Beams: lateral-torsional buckling basics
Steel Structures · Engineering
Beam bending lab
Interactive 3DLoad the beam and watch it deflect — heavier loads bend it more, exactly as theory predicts.
Controls
Drag the sliders or type a value — the simulation updates live.
kN
0kN100kN
Study notes
A 4 m cantilever beam with E·I = 2×10⁶ N·m² carrying 40 kN at its tip deflects δ = P·L³/(3EI) = 40000×64/(3×2×10⁶) ≈ 0.43 m. Double the span to 8 m and deflection grows 8× — deflection scales with L³. Move the load slider and watch the tip sag.