You can apply Castigliano's theorem if you should have some background with :
- Deflection of a beam/cylinder due to axial loading, bending, torsion.
- For calculating the normal moment of inertia.
- For calculating the polar moment of inertia.
- Deriving equations for linear changes in quantities.
- Using singularity functions but it is often used in conjunction with Castigliano’s Theorem.
- Determining the deflection of beams
- Castigliano’s Theorem uses strain energies at the locations of forces to determine the deflections.
- For determining of deflections for objects with changing cross-sectional areas.