UNIVERSITY OF THE CORDILLERAS COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING AND ARCHITECTURE

MECH 1 STATICS OF RIGID BODIES

MODULE 3: EQUILIBRIUM
UNIT 1: EQUILIBRIUM OF CONCURRENT
PLANAR FORCE SYSTEMS
 UNIT LEARNING OUTCOMES
In this unit, here are the following desired learning outcomes:
✘ Define equilibrium.
✘ State the conditions of static equilibrium for concurrent forces.
✘ Solve for equilibrium of concurrent for systems.

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 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 module we shall determine and apply the conditions necessary to produce equilibrium for coplanar
force systems. The principles and techniques developed in this chapter are the basic fundamentals of statics;
the student is urged to master them. Actually what is studied is a method of reasoning - of learning how to
apply the basic concepts of the components of a force and its moment effect in the most efficient manner.

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 EQUILIBRIUM
Free-Body Diagram (FBD)

Problems in mechanics always involve the interaction of bodies upon one another. Successful solution of these
problems generally requires that the bodies be isolated from one another so that the forces involved may be
Analyzed and unknown forces determined. An isolated view of a body which shows only the external forces
exerted on the body is called a free-body diagram (frequently abbreviated as FBD). These external forces are
caused either by direct bodily contact or by gravitational or magnetic attraction.

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 TYPES OF SUPPORT REACTIONS
ROLLER HINGE/INTERNAL PIN
- Gives one (1) reaction. - Gives two (2) reactions.
- The reaction is always normal (perpendicular to - One horizontal and one vertical reaction,
the orientation of the plane where the roller is regardless of the orientation of the plane where
placed. the hinge is placed.

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 TYPES OF SUPPORT REACTIONS
FIXED SUPPORT ROPES/CABLES/CORDS
- Gives three (3) reactions. - Gives one (1) reaction.
- One perpendicular and one parallel reaction to - The reaction is always a tensile force (pulling,
the orientation of the plane where the fixed going away)
support is placed.
- One moment reaction

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 EQUILIBRIUM OF
CONCURRENT FORCE
SYSTEMS

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CONDITIONS OF STATIC EQULIBRIUM OF CONCURRENT
FORCES

The conditions of equilibrium for Obviously, the resultant will be zero

concurrent force systems are and equilibrium will exist when the
obtained by determining the following equations are satisfied:
equations that produce a zero
resultant. Σ𝐹𝑥 = 0

𝑅= (Σ𝐹𝑥 )2 +(Σ𝐹𝑦 )2 Σ𝐹𝑦 = 0

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EXAMPLE 1. Σ𝐹𝑥 = 0 Σ𝐹𝑦 = 0

Determine the magnitude of P 𝑆𝑜𝑙𝑢𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛:

and F necessary to keep the 𝛴𝐹𝑋 = 0
concurrent force system.
𝐹 𝑐𝑜𝑠 60∘ + 200 𝑐𝑜𝑠 45∘ = 300 + 𝑃 𝑐𝑜𝑠 30∘
𝑃 𝑐𝑜𝑠 30∘ − 𝐹 𝑐𝑜𝑠 60∘ = 200 𝑐𝑜𝑠 45∘ − 300 → 𝐸𝑞𝑛. 1
𝑦
∑𝐹𝑌 = 0
𝐹𝑠𝑖𝑛 60∘ = 200𝑠𝑖𝑛 45∘ + 𝑃𝑠𝑖𝑛 30∘
𝑃 𝑠𝑖𝑛 30∘ − 𝐹 𝑠𝑖𝑛 60∘ = −200𝑠𝑖𝑛 45∘ → 𝐸𝑞𝑛. 2
𝑆𝑜𝑙𝑣𝑒 𝑏𝑦 𝑠𝑢𝑏𝑠𝑡𝑖𝑡𝑢𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛
𝑥
𝐹 = 317.16 + 1.7320𝑃 → 𝑓𝑟𝑜𝑚 𝐸𝑞𝑛. 1
(317.16 + 1.7320𝑃)𝑠𝑖𝑛 60∘ = 200𝑠𝑖𝑛 45∘ + 𝑃𝑠𝑖𝑛 30∘
74.67 + 1.5𝑃 = 141.42 + 0.5𝑃
𝑃 = −133.25 𝑁
𝐹 = 317.16 + 1.7320(−133.25)
𝑅𝑒𝑞𝑢𝑖𝑟𝑒𝑑:
𝐹 = 86.37 𝑁
𝑃 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝐹
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EXAMPLE 2. Σ𝐹𝑥 = 0 Σ𝐹𝑦 = 0

