Engineering Mechanics

Statics of Rigid Bodies

 What is Engineering Mechanics?
• The study of forces and their effects on rigid
bodies

• 2 DIVISIONS OF ENGINEERING MECHANICS

• Statics – study of objects in equilibrium

• Dynamics – study of objects in motion
 Engineering mechanics

Statics Dynamics

Force System Application Kinematics Kinetics

Concurrent Trusses Translation Translation

Parallel Centroids Rotation Rotation
Non-concurrent Friction Plane motion Plane motion
 Subdivision of Statics
• Forces
- concurrent and non-concurrent
- parallel
- coplanar and non-coplanar

• Applications
- trusses and frames
- centroids
- friction
 Dynamics
• Kinematics
- translation
- rotation
- plane motion

• Kinetics
- translation
- rotation
- plane motion
• FUNDAMENTAL CONCEPT AND DEFINITION
• rigid body – is one which does not deform. It remains
unchanged under the action of external forces. It has a
definite amount of matter, the parts of w/c are fixed in
position relative to each other. (steel, iron, wood, etc.)
• Force – a push or pull that change the state of motion and
direction of a body or change the shape of the body.
– External effects tends to change the motion
– Internal effects produce stress and deformation
– Unit of force  pounds, kips (1000lbs.), Newton, kiloNewton
Characteristics of Force
- magnitude
- position of line of action (LOA)
- direction (sense) in which the force acts along its LOA
Principle of Transmissibility- A force may be moved
anywhere along its line of action w/o changing external
effect on a rigid body.
Force System- any arrangement where two or more
forces act on a body or on a group of related bodies
*Coplanar- when the line of action of all the forces in
a force system lie in one plane
*Non Coplanar- when it is not coplanar
Classification of Force System accdg. to their LOA.
1. Concurrent forces- forces whose line of action pass
through a common point.
2. Parallel force system- those w/c the LOA are parallel.
3. Non-concurrent forces system-those in w/c the LOA are
neither parallel nor intersect in a common point.
Scalars- a quantity w/c has a magnitude only but
no direction.
Example: volume,Area,Length,Power

Vectors- a quantity having magnitude and direction

*displacement = 10m due north
*velocity = 20m/s, 40ᵒN of east
*Force = 100N, 60°S of E 60°
= 100N , 30° E of S 100N = 100N ,
S 30° E
= 100N , 60° below +X-axis
 Axiom of Mechanics
1. The parallelogram law: the resultant of two
forces is the diagonal of the parallelogram
formed on the vectors of these forces.
2. Two forces are in equilibrium only when equal in
magnitude, opposite in direction and collinear in
action.
3. A set of forces in equilibrium may be added to
any system of forces w/o changing the effect of
the original system.
4. Action and reaction forces are equal but
oppositely directed.
• Resultant- the sum of two or more vectors w/c
produces same effect as the given set of vectors.
• Equilibrant – is a force which brings the system in
equilibrium state. It is considered to be the force equal
and opposite of the resultant force. 
Methods of finding the resultant
1. Graphical method
a) Parallelogram method – the resultant of two forces is
the diagonal of the parallelogram formed on the
vectors of these forces
b) Triangle method- Forces are placed tip to tail and their
resultant is the 3rd side of the triangle or the closing
line from the origin to the tip of the last vector.
2. Analytical method-
a) Triangle method- for 2 vectors resultant can be
determined analytically by using cosine law, sine law
and the Pythagorean theorem.
by cosine law
R²
β = F² + P² - 2FPcosθ , θ = 180-φ

R R²φP = F² + P² + 2FPcosφ
θ
by sine law
α F

recall: sin(A ± B) , cos(A ± B) , tan(A ± B)

b) component method-resolve vectors into its
rectangular components w/c are the added
algebraically and the resultant will be obtained by
Pythagorean theorem.
Component of a force - are the legs of the right triangle
whose hypotenuse is F
Fx = F cosθx - x-component of F is the projection along the x-axis
Fy = F sinθx - y-component of F is the projection along the y-axis
F = √(Fx)² + (Fy)²

