Force System Example Problems Summing Up Components to Obtain Resultants 3-d Force Systems

Force Systems
(Mechanics – ME10001)

Dr. Puneet Kumar Patra

Department of Civil Engineering

Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur
puneet.patra@civil.iitkgp.ac.in

November 21, 2020

Force System Example Problems Summing Up Components to Obtain Resultants 3-d Force Systems

Outline

1 Force System
Introduction
Concurrent & Non-concurrent forces
Effects of External Forces
Force Resultants & Components

2 Example Problems
Example 1
Example 2
Example 3
Example 4

3 Summing Up Components to Obtain Resultants

Basics
Example - 1
Example - 2

4 3-d Force Systems

Basics
Example - 1
Example - 2
Force System Example Problems Summing Up Components to Obtain Resultants 3-d Force Systems

Force Systems
Force System Example Problems Summing Up Components to Obtain Resultants 3-d Force Systems

Introduction
What is a force?
The action exerted by one body over another and is a vector.
Is it a free vector or a fixed vector or a sliding vector?
Two types – contact force and body force
Contact force – Occurs when two bodies in contact with each other (like support
reaction, friction); Acts on the surface
Body force – Action of two bodies not in direct contact (like include magnetic
force, gravitational force, etc.); Acts throughout the volume
Force System Example Problems Summing Up Components to Obtain Resultants 3-d Force Systems

Introduction
Sometimes force is a sliding vector and other times a fixed vector
For many rigid body problems, line of action of force is more important than
its point of application while the resultant effects are calculated.
For deformable bodies, and specific rigid body problems, force is a fixed
vector.

(a) Can you move the

line of action top for
the vertical forces and
horizonally for the (b) Are the two equivalent?
horizontal forces?

Figure: In a deformable body, treating force as a sliding vector is problematic. Think why?
Force System Example Problems Summing Up Components to Obtain Resultants 3-d Force Systems

Concurrent & Non-concurrent forces

Concurrent Forces
Forces are concurrent at a point if their line of action intersect at that point.
To identify if two forces are concurrent, use high-school mathematics – F~1
and F~2 be denoted by:

F~1 = ˆ
a1 iˆ + b1 j; F~2 = a2 iˆ + b2 jˆ (1)

Represent these forces in terms of equation of line:

F1 = a1 x + b 1 y ; F2 = a 2 x + b2 y (2)

For F~1 and F~2 to be concurrent, a point (x0 , y0 ) exists such that:

F1 = a1 x0 + b1 y0 ; F2 = a2 x0 + b2 y0 (3)

If F~1 and F~2 concurrent, their resultant, R

~ = F~1 + F~2 , lies on the same plane
Not necessary for two forces to act at a same point for them to be
concurrent. They may act at different points as well.
Force System Example Problems Summing Up Components to Obtain Resultants 3-d Force Systems

Concurrent & Non-concurrent forces

Non-Concurrent Forces
Forces that do not intersect at a point
Non-concurrent throughout if they do not intersect anywhere in the domain
Example: When two forces are parallel

~ passes through the (top) point of

(b) R
concurrency and (bottom) does not pass
(a) Concurrent forces acting at (top) the same
through A (Usually AVOIDED)
point and (bottom) at different points.
Force System Example Problems Summing Up Components to Obtain Resultants 3-d Force Systems

External & Internal Effects Arising Due to

Application of Force I

Figure: A bracket being pulled by a cable which makes an angle θ with the bracket. The
magnitude of tension in cable is P.
Force System Example Problems Summing Up Components to Obtain Resultants 3-d Force Systems

External & Internal Effects Arising Due to

Application of Force II

What happens to the bracket?

An external force is exerted on the bracket at the point of contact
between the bracket and the cable
An external reaction between the support (or the bolts) and the bracket is
also formed
Due to these external actions, internal effects:
The bracket starts to deform
Deformation is either temporary (if cable is unloaded, there is no residual
deformation) or permanent (a residual deformation even after unloading the
cable)
At significantly larger loads, the bolts holding the bracket may break

Internal forces develop throughout the bracket – imagine slicing the

bracket into two. The left side exerts forces on the right side and vice versa.