Determine the tension in each 𝐹𝑟𝑒𝑒 − 𝐵𝑜𝑑𝑦 𝐷𝑖𝑎𝑔𝑟𝑎𝑚𝑠:

cable.
𝐾𝑛𝑜𝑡 1: 𝐾𝑛𝑜𝑡 2:

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EXAMPLE 2. …CONTINUED Σ𝐹𝑥 = 0 Σ𝐹𝑦 = 0

Determine the tension in 𝐹𝑟𝑒𝑒 − 𝐵𝑜𝑑𝑦 𝐷𝑖𝑎𝑔𝑟𝑎𝑚𝑠:

each cable.
𝐾𝑛𝑜𝑡 1:

𝑆𝑜𝑙𝑢𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛:
𝛴𝐹𝑋 = 0
𝑦
−𝐶𝑠𝑖𝑛30∘ + 𝐷 𝑠𝑖𝑛 75∘ = 0 → 𝐸𝑞𝑛. 1
∑𝐹𝑌 = 0
𝐶𝑐𝑜𝑠30∘ + 𝐷 𝑐𝑜𝑠 75∘ − 400 = 0
𝐶𝑐𝑜𝑠30∘ + 𝐷 𝑐𝑜𝑠 75∘ = 400 → 𝐸𝑞𝑛. 2
𝑥

𝑆𝑜𝑙𝑣𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝐸𝑞𝑛. 1 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝐸𝑞𝑛 2.

𝐶 = 400 𝑙𝑏
𝐷 = 207.055 𝑙𝑏

𝑅𝑒𝑞𝑢𝑖𝑟𝑒𝑑:
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EXAMPLE 2. …CONTINUED Σ𝐹𝑥 = 0 Σ𝐹𝑦 = 0

Determine the tension in 𝐹𝑟𝑒𝑒 − 𝐵𝑜𝑑𝑦 𝐷𝑖𝑎𝑔𝑟𝑎𝑚:

each cable.
𝐾𝑛𝑜𝑡 2:

𝑆𝑜𝑙𝑢𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛: 𝑆𝑢𝑚𝑚𝑎𝑟𝑦:

∑𝐹𝑌 = 0 𝐴 = 846.410 𝑙𝑏

𝐵𝑠𝑖𝑛45∘ − 𝐶 𝑐𝑜𝑠 30∘ − 300 = 0 𝐵 = 914.162 𝑙𝑏

𝐵𝑠𝑖𝑛45∘ − 400 𝑐𝑜𝑠 30∘ − 300 = 0 𝐶 = 400 𝑙𝑏

𝐵 = 914.162 𝑙𝑏 𝐷 = 207.055 𝑙𝑏

𝛴𝐹𝑋 = 0
𝐵𝑐𝑜𝑠45∘ − 𝐴 + 𝐶 𝑠𝑖𝑛 30∘ = 0
914.162𝑐𝑜𝑠45∘ − 𝐴 + 400 𝑠𝑖𝑛 30∘ = 0
𝐴 = 846.410 𝑙𝑏

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 Let’s review some concepts

For a system to be in For concurrent

equilibrium, the forces,
magnitude of the Σ𝐹𝑥 = 0
resultant must be
zero. Σ𝐹𝑦 = 0

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