Moment of a Force Note that according to the type of force system, one or two or

three of the equations above will be used in finding the

Moment is the measure of the capacity or ability of the force to
resultant.
produce twisting or turning effect about an axis. This axis is
perpendicular to the plane containing the line of action of the
force. The magnitude of moment is equal to the product of the Resultant of
force and the perpendicular distance from the axis to the line of Coplanar
action of the force.
Concurrent Force
System
The line of action of
From the figure above, O is the moment reference and d is the each force in coplanar
moment arm. The moment M of force F about point O is equal concurrent force system
to the product of F and d. are on the same plane.
M = F×d These forces meet at a
common point, thus
concurrent. In x-y plane, the resultant can be found by the
Couples following formulas:
Couple C is a system of forces whose magnitude of the resultant
is zero and yet has a moment sum. Geometrically, couple is
composed of two equal forces that are parallel to each other and
acting in opposite direction. The magnitude of the couple is
given by

C = F×d

Where F are the two forces and d is the moment arm, or the
perpendicular distance between the forces.

Rx = ΣFx Ry = ΣFy
Ry
R = R +R2
x
2
y tan x =
Rx

Resultant of Spatial Concurrent Force System

Spatial concurrent forces (forces in 3-dimensional space) meet
at a common point but do not lie in a single plane. The resultant
Couple is independent of the moment reference; thus, the can be found as follows:
effect is unchanged in the following conditions.
• The couple is rotated through any angle in its plane.
• The couple is shifted to any other position in its plane.
• The couple is shifted to a parallel plane.
In a case where a system is composed entirely of couples in
the same plane or parallel planes, the resultant is a couple
whose magnitude is the algebraic sum of the original couples.

Resultant of Concurrent Force System

Resultant of a force system is a force or a couple that will have
the same effect to the body, both in translation and rotation, if
all the forces are removed and replaced by the resultant.
Rx = ΣFx Ry = ΣFy Rz = ΣFz
The equation involving the resultant of force system are the
following
Direction Cosines
1. Rx = ΣFxi =Fx1 + Fx2 + Fx3…
The x-component of the resultant is equal to the summation of
cosθx = Rx/R cosθy = Ry/R cosθz = Rz/R
forces in the x-direction.
2. Ry = ΣFyi = Fx1 + Fx2 + Fx3 + ... Vector Notation of the Resultant
→ →
R = F
The y-component of the resultant is equal to the summation of
forces in the y-direction.
3. Rz = ΣFzi = Fx1 + Fx2 + Fx3 + ... →
The z-component of the resultant is equal to the summation of R = (  Fx ) i + (  Fy ) j + (  Fz ) k
forces in the z-direction.
 → Spatial Parallel Force System
R = R x i + R y j + Rz k The resultant of parallel forces in space will act at the point
where it will create equivalent translational and rotational
(moment) effects in the system.
Resultant of Parallel Force System
Coplanar Parallel Force System
Parallel forces can be in the same or in opposite directions. The
sign of the direction can be chosen arbitrarily, meaning, taking
one direction as positive makes the opposite direction negative.
The complete definition of the resultant is according to its
magnitude, direction, and line of action.

In vector notation, the resultant of forces are as follows

→ → → → →
R =  F = F1 + F2 + F3 +
→ → → → → → → → →

R = ΣFi = F1 + F2 + F3 + ... Mo =  r  F = r1 F1 + r2  F2 + r3  F3 +

Rd = ΣFixi = F1x1 + F2x2 + F3x3 + ...
Resultant of Distributed Loads
The resultant of a distributed load is equal to the area of the load
diagram. It is acting at the centroid of that area as indicated. The
figure below shows the three common distributed loads namely;
rectangular load, triangular load, and trapezoidal load.
Note:
Two parallel forces that are equal in magnitude, opposite
in direction, and not colinear will create a rotation effect.
This type of pair is called a Couple. The placement of a
couple in the plane is immaterial, meaning, its rotational
effect to the body is not a function of its placement.

Resultant of Non-Concurrent Force System

The resultant of non-concurrent force system is defined
according to magnitude, inclination, and position.

The magnitude of the resultant can be found as follows

Rx = ΣFx Ry = ΣFy
R = Rx2 + Ry2

The inclination from the horizontal is defined by

tanθx = Ry/Rx

The position of the resultant can be determined according to

the principle of moments.
Rectangular Load MR = ΣMO = Rd
R = woL MR = Ryix = Rxiy

Triangular Load Where

Fx = component of forces in the x-direction
R = woL/2 Fy = component of forces in the y-direction
Rx = component of the resultant in x-direction
Trapezoidal Load Ry = component of the resultant in y-direction
R = magnitude of the resultant
R = wo1L+ (wo2 − wo1)L/2 θx = angle made by a force from the x-axis
MO = moment of forces about any point O
d = moment arm
MR = moment at a point due to resultant force
ix = x-intercept of the resultant R
iy = y-intercept of the resultant R

PROBLEMS

Given force system below

1. Determine the horizontal and vertical component of
forces.
2. Determine the moment of the system relative to O
7. Determine the coordinate direction angles of F 1 and
3. Determine the x and y intercept of the resultant forces.
resultant force FR. Also, determine the force F3.

4. Determine the resulting couple in N-m of the given 8. Two forces act on the rod shown. Determine the
force system relative to A. resultant moment they create about the flange at O.
Express the result in Cartesian vector.

5. The lifting force along the wing of a jet aircraft consists
of a uniform distribution along AB and a semi-parabolic
distribution along BC with origin at B. Replace this
loading by a single resultant force and specifies its
location measured from point A.
9. The building slab is subjected to four parallel column
loadings. Determine the equivalent resultant force and
specify its location (x,y) on the slab. Take F1 = 20 kN
and F2 = 50 kN

6. Determine the resultant force acting on the block on the

hook.
10. The distribution of the soil loading on the bottom of a
building slab is shown. Replace this loading by an
 equivalent resultant and specify its location, measured
from point O.

11. The wind pressure acting on a triangular sign is

uniform. Replace this loading by an equivalent
resultant force and couple moment at O.

12. Determine the magnitude of the moment of the 200-N

force about x-axis.