INTRODUCTION TO

ENGINEERING MECHANICS
By: ENGR. ORLANDO B. BARDON, MSCE, RMP
Introduction to Engineering Mechanics Contents

• Definition of Mechanics and its Classification

• Basic Concepts

• Types of Forces

• Basic Laws of Mechanics

• System of Units
Definition & Classification

• Mechanics is a branch of science which deals with the study of physical

state of bodies at rest and in motion under the action of force. (Newton)

Planning, Designing
and Construction
 Definition & Classification

Engineering Mechanics

Mechanics of Solids Mechanics of Fluids

Mechanics of Rigid Mechanics of Deformable 1. Ideal Fluids

Bodies Bodies 2. Viscous Fluids
3. Incompressible Fluids
1. Strength of Materials
Statics Dynamics 2. Theory of Elasticity
3. Theory of Plasticity
Kinematics Kinetics
Basic Concepts
• Length
- the concept to measure linear distances. It is the distance between two points
• Time
- the concept of succession of events.
• Mass
- the quantity of matter contained in a body, independent of the gravitational force
• Weight
- the force with which any mass containing body is attracted towards the center of the
earth due to gravity. Hence, it is a vector quantity, and always acts vertically downwards.
W = m*g (g = 9.81 m/s^2)
• Momentum
- measure of motion or the quantity of motion an object has. (Momentum = m*v)
Basic Concepts
• Rigid Body
- a body in which deformation is negligible or equivalent to zero under the action of forces.

• Deformable Body
- a body that deforms when force is applied

• Force
- a push or a pull upon an object
- can be completely defined by its 4 characteristics namely,
magnitude, point of application, line of action, and direction
 Basic Concepts/Types of Forces

Line of Action Types of Forces

Point of Direction • Tensile Force
Application - a force that tends to pull the objects apart
Magnitude
• Compressive Force
- a force that tends to compress an object

• Shear Force
- a force that tends to slice an object
(always parallel to the surface of an object)
• Bending Force
- a force that tends to bend an object
(also termed as flexural force)
Basic Laws of Mechanics
• Newton’s First Law (Law of Inertia)
- an object originally at rest, or moving with constant velocity, tends to remain in its state
unless subjected to an unbalanced force.

• Newton’s Second Law

- the rate of change of momentum of a body is directly proportional to the applied force
and takes place in the direction of the force acting it. F= momentum

But momentum = mass * velocity, and mass do not change

Force = mass * rate of change of velocity
Force = mass * acceleration
F = m*a
• Newton’s Third Law
- for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction
Basic Laws of Mechanics
• Newton’s Universal Law of Gravitation
- each and every mass in the universe exerts a mutual, attractive gravitational force on
every other mass in the universe
𝐺∗𝑚1∗𝑚2
F=
𝑟2
Let,
m1 = m (mass of an object in the earths surface)
m2 = M (mass of the earth)

𝐺∗𝑚∗𝑀 𝐺∗𝑀
W= ; g = 2
𝑟2 𝑟

W=𝑚∗𝑔
Basic Laws of Mechanics
• Law of Transmissibility of Forces
- if the point of application of a force acting on a rigid body is transmitted to act at any
other point along its line of action, the state of rest or motion of the rigid body will remain
unchanged.

Changing the position of the force along its line of action would have no effect on the final outcome
System of Units
System of Units
System of Units