = 5 kN
Dead Load = 4 kN/m

A B C D E

2m 2m 3m 1m

a. Determine the maximum shear at C.

b. Determine the maximum positive moment at C.
 v

A B C D E

2m 2m v 3m 1m

STEP 1 STEP 2
Apply STEP 3
Remove the
restraint equivalent Draw the
corresponding positive shear Deflected
to Shear at C. forces in Shape of the
(Roller Method) roller. beam
 C
A
v
B D E

2m 2m v 3m 1m

STEP 1 STEP 2
Apply
Remove the
restraint equivalent
corresponding positive shear
to Shear at C. forces in
(Roller Method) roller.
 C
A
v
B D
E
v

2m 2m 3m 1m
𝑏/𝐿
3/5
STEP 1 STEP 2 STEP 3
Remove the 𝑎Apply
equivalent Draw the
restraint 𝑏 Deflected
corresponding positive shear
forces Shape of the
to Shear at C. −𝑎/𝐿in beam
(Roller Method) roller.
−2/5

Influence Line Diagram for Shear at C

Uniform Live Load = 2 kN/m
Concentrated Load = 5 kN
Dead Load = 4 kN/m A B C D E
a. Determine the maximum
shear at C.

2m 2m 3m 1m

3/5

𝑎
𝑏

−2/5

Influence Line Diagram for Shear at C

 Internal Hinge
A B C D E

+M

2m 2m 3m 1m
 Internal Hinge

A B C D E

+M

2m 2m 3m 1m

Influence Line Diagram for Moment at C

Uniform Live Load = 2 kN/m
Concentrated Load = 5 kN
Dead Load = 4 kN/m
a. Determine the maximum
positive moment at C.

A B C D E

2m 2m 3m 1m

Influence Line Diagram for Moment at C

A B C
.

1m 3m

For the beam shown, draw the influence line for:

A) Reaction at A.
C) Internal Shear (Shear) at B.
D) Internal Bending Moment (Moment) at B.
Reaction at A.

A B C
.

1m 3m
 A B C
Reaction at A. .

1m 3m

Influence Line Diagram for Reaction at A

Shear at B.

A B C
.

1m 3m
Shear at B.

A B 1 C
.

1m 3m

Influence Line Diagram for Shear at B

Moment at B.

A B C
.
+M

Internal Hinge

1m 3m
Moment at B.

A B C

1m 3m

Influence Line Diagram for Shear at B

 A B C D E F

Ay
A B C
D
E
F

Influence Line Diagram for Reaction at A

A B C D E F

Ey
 F
E
D
A B C
Ey

Influence Line Diagram for Reaction at B

 v
A B C D E F

v
 B C
v D
A E
v
b
F

b
/L

Influence Line Diagram for Shear at B

A B C D E F

+M
 +M

A B C D E F

ab
L

Influence Line Diagram for Moment at D