In order to completely understand the internal response of bodies, one needs to

invoke the theories of elasticity and plasticity, both beyond the present scope of
discourse.
Force System Example Problems Summing Up Components to Obtain Resultants 3-d Force Systems

Force Resultants & Components I

~ Q,
A particle A is acted upon by several concurrent forces, P, ~ S
~
~
Possible to replace the three force vectors with an equivalent force vector R.
Mathematically,
~ = P
R ~ +Q ~ +S~ (4)
The resultant follows from the property of vector addition
Immaterial in which order the forces are summed up
~ acts on the same point A singly and will have the same effect on A as all
R
other given forces
Force System Example Problems Summing Up Components to Obtain Resultants 3-d Force Systems

Force Resultants & Components II

Force Components: Ensure F~ = P

~ +Q
~ after finding P
~ &Q
~

F~ → multiple components that together will have the same effect as R

~
~
F → infinite combinations of components (in 2-d usually 2 components)
Two situations of particular interest:
One of the two components is known: Let P ~ be known. Q
~ can be obtained
~ =F
through vector subtraction: Q ~ − P.
~
Line of action of each component is known: Let directions of P ~ and Q
~ be
known. Use sine rule to obtain the magnitudes,

~|
|F ~
|P| ~
|Q|
= (5)
sin(F ) sin(P) sin(Q)
Force System Example Problems Summing Up Components to Obtain Resultants 3-d Force Systems

Force Resultants & Components III

Rectangular Components of a Force

F~ → components that are ⊥ to each other i.e. P.
~ Q~ = 0, P&
~ Q~ are the
rectangular components.
Axes alignment such that x(y ) coincides with P(Q), then components are:
F~x (F~y ).

If F~ makes an angle θ with the x axis, then the magnitudes of the individual
components may be written as:

|F~ |x = |F~ | cos(θ)

(6)
|F~ |y = |F~ | sin(θ)
Force System Example Problems Summing Up Components to Obtain Resultants 3-d Force Systems

Force Resultants & Components IV

The vector F therefore can be written as:

F~ = |F~ |x iˆ + |F~ |y jˆ = F~x + F~y (7)

Given a unit vector, n̂, that represents the direction in which the force acts
along with the magnitude of the force, |F~ |, the force vector is obtained by:
F~ = |F~ |n̂.

Given F~x and F~y can you obtain the direction cosines?
Force System Example Problems Summing Up Components to Obtain Resultants 3-d Force Systems

Example Problems
Force System Example Problems Summing Up Components to Obtain Resultants 3-d Force Systems

Example 1 I

~1 , F
(a) The forces F ~2 , and F
~3 act on point A
of a bracket. Determine the x and y scalar (b) Decomposition of the different forces
components of each of the three forces.

The scalar components of F~1 along the x and y axes are:

F1x = 600 cos 35◦ = 491N; F1y = 600 cos 55◦ = 344N; (8)
Force System Example Problems Summing Up Components to Obtain Resultants 3-d Force Systems

Example 1 II
To obtain the the scalar components of F~2 along the x and y axes, separate
information of angle wrt axes is not needed:

4 3
F2x = −500 = −400N; F2y = 500 = 300N; (9)
5 5

1 ~2 is never calculated
The angle for F
2 The sign of F2x is negative from inspection

Figure: Decomposition of the different forces

Force System Example Problems Summing Up Components to Obtain Resultants 3-d Force Systems

Example 1 III

Before the scalar components of F~3 are obtained, angle is needed:

 
0.2
α = tan−1 = 26.6◦ (10)
0.4

The scalar components are:

F3x = 800 sin 26.6◦ = 358N; F3y = −800 cos 26.6◦ = −716N; (11)

Any other way of computing the force vector, F~3 ?

Force System Example Problems Summing Up Components to Obtain Resultants 3-d Force Systems

Example 1 IV

Figure: Decomposition of the different forces

How about using vectors?

