Chapter III

EQUILIBRIUM OF FORCE SYSTEMS

3.1 Definition of Equilibrium
The subject matter of statics, as its name implies,
deals essentially with the action of forces on bodies which
are at rest. Such bodies are said to be in equilibrium.
Specifically, equilibrium is the term used to designate the
condition where the resultant of a system of forces is zero.
A body is said to be in equilibrium when the force system
acting upon it has a zero resultant. The physical meaning
of equilibrium, as applied to a body, is that the body either
is at rest or is moving in a straight line with constant
velocity.
In this chapter we shall determine and apply the
conditions necessary to produce equilibrium for coplanar Notice that although forces always occur in pairs
force systems. The principles and techniques developed in (i.e., action and reaction forces which are collinear, equal,
this chapter are the basic fundamentals of statics; but oppositely directed), a free-body diagram shows only
the student is urged to master them. Actually what is the forces acting upon the body being considered. It does
studied is a method of reasoning of learning how to apply not show the forces exerted by the force body upon other
the basic concepts of the components of a force and its bodies.
moment effect in the most efficient manner. The steps involved in drawing & free-body
diagram are: (1) Draw a diagram of the body completely
3.2 Free-Body Diagrams isolated from all other bodies. The free body may consist
of an entire assembled structure or any combination or part
Problems in mechanics always involve the of it. (2) Represent the action of each body or support that
interaction of bodies upon one another. Successful solution is re moved by a force or its components. (3) Label each
of these problems generally requires that the bodies be force by its magnitude, if known, or by a symbol, if
isolated from one another so that the forces involved may unknown.
be analysed and unknown forces determined. An isolated Illustrative Example
view of a body which shows only the external forces 301. In Figure 3-1, a 200 lb cylinder is supported by a
exerted on the body is called a free-body diagram horizontal rod AB and rests against the uniform bar CD
(frequently abbreviated as FBD) These external forces are which weighs 100 lb. Draw the free-body diagrams (a) of
caused either by direct bodily contact or by gravitational or rod AB, (b) of the cylinder, (c) of bar CD, (d) of the
magnetic attraction. assembled.
Table III-1 describe one of the more common
types of bodily contact or support and shows how to
represent the action of the body to be removed upon the
isolated free body. The earth pull is always shown as a
downward
vertical force equal to the weight W of the free body and
passing through its centre of gravity. The action of a
flexible cord, rope, or cable is represented by a tensile pull
T directed along the cord. The action of a smooth surface
is shown by a force N acting perpendicular to the smooth
surface because there can be no resistance to sliding along
such a surface. Similarly, a roller support exerts a reaction
R that is perpendicular to the along which the roller can
move. At a smooth pin or hinge, however, the supporting
force F can be exerted in any direction; such a force is
usually shown as two independent components which,
when known, can be combined to determine the supporting
force and its inclination.

Solution: The FBD of rod AB is shown in Fig. 3-

2m. The two forces exerted by pins A and B upon the rod
must be equal opposite, and directed along the rod, or the
rod could not remain in equilibrium in a designated spatial
position (see Axiom 2, page 5). We conclude that a
member fixed in space and loaded by two forces at its ends that many systems which are apparently statically
requires the forces to be equal and their lines of action to indeterminate may be solved by taking the system apart
coincide with the centreline of the member. This and considering the FBD of each separate part.
conclusion is of great importance in the Analysis of pin-
connected trusses since it determines the action lines of the
forces existing in the bars of such trusses.

Consider next in Fig. 3-2b the FBD of the

cylinder. In addition to its weight of 200 lb, the cylinder is
acted upon by the equal but opposite force that it exerted
upon the rod and a push N perpendicular to CD which is
exerted by the bar. We shall shortly learn (Art. 3-3) how to
determine the unknown forces P and N holding this
concurrent force system in equilibrium.
The FBD of bar CD (Fig. 3-20) shows its weight
of 100 lb noting vertically at the midpoint of the uniform
bar. The cylinder pushes down to the right with a force N
perpendicular to CD. The roller at C cannot resist any
force parallel to the
surface of the roller; its net effect can only be the vertical
force Cy. The force exerted by the hinge D can act in any
direction; its action is denoted by the components Dx or
Dh, and Dy or Dv, which, if known, can be combined to
determine the magnitude and inclination of the hinge force
at D.

Observe that the FBD of the assembled cylinder

and bar in Fig. 3-3(refer to p52 of engineering mechanics
by singer)does not show the contact force N because here
N is internal to the system and its action and reaction
effects balance out. Actually Fig. 3-3 is statically
indeterminate (i.e. unsolvable using the equations of
statics) because the four unknown shown cannot be
determined directly using only the three equations of
equilibrium available for
such of forces. It is necessary to take the assembly apart
and draw the FBD of each part au discussed above, even
though doing this introduces an additional unknown force
N.
Only then will there be available as many
independent of equilibrium as there are unknowns; two
equations for the concurrent system of Fig. 3-2b and three
for the non-concurrent system of Fig. 3-2c. We shall see
later