MECHANICS OF DEFORMABLE BODIES

CENTROIDS NOTES
TECHNOLOGICAL UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES
Centroid
 The area of the arbitrary planar surface

 First Moments with respect to x and y

 Coordinates of the Centroid, 𝑥ҧ

and 𝑦ത
Notes on Centroid
 The coordinates 𝑥ҧ and 𝑦തmay be
positive or negative, depending upon
the position of the centroid with
respect to the reference axes.
 Area symmetric about an axis:
• Centroid must lie on that axis; first moment
about that axis is zero.
• Need to compute one centroid coordinate only.
 Area with two axes of symmetry:
• By inspection, centroid is at the intersection of Area that is symmetric about
the axes. Area with two axes of a point
 Area symmetric about a point: symmetry

• Point (instead of axes) of symmetry

• Every line drawn through that point contacts
the area in a symmetrical manner.
• By inspection, the centroid coincides with the
center of symmetry.
Centroid of an Irregular Surface
 Strategy: Divide the area into small
finite elements and replace the
integrations with summations.

where:
 ∆𝐴𝑖 = area of the ith element
 n = no of elements,
 𝑥ҧ𝑖 , 𝑦 ത𝑖 = coordinates of the centroid
of ithelement
Example
 Problem:A parabolic semi-segment OAB is bounded by the x
axis, the y axis, and a parabolic curve having its vertex atA .
The equation of the curve is

in which b is the base and h is the height of the semi- segment.

Locate the centroid C of the semi-segment.
 Solution
1. Select an element dA: vertical strip of dx and height y.

2. Integrate the area over the interval x=0 to x =b.

Example
 Solution (continued)
3. Get the moment of dA with respect to x and y and integrate
to get the total moment. Note: The x and y coordinates of the
centroid of the element are x and y/2.

4. Compute the x and y coordinates of the Centroid of the

whole semi-segment.

Note: The centroid C may also be located by taking the element

of area dAas a horizontal strip of height dy and width
Centroid of a Composite Area
 Strategy: Divide the composite area  Illustration
into various parts. The sum of the
moments of the parts represents the
moment of the whole.

where:
 𝐴𝑖 = area of the ith part
 n = no of parts
 𝑥ҧ𝑖 , 𝑦ത𝑖=coordinates of the centroid of ith
part
 The centroid of the whole area is:

The area can be divided into two rectangles of areas A1 and A2

with centroids C1 and C2. The centroid of the whole area C is
expected to lie between the line connected the two centroids.
Centroid of a Composite Area
 Solution to the Illustration. Areas and  Illustration
centroidal coordinates of these two parts (A1
andA2):

The area and moments for the whole is:

The centroid of the whole area is:

Centroid of Composite Area Using Cutouts
 Example 1
 Strategy: Subtract the properties of
the inner rectangle efgh from the
properties of the outer rectangle abcd.
 Note: Think of the outer rectangle as a
“positive area” and the inner rectangle
as a “negative area.”
 Example 2
 Strategy: Subtract the properties of the
area of the hole from those of the outer
rectangle.
 Note: Same effect is achieved if we
treat the outer rectangle as a “positive
area” and the hole as a “negative area.”
Centroids of Composite Areas
 Problem:
The cross section of a steel beam is constructed of a
W 18 x 71 wide-flange section with a 6 in. x 1/2 in.
cover plate welded to the top flange and a C 10 x 30
channel section welded to the bottom flange (see
Figure).
Locate the centroid C of the cross-sectional area.

Tip: Use Tables for standard beam sections and

flanges.
Using Standard Tables
Using Standard Tables
Centroids of Composite Areas
 Solution
1. Let A1 = cover plate,A2= wide-flange section,A3 = channel section.
Their centroids are C1, C2, and C3.
2. System has axis of symmetry. All centroids lie on that axis.
3. Partial areas:
4.Select origin of our reference axes at centroid C2 of wide flange section
(Why?). Compute the distance of centroids of parts from reference frame.

5. GetAreaA and first moment Qx of the entire cross section.

6. Get y-coordinate of centroid C of the whole area.

below the x axis