Statics of Rigid Bodies

Couple and Reduction of Force Systems

Instructor: Sir Tim
1st Semester
ECE Department, TUP Manila Statics of Rigid Bodies Timothy M. Amado, ECE 1st Sem
Couples and Reduction of Force Systems

MOMENT OF A COUPLE

ECE Department, TUP Manila Statics of Rigid Bodies Timothy M. Amado, ECE 1st Sem
Couple
A couple is defined as two parallel forces that have
the same magnitude, but opposite directions, and
are separated by a perpendicular distance d

What is the resultant force of a couple system shown above?

1. F 2. 2F 3. 0

What type of motion does a couple introduce?

1. Translation 2. Rotation 3. Translation with Rotation

ECE Department, TUP Manila Statics of Rigid Bodies Timothy M. Amado, ECE 1st Sem
Moment of a Couple
The moment produced by a couple is called
a couple moment. Couple moment is given
by the following equations:

Scalar Formulation

Vector Formulation

ECE Department, TUP Manila Statics of Rigid Bodies Timothy M. Amado, ECE 1st Sem
Problem 1
Determine the resultant couple moment of
the three couples acting on the plate in
figure shown.

ANS: 950 ft-lb CW

ECE Department, TUP Manila Statics of Rigid Bodies Timothy M. Amado, ECE 1st Sem
Problem 2
Determine the couple moment acting on the
pipe shown below. Segment AB is directed
30° below the xy plane.

ANS: -130j lb-in

ECE Department, TUP Manila Statics of Rigid Bodies Timothy M. Amado, ECE 1st Sem
Problem 3
Determine the resultant couple moment
acting on the pipe assembly.

ANS: -20i -40j + 100k lb-ft

ECE Department, TUP Manila Statics of Rigid Bodies Timothy M. Amado, ECE 1st Sem
Problem 4
Determine the couple moment acting on the
pipe assembly and express the result as a
Cartesian vector.

ANS: 108j + 144k N-m

ECE Department, TUP Manila Statics of Rigid Bodies Timothy M. Amado, ECE 1st Sem
Couples and Reduction of Force Systems

REDUCTION OF FORCE SYSTEMS

ECE Department, TUP Manila Statics of Rigid Bodies Timothy M. Amado, ECE 1st Sem
Reduction of Force Systems
Sometimes it is convenient to reduce a
system of forces and couple moments acting
on a body to a simpler form by replacing it
with an equivalent system

ECE Department, TUP Manila Statics of Rigid Bodies Timothy M. Amado, ECE 1st Sem
Problem 1
Replace the force and couple system shown
in the figure by an equivalent resultant force
and couple moment acting at point O.

ANS:
FR = 8.578 kN θ = -49.3o
Mo = 2.459 kN-m, CW
ECE Department, TUP Manila Statics of Rigid Bodies Timothy M. Amado, ECE 1st Sem
Problem 2
Replace the force and couple system acting
on the member shown by an equivalent
resultant force and couple moment acting at
point O .

ANS:
FR = 460.977 N θ = -49.4o
Mo = 37.5 N-m, CW
ECE Department, TUP Manila Statics of Rigid Bodies Timothy M. Amado, ECE 1st Sem
Problem 3
Replace the loading system by an equivalent
resultant force and couple moment acting at
point O .

ANS:
FR = -160i -100j -120k N
Mo = -105i – 48j + 80k N-m
ECE Department, TUP Manila Statics of Rigid Bodies Timothy M. Amado, ECE 1st Sem
Problem 4
Replace the force and couple moment
system acting on the beam by an equivalent
resultant force, and find where its line of
action intersects the beam, measured from
point O .

ANS:
FR = 5.367 kN, θ = 26.6o
d = 2.25 m

ECE Department, TUP Manila Statics of Rigid Bodies Timothy M. Amado, ECE 1st Sem
Problem 5
The jib crane is subjected to three coplanar forces.
Replace this loading by an equivalent resultant
force and specify where the resultant’s line of
action intersects the column AB and boom BC.

ANS:
FR = 416.203 lb, θ = -141.3o
x = 10.885 ft, y = 2.292 ft
ECE Department, TUP Manila Statics of Rigid Bodies Timothy M. Amado, ECE 1st Sem
Couples and Reduction of Force Systems

SEATWORK

ECE Department, TUP Manila Statics of Rigid Bodies Timothy M. Amado, ECE 1st Sem
1. Determine the magnitude and sense of the single couple
that is equivalent to the two couples shown.

2. Replace the loading acting on the beam by a single

resultant force and a couple moment.

3. If the loading on the beam is replaced by a single resultant

force only, specify where the force acts, measured from end A

ECE Department, TUP Manila Statics of Rigid Bodies Timothy M. Amado, ECE 1st Sem
Thank you.
Couple and Reduction of Force System
Statics of Rigid Bodies

Timothy M. Amado
Faculty, Electronics Engineering Department
Technological University of the Philippines – Manila
tim.amado08@gmail.com

ECE Department, TUP Manila Statics of Rigid Bodies Timothy M. Amado, ECE 1st Sem