Assignment 1

Course No. CE F 211

Mechanics of Solid
Q 1. Determine A horizontal line PQRS (Fig. Q1) is 12 m long. Forces of 1000 N, 1500 N, 1000
N and 500 N act at P, Q, R and S respectively with downward direction. The lines of action
of these forces make angles of 90°, 60°, 45° and 30° respectively with PS. Find the
magnitude, direction and position of the resultant force.

Answer 1: Resultant = 3765 N

Angle of resultant with PS = 59.8°
Distance between line of action of resultant force from P = 4.25

Q 2. Three cylinders weighting 100 N each and of 80 mm diameter are placed in a channel of
180 mm width as shown in Fig Q 2. Determine the pressure exerted by (i) the cylinder A
on B at the point of contact (ii) the cylinder B on the base and (iii) the cylinder B on the
wall.

Answer 2: (i) Pressure exerted by the cylinder A on the cylinder B = 64 N

(ii) Pressure exerted by the cylinder B on the base = 150 N
(iii) Pressure exerted by the cylinder B on the wall = 40 N

Q 3. Fig. Q 3 shows a shear leg crane lifting a load of 250 kN. The legs BC and BE are 20 m
long and 10 m apart at the base. The back-stay AB is 25 m long. If all the members are pin-
jointed at A, C and E, at the same level, find the forces in all the three members of the
crane.
Answer 3: Force in BC = 258.4 kN
Force in BE = 258.4 kN
Force in AB = 291.5 kN

Q 4. A revolving crane is supported by a point at C and rollers at A and B. The crane carries a
load P applied at D in addition to its own weight W at E as shown in Fig Q 4. Determine
the reactions at the points B and C, if P = 4 kN, W = 2 kN, a = 3 m, b = 0.9 m and c = 1.8
m. Neglect friction.

Answer 4: RB = 7.67 kN
RC = √𝐻𝐶2 + 𝑉𝐶2 = 9.74 kN
Q 5. (i) What is the maximum load (W) which a force P equal to 5 kN will hold up, if the
coefficient of friction at C is 0.2 in the arrangement shown in Fig Q 5? Neglect other
friction and weight of the member. (ii) If W = 3 kN and P = 4.5 kN, what are the normal
and tangential forces transmitted at C?

Answer 5: (i) W = 2.25 kN

(ii) Normal force at C = 6.75 kN
Tangential force at C = 2 kN

Q 6. Two loads, W1 (equal to 1 kN) and W2 resting on two inclined rough planes OA and OB
are connected by a horizontal link PQ as shown in Fig Q 6. Find the maximum and
minimum values of W2 for which the equilibrium can exist. Take angle of friction for both
the planes as 20°.

Answer 6: Maximum value of W2 = 12.16 kN

Minimum value of W2 = 0.391 kN

Q 7. (a) A solid body is formed by joining the base of a right circular cone of height 12 cm to
the equal base of a right circular cylinder of height 3 cm. The solid is placed with its face
on a rough inclined plane, and the inclination to the horizontal of the plane is gradually
increased. Show that if radius r of the base is 2 cm, and the coefficient of friction μ = 0.5,
the body will topple over before it begins to slide.
 (b) If the heights are so chosen that the centre of mass of the solid is at the centre of the
common base, show that if μH < r √6, the solid will slide before it topples.

Q 8. A 15° wedge (A) has to be driven for tightening a body (B) loaded with 1000 N weight as
shown in Fig Q 8. If the angle of friction for all the surfaces is 14°, find the force (P), which
should be applied to the wedge. Also check the answer analytically.

Answer 8: P = 232.3 N

Q 9. A pin-joined cantilever frame is hinged to a vertical wall at A and E and is loaded as shown
in Fig Q 9. Determine the forces in the members CD, CG and FG.
Answer 9: FCD = 2 kN (Tension); FCG = 1.7 kN (Tension); FFG = 3.3 kN (Compression)

Q 10. Fig. Q 10 shows a pin-jointed frame carrying a vertical load at B and a horizontal load at
D. Find the forces in the members DE, HE and DH of the frame.

Answer 10: FDE = 4.93 kN (Compression); FHE = 2.5 kN (Tension); FDH = 0