1 Define origin as A.
2 ~3 goes from A → B. In other words, direction of F
F ~3 follows the unit vector along
~
the vector AB.
3 ~ =B
AB ~−A ~ = 0.2iˆ − 0.4j.
ˆ
~
AB
4 ˆ
Unit vector, AB = = 0.447iˆ − 0.894jˆ
~
||AB||
~3 ||
||F
5 ~3 =
F = 358iˆ − 716jˆ
ˆ
AB
Force System Example Problems Summing Up Components to Obtain Resultants 3-d Force Systems

Example 1 V
The entire problem can be solved in a different way altogether.
Let us look at the angle made by the forces with the +x axis. In order to
maintain consistency, we will consider the components acting along +x
direction as positive and those acting along +y direction also as positive.
Let the forces make an angle θ1 , θ2 and θ3 with respect to the positive x axis
(in anticlockwise fashion). Therefore,

θ1 = 35◦ ,
θ2 = 180◦ − tan−1 (3/4) = 143.13◦ (12)
θ3 = 360◦ − tan−1 (0.4/0.2) = 303.69◦

The x and y components can be obtain by taking the cos and sin
appropriately.
In this case, since we have measured all angles with respect to x axis, all cos
components will be oriented with respected to x axis. Likewise, all sin
components will be in y direction.
The components are:

F1,x = F1 cos(θ1 ) = 491.49 , F1,y = F1 sin(θ1 ) = 344.15

F2,x = F2 cos(θ2 ) = −400.00 , F2,y = F2 sin(θ2 ) = 300
F3,x = F3 cos(θ3 ) = 443.76 , F3,y = F3 sin(θ3 ) = −665.64

Notice that we did not have to manually identify the positivity of

force components.
Force System Example Problems Summing Up Components to Obtain Resultants 3-d Force Systems

Example 2 I

Find the x and the y components of the forces for the different cases.

(Left) The angle F~ makes with y axis is β. The projection of F~ onto y gives
its y component → Fy = ||F~ || cos β. Similarly, Fx = ||F~ || sin β.
(Right) The angle F~ makes with x axis is β. The projection of F~ onto x
gives its x component → Fx = −||F~ || cos β. Similarly, Fy = −||F~ || sin β.
Why are the signs negative in the second case?
Force System Example Problems Summing Up Components to Obtain Resultants 3-d Force Systems

Example 3 I

Find the x and the y components of the forces for the different cases.

(Left) The angle F~ makes with y axis is (π − β). The projection of F~ onto y
gives its y component → Fy = −||F~ || cos(π − β). Similarly,
Fx = ||F~ || sin(π − β).
(Right) Fx = ||F~ || cos(β − α). Similarly, Fy = ||F~ || sin(β − α).
Force System Example Problems Summing Up Components to Obtain Resultants 3-d Force Systems

Example 4 I

A force F~ = 700iˆ + 1500jˆ is applied to a bolt. Find the angle F~ makes with x axis.
The given force is of the form:

F~ = F~x + F~y

From vector mechanics the magnitude of F~ is given by:

q √
||F~ || = ||F~x ||2 + ||F~y ||2 = 7002 + 15002 = 1655.3

Therefore, we can rewrite the force as:

!
700iˆ + 1500jˆ  
F~ = |F~ |n̂ = 1655.3 = 1655.3 0.423iˆ + 0.906jˆ
1655.3

Therefore, the angle is:

 
0.906
θ = tan−1 = 64.98◦
0.423
Force System Example Problems Summing Up Components to Obtain Resultants 3-d Force Systems

Computing Force Resultants

& Examples
Force System Example Problems Summing Up Components to Obtain Resultants 3-d Force Systems

Summing Up Components to Obtain Resultants

– Basics I

~ as indicated in the figure. The axes are aligned with the x − y

Figure: Find the resultant force R
coordinate system. Find the angle which the resultant makes. Find the magnitude as well.
Force System Example Problems Summing Up Components to Obtain Resultants 3-d Force Systems

Summing Up Components to Obtain Resultants

– Basics II
~ as indicated in the figure. The axes are aligned with the
Find the resultant force R
x − y coordinate system.
To find the magnitude of R~ and its direction θ with respect to the +x axis
(anticlockwise), we do the following:

~
R = ~ +Q
P ~ +S~
~
=⇒ Rx + Ry~ = ~ ~ ~x + Q
Px + Py + Q ~y + S
~x + S
~y (13)
~x = P
=⇒ R ~x + Q
~x + S
~x , ~y = P
R ~y + Q
~y + S
~y

Note each vector is resolved into x and y components.

