Beams are key structural elements in mechanical engineering and in construction which are subject to deformation under load. In the case of a simple beam this deformation can be predicted by various methods, such as the principle of virtual work.
The beam under investigation can be supported by different bearing methods. Two supports with clamp fixings and an articulated supports with a force gauge are provided to realize statically determinate or indeterminate systems. The two supports with clamp fixings are provided with dial gauges and can also be used as articulated supports. These dial gauges enable the angle of inclination of the beam to be determined at the support. A third dial gauge records the deflection of the beam at a random point.
A device is additionally provided to generate a bending moment at a random point on the beam. A fourth dial gauge records the angle of inclination of the device. The beam is placed under load by weights (point load and coupled forces to generate the bending moment). The clamping moment on the supports can be determined by means of weights.