• θx – angular direction of F with respect to x-axis

• θy – angular direction of F with respect to y-axis
• θx = Arctan(Fy/Fx)

when F is given in angular direction

The direction of F is determined by

the signs of its components
• when F is given in slope direction
Free vector of Fx

B C
c Free vector of Fy
a
b
O A

Free vector – one w/c does not show the point of application of the vector (as
distinguished from localized vector)
AC= free vector and Fy is the localized vector

by similar triangle
 Direction
Sign of Sign of of F with
Diagram
Fx Fy respect to
origin O
y
+ + Up to right θx

Down to θx
+ -
right

- + Up to left θx

- - Down to left θx
F
Example 1: A force of 200N is directed as shown.
Determine the x and y component of the force.
500N
3
4
60°

200N
Example 2: Determine the components of 500N force
directed up to left at a slope of 3 to 4 as shown.

Example 3: Determine the force P and its direction if

the components are: Px = -150N and Py = -200N
Problems:
1. The triangular block shown is subjected to loads
P=1600 # and F=600 lb. If AB=8 in. and BC= 6 in. ,
resolve each load into component normal and
tangential to AC.
a

P=1600#

c b
F=600 lbs.
2) The body on the 30° incline in the figure is acted upon
by a force P inclined at 20° w/ the horizontal. If P is
resolved into components parallel and perpendicular to
the incline and the value of the parallel component is
400#. Compute the value of the perpendicular component
and that of P.

P
20°

30°
3) Resolve the 200N force into components along:
a) x and y axes y
b) x’ and y axes P=200N

c) x and y’ axes
30°
20° x

x’
4) The resultant of the two forces has a magnitude of
650 lbs. Determine the direction of the resultant and
the magnitude of P.
5) The total aerodynamic force F acting on the airplane has a
magnitude of 6250N. Resolve this force into vertical and
horizontal components (called the lift and drag respectively)

6°

6) The 500N weight is supported by 2 cables, the cable forces

being F₁ and F₂. Knowing that the resultant of F₁ and F₂ is
the force of magnitude 500N acting in the y-direction.
Determine F₁ and F₂.

F₁ F₂
35° 50°

500N
7. The force P of magnitude 50 kN is U Y
157°
acting at 215° from the x-axis. Find 215°
X
the components of P in u-axis, if u and v-axes -69°
are 157° and -69° from x respectively.
P
8. Find the components in the x, y, u and
V
v directions of the force P = 10 kN shown in the figure.
V P
Y X
4 1
3
2

9. In the figure shown (above right), the x-component of P is

893N.Determine P and its y-component. The given slope is
relative to H and V axes.
• Resultant of 3 or more Concurrent Forces
2 Ways to Determine the resultant
1. Graphically
a) parallelogram law - 2 vectors can be added to
give a resultant (R1); this resultant in turn can be
added to the 3rd vector to give an overall resultant.

Q S
P R₁
Q R
P R

S
b) Triangle law – vectors are placed tip to tail. The
resultant is from tail of the first vector to the tip of the
last vector ( or the closing line is the resultant).
*** ∆ law is the corollary of law ***
2. Analytical Method – Vectors are resolved into
components. The components of each vector with
respect to x and y axes can be added algebraically
and the resulting additions will be the components of
the total resultant.

Sy Qy
Rx=∑Fx=
S sum of all hor. forces
Q
Ry=∑Fy= sum of all vert. forces
Ry Py P R R = total resultant
θ