Recognize that the x(y ) components must be equal on the LHS and RHS.

Summing Up:
1 Identify the concurrent forces.
2 Resolve each force into x and y components.
3 Sum the x and y components separately.
4 The sum of x component is the magnitude of the x component of the resultant.
Likewise for the y component.
~y |
!
|R
5 Obtain the direction through the equation: θ = tan−1 .
~x |
|R
Force System Example Problems Summing Up Components to Obtain Resultants 3-d Force Systems

Example - 1 I

Figure: Two forces are applied at B as shown. Determine the magnitude and the direction of
~
the resultant force R

Let us determine α:

BD 6 sin(60)
tan(α) = =
AD 3 + 6 cos(60)
=⇒ α = 40.9◦
Force System Example Problems Summing Up Components to Obtain Resultants 3-d Force Systems

Example - 1 II

Figure: The triangle formed by the two forces and the resultant.

Consider the triangle formed by the forces. We will use the cosine law and the sine
law to compute the magnitude and the direction of R:~

R2 = 6002 + 8002 − 2 × 600 × 800 × cos(α) =⇒ R = 524

600 525
= =⇒ θ = 48.6◦
sin(θ) sin(α)

Now, let us solve this problem algebraically. We will first resolve the forces into
their x and y components:

Px = 800 , Py = 0,
Tx = −600 cos(α) = −453.512 , Ty = −600 sin(α) = −392.85
Force System Example Problems Summing Up Components to Obtain Resultants 3-d Force Systems

Example - 1 III

~ is:
The resultant vector R

~
R = ~x + R
R ~y
= ~
Px + T ~x + P
~y + T
~y
= 346iˆ − 393jˆ

~ and its direction θ are:

So, ||R||

√
~
||R|| = 3462+ 3932 = 524
−393
θ = tan−1 = −48.6◦
346
Force System Example Problems Summing Up Components to Obtain Resultants 3-d Force Systems

Example - 2 I

~ is applied to the vertical pole as shown.

Figure: The 500-N force F

Determine the following:

1 F~ in terms of the unit vectors iˆ and j.
ˆ
2 The scalar components of the F~ along the x 0 and y 0 axes.
3 The scalar components of F~ along the x and y 0 axes.
Force System Example Problems Summing Up Components to Obtain Resultants 3-d Force Systems

Example - 2 II

From (a),
F~ = F cos(θ)iˆ − F sin(θ)jˆ = (250iˆ − 433j)N
ˆ (14)

From (b), the angle, θ F~ makes with x 0 = 0. So,

F~ = F cos(θ)iˆ − F sin(θ)jˆ = (500i)N

ˆ (15)
Force System Example Problems Summing Up Components to Obtain Resultants 3-d Force Systems

Example - 2 III

From (c), split F~ into non-rectangular components. Use sine rule,

||F~x || 500
= → ||F~x || = 1000N (16)
sin 90 sin 30

||F~y || 500
= → ||F~y || = 866N (17)
sin 60 sin 30
So, the required scalar components are 1000 N and -866 N (Note the
negative sign).
Force System Example Problems Summing Up Components to Obtain Resultants 3-d Force Systems

3-d Force Systems

Force System Example Problems Summing Up Components to Obtain Resultants 3-d Force Systems

3-d Force Systems I

Figure: Force Components in 3-dimensions

Consider the 3-d case where F~ acts at a point O.

Let this force make an angle θy with the y axis
The vectorial form and the magnitude of F~ is:

F~ = Fx iˆ + Fy jˆ + Fz k̂
~
q (18)
||F || = Fx2 + Fy2 + Fz2
Force System Example Problems Summing Up Components to Obtain Resultants 3-d Force Systems

3-d Force Systems II

The y component of F~ may be obtained by taking the dot product of the
vectors F~ and jˆ
Fy = F~ .jˆ
(19)
= ||F~ || cos(θy )

Figure: Force Components in 3-dimensions

What is the projection on the x − z plane? → shown as F~h .

