A distributed load in strength of materials refers to a load that is uniformly distributed over a certain length, area, or volume of a structural element. Unlike a concentrated load, which acts at a specific point, a distributed load acts continuously along a portion of the element’s length or area.
For a simply supported beam of length subjected to a UDL over its entire length, the total load due to the UDL is given by:
where:
- = Total load due to the UDL (in newtons, N)
- = Load intensity (force per unit length, in newtons per meter, N/m)
- = Length of the beam or area over which the load is distributed (in meters, m)