Pₓ Qₓ Sₓ

Rₓ
θ = Arctan (Ry/Rx)
Example: Determine the magnitude of the resultant and
its direction.
• Force System in 3D space
Given 3 concurrent forces Fx, Fy, Fz w/c are
perpendicular to each other.
Required: the resultant
Fy Fx – x-component of F
Fy – y-component of F
F Fz – z-component of F
θz θy F = √ (Fx² + Fy² + Fz²)
θx Fy
θx - angle bet. the resultant F and x-axis
Fz θy - angle bet. the resultant F and y-axis
The main diagonal is theθztotal resultant
- angle bet. theof the rectangular
resultant F and z-axis
parallelepiped formed by Fx, Fy, Fz
The angle closest to the figure is θy… θx and θz is not clear since
they are angles in space
Note: The box is geometrically similar to the rectangular
parallelepiped formed by the force.
*resultant and the components are proportional to the
main diagonal of the box and to x,y,z distances
respectively
Vector Notation of the Force (Rectangular Representation of
a Force)
λ is the unit vector that described direction in space and
has a magnitude of 1
i, j, k  base vectors in the direction of x, y, & z respectively
then: F = Fλ
F = Fx i + Fy j + Fz k
Where : Fx i, Fy j, Fz k are vector components of F
Fx – x-component of F
Fy – y-component of F
Fz – z-component of F
F = √ (Fx² + Fy² + Fz²)
λ
Ex: The 500 N force that passes from A(4, 0, 3) to B(0,
6, 0), find the rectangular representation of the force
and its direction angles.

dAB=6i−3j−4k m (position vector)

  Unit vector from A to B:
λAB = dAB ÷ dAB (position vector ÷its’ magnitude)
λAB=(6i−3j−4k) ÷ √[6²+(−3)²+ (−4)²]
λAB= 0.76822i − 0.38411j − 0.51215k 
Rectangular representation of F:
F=FλAB
F = 500(0.76822i − 0.38411j − 0.51215k)
F = 384.110i − 192.055j − 256.075k N
Ex: Determine the angle between vector A and the x-axis.
θx =71.3∘

θx
MOMENT OF A FORCE
• Moment is the measure of the capacity or ability of the force to
produce twisting or turning effect about an axis. This axis is
perpendicular to the plane containing the line of action of the
force.
• Moment - is equal to the product of the force and the
perpendicular distance from the axis to the line of action of the
force. ie: M = F x d
• Moment center (O)- the intersection
of the plane and the axis.
• Moment arm (d) - the perpendicular
distance from the moment center
to the line of action of the force.

M=Fxd
PRINCIPLE OF MOMENT (VARIGNON’S THEOREM)
- states that the moment of a force is equivalent to the sum of
the moments of its components

Application of the principle of moments

Consider a force F making an angle θ with the x-axis , passes

through a point A having a coordinates (x,y)
F

θ
A (x, y)

C d
O
Example 1:
A
In the figure, a force F causes a CCW
C
moment of 150 Nm about A, a CW
moment of 100 Nm about B and a zero
moment about C. Determine the force B
and its x-intercept (xi), if AC= 2m, OC= O

3m and OB= 5m.

Example2:
In Fig. P-226 assuming clockwise
moments as positive, compute the
moment of force F = 450 N and force P
= 361 N about points A, B, C, and D.
RESULTANT OF PARALLEL FORCES
** Parallel force system – a system of forces which
the LOA of all the forces are parallel.
** The resultant of any system of forces is
determined when its magnitude, direction and
position are known.
** To determine the position of the RESULTANT (R)
Select a moment center and employ the
principle of moment  that is the moment of the
resultant equals the moment sum of its parts.
M₀ᴿ = ∑M₀ or Rd = ∑M₀
Types of loadings:

1. Concentrated load 4. trapezoidal load

P
(w₂-w₁)
R=R₁+R R₂
R₁
₂ w₂
Uniformly distributed load w w₁
₁

w
R = w₁L+½(w₂-
L w₁)L
R = wL x = ½L 5. Spandrel load
Varying load (triangular load) n° n is the
w degree
of curve
w L
L

R = ½wL x = ⅓L
 COUPLES
** Two parallel forces, non-collinear forces that
are equal in magnitude and opposite in
direction are known as couples
Two things to consider when the resultant is zero:
** when resultant force of the system is zero but
has a resultant moment then there’s a couple
acting on the system
** when the resultant is zero and the moment
sum is also zero  the system is in equilibrium.
Consider the figure: F
Two parallel forces w/c is a
d • •
d-distance between them A B
F

Couple is made up two equal, parallel but oppositely directed

forces. It is equal to the product of one of the forces times
the perpendicular distance between their line of action.
Moment sum is constant and independent of the moment
center. The moment of a couple is the same about every
point
Effect Of Cou[ple Is Unchanged If:
(1) Rotated through any angle in its plane
(2) Shifted to any other position in its plane
(3) Shifted to a parallel plane
Effect Of Cou[ple Is Unchanged If:
(1) Rotated through any angle in its plane (2) Shifted to any other position in its plane (3) Shifted to a parallel plane