This is nothing but the component of the vector lying along the plane:

||F~h || = |F~ | sin(θy ) (20)

Consider further that F~h makes an angle φ with the x axis

Force System Example Problems Summing Up Components to Obtain Resultants 3-d Force Systems

3-d Force Systems III

F~h → F~x and F~z – the components of F~ along the x and z directions. The
magnitudes of these components are:

||F~x || = ||F~h || cos(φ) = ||F~ || sin(θy ) cos(φ)

(21)
||F~z || = ||F~h || sin(φ) = ||F~ || sin(θy ) sin(φ)

So, now we can write F~ in terms of the components as:

h i
F~ = ||F~ || sin(θy ) cos(φ)iˆ + cos(θy )jˆ + sin(θy ) sin(φ)k̂ (22)

Can you relate this to direction cosines? or the angle between the
vector and the different axes?
If a vector makes θx , θy , θz with the x, y , z axes respectively, the force vector
can be written in terms of the direction cosines i.e.
h i
F~ = ||F~ || cos(θx )iˆ + cos(θy )jˆ + cos(θz )k̂
(23)
=⇒ F~ = F~x + F~y + F~z
Force System Example Problems Summing Up Components to Obtain Resultants 3-d Force Systems

3-d Force Systems IV

Let ~λ denote the unit vector along the line of action of force, i.e.,
h i
~λ = cos(θx )iˆ + cos(θy )jˆ + cos(θz )k̂ , (24)

then, F~ can be written as:

F~ = ||F~ ||~λ (25)

Force System Example Problems Summing Up Components to Obtain Resultants 3-d Force Systems

3-d Force Systems – Examples

Force System Example Problems Summing Up Components to Obtain Resultants 3-d Force Systems

Example 1 I

Figure: Determine the vectorial form of the force?

We will do the following sequentially:

1 Find the unit vector denoting the line of action of force knowing that the force
~
vector is oriented along MN
2 Evaluate the x, y , z components of force

If its scalar components are denoted by dx , dy , dz , respectively, then equation

of MN~ is given by:
~
MN = dx iˆ + dy jˆ + dz k̂ (26)
Force System Example Problems Summing Up Components to Obtain Resultants 3-d Force Systems

Example 1 II

~ is given by:
The unit vector along MN

~
MN dx iˆ + dy jˆ + dz k̂ dx iˆ + dy jˆ + dz k̂
~λ = = q =
~ d (27)
||MN|| dx2 + dy2 + dz2

The force vector becomes:

dx iˆ + dy jˆ + dz k̂
F~ = ||F~ ||~λ = ||F~ || (28)
d
= F~x + F~y + F~z
Force System Example Problems Summing Up Components to Obtain Resultants 3-d Force Systems

Example 2 I

Figure: A tower is attached to a wire by means of a bolt at A. The tension in wire is

2500 N. Determine (a) the x, y , z components of the force acting on the bolt, and (b)
the angles θx , θy , θz defining the direction of the force.

~ is:
The line of action of force is directed from A to B. So, direction vector AB

~
AB = dx iˆ + dy jˆ + dz k̂
~ (29)
AB = −40iˆ + 80jˆ + 30k̂
Force System Example Problems Summing Up Components to Obtain Resultants 3-d Force Systems

Example 2 II
The unit vector ~λ associated with the direction vector AB
~ is:

~
AB ~
AB
~λ = =
~
|AB| d (30)
~ −40iˆ + 80jˆ + 30k̂
AB =
94.3

So, the force vector is:

−40iˆ + 80jˆ + 30k̂

F~ = |F~ |~λ = 2500
94.3 (31)
= −1060iˆ + 2120jˆ + 795k̂
= F~x + F~y + F~z

The direction cosines and then the angles that the vector makes with the
three axes:

dx dy dz
cos(θx ) = ; cos(θy ) =
; cos(θz ) =
d d d
−40 80 30 (32)
=⇒ cos(θx ) = ; =⇒ cos(θy ) = ; =⇒ cos(θz ) =
94.3 94.3 94.3
=⇒ θx = 115.1◦ ; =⇒ θy = 32.0◦ ; =⇒ θz = 71.5 ◦