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Cantilever

Beam anchored at only one end / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

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A cantilever is a rigid structural element that extends horizontally and is supported at only one end. Typically it extends from a flat vertical surface such as a wall, to which it must be firmly attached. Like other structural elements, a cantilever can be formed as a beam, plate, truss, or slab.

A schematic image of three types of cantilever. The top example has a full moment connection (like a horizontal flagpole bolted to the side of a building). The middle example is created by an extension of a simple supported beam (such as the way a diving board is anchored and extends over the edge of a swimming pool). The bottom example is created by adding a Robin boundary condition to the beam element, which essentially adds an elastic spring to the end board. The top and bottom example may be considered structurally equivalent, depending on the effective stiffness of the spring and beam element.

When subjected to a structural load at its far, unsupported end, the cantilever carries the load to the support where it applies a shear stress and a bending moment.[1]

Cantilever construction allows overhanging structures without additional support.