Equivalent couples
100 N 100 N 200 N 200 N

1m

2m
2m

a) Orig. 200N∙m b) F&d are c) Rotate orig. couple

ccw couple change in its plane
y

100 N
100 N C=200Nm
100 N 100 N

↺
x
2m

d) Move orig. couple

e) Move orig. couple e) Moment of a
to a parallel position
to a parallel plane couple, commonly
its plane
called couple
Reduction of a Force system into a Force and a couple
INTRODUCE AN EQUAL AND OPPOSITE FORCES AT B

A d •B

ORIG. FORCE SYSTEM

EXAMPLE: The coplanar force system consist of 3 forces

and one couple. Determine the equivalent force – couple
system with the force acting at point C.
90N 50N
40°
600mm

3
40N∙m --cw
•
500mm

100N 800mm
1) A flat plate shown is acted on by the couples;
a) Replace the couples with 2 vertical forces acting
at point O and A
RESULTANT OF NON-CONCURRENT FORCES
- The effect of an unbalanced non-concurrent force
system on a body is to give the body a motion
consisting of a combined translation and rotation.
- Translational effect is determined by the magnitude of
the resultant whose components are; Rx and Ry
- Rotational effect is determined by the moment of the
resultant force which maybe expressed in terms of
applied forces by: Rd= ∑M

- Rx = ∑Fx Ry =∑Fy
Component of a force
when F is given in angular direction
• The components are the legs of the right triangle
whose hypotenuse is F
• The x-component (Fx) of a vector is the projection
along the x-axis
• The y-component (Fy) of a vector is the projection
along the y-axis
• θx – angular direction of F with respect to x-axis
• θy – angular direction of F with respect to y-axis

The direction of F is
determined by the signs of its
components
 Conditions of Equilibrium
• Free-body diagram – a sketch of isolated
bodies showing all forces acting on the body

• Action forces (applied forces) – are forces

acting on the free-body

• Reaction forces – are forces exerted by the

free-body upon other bodies
 Cartesian Components of Vectors
• 2-Dimensional
• Given 2 vectors, U and V, the sum of the
components in each coordinate direction
equals the component of U + V in that
direction.
• U = Uxi + Uyj , V = Vxi + Vyj

• U + V = (Uxi + Uyj) + (Vxi + Vyj)

= (Uxi + Vxi) + (Uyj + Vyj)
= (Ux + Vx) i + (Uy + Vy) j
 Cartesian Components of Vectors
• 2-Dimensional
• The components of U + V are the sums of the
components of the vectors U & V.

• The magnitude of U + V is
_______________________________________

I U + V I = √ (Ux + Vx)2 + (Uy + Vy)2

 Example 3: Adding Vectors in Terms of
Components

• The force acting on the sail plane are its

weight = -600j (lb), the drag = -200i + 100j
(lb) and lift. If the sum of the forces on the
sail plane is zero, what are the components
of lift?
 Adding Vectors in Terms of Components

• If the lift has the components 200i + 500j,

the drag increases by a factor of 2, what is
the magnitude of the sum of the forces on
the sail plane?
 Example 4: Determining Vector
Components in terms of Angle

• The hydraulic cylinder exerts 4000 lbs force

F on the bed of a dump truck. Express F in
terms of its vector components using the
Cartesian coordinate system.
 Example 5: Determining Vector
Components

