CENTROIDS

 At the end of the lesson, you should be able

to:
 explain the relevance of centroid in the field
of engineering
 determine the centroid of any plane figure.
 The earth exerts a gravitational force on each
of the particles forming a body.
 These forces can be replace by a single
equivalent force equal to the weight of the body
and applied at the center of gravity for the
body.
 The centroid of an area is analogous to the
center of gravity of a body.
 The concept of the first moment of an area is
used to locate the centroid.
 The centroid of an area is defined as the point
corresponding to the center of gravity of a
plate of infinitesimal thickness.
 The term centroid rather than center of
gravity is used when referring to areas because
such figures do not have weight.
 The centroid is sometimes referred to as the
geometric center of the region.
 Centroid of an area can be determined by
integration.
 Integration is the process of summing up
infinitesimal quantities.

Ax   xdA

Ay   ydA
 Centroid of plane areas:
 Centroid of plane areas:
 Centroid of plane areas:
 Centroid of plane areas:
 Centroid of plane areas:
 Centroid of plane areas:
 Centroid of plane areas:
 Centroid of plane areas:
• An area is symmetric with respect to an
axis BB’ if for every point P there exists
a point P’ such that PP’ is perpendicular to
BB’ and is divided into two equal parts by
BB’.
• The first moment of an area with
respect to a line of symmetry is zero.
• If an area possesses a line of symmetry,
its centroid lies on that axis
• If an area possesses two lines of
symmetry, its centroid lies at their
intersection.
• An area is symmetric with respect to a
center O if for every element dA at (x,y)
there exists an area dA’ of equal area at
(-x,-y).
• The centroid of the area coincides with
the center of symmetry.
 Composite Plates and Areas:
 The analytical location of the center of gravity
of an irregular shape (or body) is simply an
application of the principle of moments, that is,
the moment of the resultant is equal to the
moment sum of its parts.
 This method is called finite summation.

• Composite plates
X W   x W
Y W   y W
 Composite Plates and Areas:
 Finite summation involves dividing a composite
shape into finite elements.
 A given area is divided into parts, each
centroid of which is known, the moment of the
total area is the sum of the moments of area
of its parts.
 This is known as the principle of moment or
the Varignon’s theorem.

• Composite area
X  A   xA
Y  A   yA
 Finite summation:

Ax  ax  A1 x1  A2 x2  A3 x3  ...

Ay  ay  A1 y1  A2 y2  A3 y3  ...
 Finite summation:
 If we rewrite the above equations:
Ax   ax
Ay   ay

ax ay
x y
A A

This gives a method of locating a

point called the centroid of area.
 EXAMPLE:
 Determine the centroid of the shaded area.
 EXAMPLE:
 Determine the centroid of the shaded area.
 EXAMPLE:
 Determine the centroid of the shaded area.
 Answer:
 Divide the area into a triangle, rectangle, and
semicircle with a circular cutout.
 Calculate the first moments of each area with
respect to the axes.
 Find the total area and first moments of the
triangle, rectangle, and semicircle. Subtract
the area and first moment of the circular
cutout.
 Compute the coordinates of the area centroid
by dividing the first moments by the total area.
 Answer:
 Find the total area and
first moments of the
triangle, rectangle, and
semicircle. Subtract the
area and first moment of
the circular cutout.
 Answer:
 Find the total area and
first moments of the
triangle, rectangle, and
semicircle. Subtract the
area and first moment of
the circular cutout.
 Answer:
 Compute the coordinates
of the area centroid by
dividing the first
moments by the total
area..

X   x A  757.7  103 mm 3

 A 13.828 103 mm 2
X  54.8 mm

Y   y A  506.2  103 mm 3

 A 13.828 103 mm 2
Y  36.6 mm
 EXAMPLE:
 Determine the centroid of the shaded area.
 EXAMPLE:
 Determine the centroid of the shaded area.
 EXAMPLE:
 Determine the centroid of the shaded area.
 EXAMPLE:
 A beam supports a distributed load as shown.
Determine the equivalent concentrated load and
the reactions at the supports.
 ANSWER:
 The magnitude of the concentrated load is equal
to the total load or the area under the curve.
 The line of action of the concentrated load passes
through the centroid of the area under the curve.
 Determine the support reactions by summing
moments about the beam ends.
SOLUTION:
• The magnitude of the concentrated load is equal to
the total load or the area under the curve.
F  18.0 kN

• The line of action of the concentrated load passes

through the centroid of the area under the curve.
63 kN  m
X  X  3.5 m
18 kN
• Determine the support reactions by summing
moments about the beam ends.

 M A  0 : B y 6 m  18 kN 3.5 m  0
B y  10.5 kN

 M B  0 :  Ay 6 m  18 kN 6 m  3.5 m  0

Ay  7.5 kN
 EXAMPLE:
 For the beam and loading shown, determine (a) the
magnitude and location of the resultant of the
distributed load, (b) the reactions at the beam
supports.
 ANSWER:
 EXAMPLE:
 Determine the reactions at the beam supports for
the given loading.
 ANSWER:
 EXAMPLE:
 For the beam and loading shown, determine (a) the
magnitude and location of the resultant of the
distributed load, (b) the reactions at the beam
supports.
 EXAMPLE:
 Determine the reactions at the beam supports for
the given loading.
 RESOURCES:
 Beer, Ferdinand P. and E. Russell Johnston Jr.
(2007). Vector Mechanics for Engineers:
Statics 8e. New York: The McGraw-Hill Co