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How to Calculate Cantilevered Weight

A cantilever is a type of beam that has no support on its open end, a seesaw for example. This means that two different forces are acting on the beam when a load is applied. They are known as the shear force and bending moment. You can calculate these forces using two mathematical equations. To do this you will need to determine the different variables of the cantilever needed for the calculations.

Instructions

- 1
  Make a note of the weight of the beam. Multiply the density of the beam by its volume if the weight is not known.
- 2
  Add the weight of the beam to its maximum weight load to determine the shear force.
- 3
  Measure the distance from the beam's support to its open end. Note the measurement. An example you can use for this distance is 10 feet.
- 4
  Make a note of the weight of the object that is sitting on the open end of the beam. An example you can use for the weight is 200 lbs.
- 5
  Multiply 10 feet by 200 lbs. This will result in a bending moment of 2,000 lbs/ft.

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