• The cable from A to B exerts 800 N force F

on the top of a TV transmission tower.
Resolve F into components and express F
using Cartesian components.
 Example 6: Determining Unknown
Vector
• Cables A and B exert forces Fa and Fb on
the hook. The magnitude of Fa is 100 lbs.
The tension in cable B has been adjusted
so that the total force Fa + Fb is
perpendicular to the wall to which the hook
is attached. Find the magnitude of Fb.What
is the magnitude of the total force exerted
on the hook by the cables.
 Seatwork / Homework
• A BOAT HAS A SPEED OF 8 MPH IN
STILL WATER ATTEMPTS TO GO
DIRECTLY ACROSS A RIVER WITH A
CURRENT SPEED OF 3 MPH. WHAT IS
THE EFFECTIVE SPEED OF THE BOAT?
• A SHIP MOVING NORTH AT 10 MPH. A
PASSENGER WALKS SOUTHEAST
ACROSS THE DECK AT 5 MPH. IN WHAT
DIRECTION AND HOW FAST IS THE
MAN MOVING RELATIVE TO THE
EARTH’S SURFACE?
 Seatwork / Homework
• A PLANE IS HEADED DUE EAST WITH
AIR SPEED OF 240 KPH. IF THE WIND
OF 40 KPH IS BLOWING FROM THE
NORTH, FIND THE GROUND SPEED OF
THE PLANE.
• A MAN WISHES TO CROSS DUE WEST
ON A RIVER WHICH IS FLOWING DUE
NORTH AT A RATE OF 3 MPH. IF HE CAN
ROW 12 MPH IN STILL WATER, WHAT
DIRECTION SHOULD HE TAKE TO
CROSS THE RIVER?
 Components of a Vector

• A component is a part
• It is useful to use rectangular
components
– These are the projections of the
vector along the x- and y-axes
• Vector A is now a sum of its
components:
    
A  Ax  Ay What are Ax Ay
and ?
 Vector Components in 3-D
• By vector components, U = Ux + Uy + Uz

• By unit vectors i, j and k, the scalar

components of U is U = Ux i + Uy j + Uz k

• The magnitude of vector U in terms of

components is
___________________________

I U I = √ Ux2 + Uy2 + Uz2

Example 7: Magnitude and Direction
Cosines of a Vector

• An engineer designing a threshing machine

determines that at a particular time, the
position vectors of the ends A and B of a
shaft are rA =3i – 4j – 12k (ft) and rB = -i + 7j
+ 6k (ft).
Example 7: Magnitude and Direction
Cosines of a Vector
• What is the magnitude of rA
• Find θx , θy and θz between rA and the
positive coordinates
• Determine the scalar components of the
position vector of end B of the shaft relative
to A
 Example 8: Determining Scalar
Components
• A crane exerts a 600 lb force F on a
caisson. The angle between F and x-axis is
54deg and between F and y-axis is 40deg.
The z-component is positive.

• Express F in terms of components Fx, Fy

and Fz.
 Components of a Vector
• The components are the legs of the right triangle
whose hypotenuse is A
1
Ay
A  A x  A y and   tan
2 2

Ax
• The x-component of a vector
is the projection along the x-axis

Ax  A cos
• The y-component of a vector
Ay
is the projection along the y-axis
Ay  A sin 
  
• Then,
A  Ax  Ay
 Notes About Components

• The previous equations are valid only if θ is

measured with respect to the x-axis
• The components can be positive or negative
and will have the same units as the original
vector
Example 1
A golfer takes two putts to get his ball into the hole once he is on the green. The
first putt displaces the ball 6.00 m east, and the second, 5.40 m south. What
displacement would have been needed to get the ball into the hole on the first putt?

Given: Solution:
6.00 m
Dx1= 6.00 m (east) 1. Note right triangle, use
Dx2= 5.40 m (south) Pythagorean theorem 5.40 m

R  6.00 m  5.40 m 8.07 m

2 2

Find: 2. Find angle:

R=?

 5.40 m 
  tan 1    tan 1  0.900   42.0
 6.00 m 
 What Components Are Good For:
Adding Vectors Algebraically
• Choose a coordinate system and sketch the
vectors v1, v2, …
• Find the x- and y-components of all the vectors
• Add all the x-components
– This gives Rx:

Rx   v x
Magnitudes of vectors
pointing in the same
direction can be added
to find the resultant!
• Add all the y-components
– This gives Ry:
Ry   v y
 Adding Vectors Algebraically (cont.)

• Use the Pythagorean Theorem to find the

magnitude of the Resultant:

R  R 2x  R 2y
• Use the inverse tangent function to find
the direction of R:

1
Ry
  tan
Rx