Chapter Six Friction

Example 17: The uniform stone in Figure (a) has a mass of 500-kg and is held in
the horizontal position using a wedge at B. if the coefficient of static friction s =
0.3 at the surface of contact, determine the minimum force P needed to remove the

wedge. Assume that the stone dose not slip at A.

Solution: From free-body diagram of the stone,

MA = 0 + ; -4905 (0.5) + (NB cos7o)(1) + (0.3NB) sin7o(1) = 0

NB = 2383.1 N

Using this result for the wedge, we have

Fy = 0 +  NC - 2383.1cos7o – 0.3(2383.1)sin7o = 0

NC = 2452.5 N

Fx = 0 + ; 2383.1sin7o – 0.3(2383.1)cos7o +P – 0.3(2452.5) = 0

P = 1154.9 N =1.15 kN

Univ. of Qadisiyah\College of Eng.\Civil Eng. Dept. (252) Mechanic\Static\1st Class

Chapter Six Friction

Note: Since P is positive. Indeed wedge must be pulled out. If P were zero, the
wedge would remain in place (self-locking) and the frictional forces developed at
B and C would satisfy [FB < s NB] and [FC < s NC].

Ropes and Flat Belts

Consider a thin, flat belt that passes over a cylinder of

radius r, as shown in Figure (a). Assume that there are
friction between the belt and the cylinder; the tensions T1
and T2 are not equal.

Because the direction of impending motion (or motion)

of the belt is assumed to be clockwise, equilibrium
implies that T2 > T1 . Because the contact forces are
distributed, it is necessary to perform the equilibrium
analysis on an infinitesimal (differential) length of the
belt that subtends the differential angle d.

The free-body diagram of the differential element is

shown in Figure (c).

Equilibrium of forces in the tangential direction yields

+ d d
 Ft  0 (T  dT ) cos  T cos  dF  0 (a)
2 2

Because the cosine of an infinitesimal angle equals 1, Eq.

(a) reduces to

dF = dT (b)

The balance of forces in the normal direction gives

d d
 Fn  0 + dN  (T  dT ) sin  T sin 0 (c)
2 2

Assuming that α is measured in radians, sin(dα/2)  dα/2, an identity that is valid

for infinitesimal angles. Making this substitution gives

Univ. of Qadisiyah\College of Eng.\Civil Eng. Dept. (253) Mechanic\Static\1st Class

Chapter Six Friction

d d
dN  (T  dT ) T 0 (d)
2 2

Neglecting the product of differentials (dT. d) compared to Td (this is not an
approximation), we have

dN = T d (e)

If the belt is slipping or if motion impends, we have the additional equation

dF = μ dN,

where μ = μk (slipping), or μ = μs (impending slipping).

Substituting this for dF in Eq. (b) and eliminating dN between Eqs. (b) and (e), we
obtain

dT
 d (f)
T

Integrating both sides of Eq. (f) over the contact angle θ shown in Fig.(a), we get
T2 dT 
T1 T
   d
0

Noting that T =T1 when α =0, and T = T2 when α = θ, integration yields

ln(T2/T1) = μθ

which can be written as

T2 = T1eμθ …(6-6)

where  angle of belt to surface contact measured in radians.

Note: T2 is the belt tension that is directed opposite the belt friction. Thus, T2 must
always refer to the larger of the two tensions.

Univ. of Qadisiyah\College of Eng.\Civil Eng. Dept. (254) Mechanic\Static\1st Class

Chapter Six Friction

Example 18: The block of weight W is supported by a rope that is wrapped one-
and-one-half times around the circular peg. Determine the range of values of P for
which the block remains at rest. The coefficient of static friction between the rope
and the peg is 0.2.

Solution: The angle of contact is

θ = 1.5(2π) = 3π rad,

T2 = T1 e s = T1 e0.2(3π) = 6.59T1

The largest value of P for equilibrium occurs when the block is on the
verge of moving upward. For this case we must substitute

T1 = W and T2 = P

The result is P = 6.59W.

The smallest value of P corresponds to impending motion of the block downward,

when W will be larger than P. Substituting

T1 = P and T2 = W,

we have W = 6.59P, or P = W/6.59 = 0.152W.

Therefore, the block is at rest if P is in the range

0.152W ≤ P ≤ 6.59W

Univ. of Qadisiyah\College of Eng.\Civil Eng. Dept. (255) Mechanic\Static\1st Class

Chapter Six Friction

Example 19: The maximum tension that can be developed in the cord shown in
Figure (a) is 500 N. If the pulley at A is free to rotate and the coefficient of static
friction at the fixed drums B and C is s = 0.25, determine the largest mass of the
cylinder that can be lifted by the cord.

Solution: Lifting the cylinder, which has a weight W = mg, causes the cord to
move counterclockwise over the drums at B and C; hence, the maximum tension T2
in the cord occurs at D. Thus, T = T2 = 500 N.

The angle between the drum and the cord is 

= (135o/180o)  = 3/4 rad.

T2 = T1eμ θ 500 = T1e0.25[3π/4]

Hence,

500 500
T1  0.25[ 3 / 4 ]
  277.4 N
e 1.8

Since the pulley at A is free to rotate, equilibrium requires that the tension in the
cord remains the same on both sides of the pulley.

The drum at C gives:

T2 = T1eμ θ 277.4 = We0.25[3π/4]

W = 153.9 N

W 153 .9
So that m   15.7 kg
g 9.81

Univ. of Qadisiyah\College of Eng.\Civil Eng. Dept. (256) Mechanic\Static\1st Class

Chapter Six Friction

Example 20: As shown in Fig. (a), a flexible belt placed around a rotating drum
of 4-inch radius acts as a brake when the arm ABCD is pulled down by the force P.
The coefficient of kinetic friction between the belt and the drum is 0.2. Determine
the force P that would result in a braking torque of 400-lb·in., assuming that the
drum is rotating counterclockwise. Neglect the weight of the brake arm.

Solution: The distributed contact forces exerted by the drum

have been replaced by the equivalent force-couple system at
O.

MO = 0 + ; (4) (TC − TB) − 400 = 0

TC = 100 + TB (a)

Remember that T2 = T1eμ θ

Substituting μ = μk = 0.2, T1 = TB, T2 = TC (note that TC > TB), and

θ = 240(π/180) = 1.333π rad, we obtain

TC = TB e0.2(1.333π) = 2.311TB (b)

The solution of Eqs. (a) and (b) is

TB = 76.3 lb and TC = 176.3 lb.

The FBD of the brake arm, shown in Fig. (c):

Univ. of Qadisiyah\College of Eng.\Civil Eng. Dept. (257) Mechanic\Static\1st Class

Chapter Six Friction

MA = 0 + ; TB sin 60◦(2) + TC sin 60◦(6) − P(8) = 0

Substituting the values for TB and TC, and solving for P, gives

P = 131.0 lb.

Univ. of Qadisiyah\College of Eng.\Civil Eng. Dept. (258) Mechanic\Static\1st Class

Chapter Six Friction

Univ. of Qadisiyah\College of Eng.\Civil Eng. Dept. (259) Mechanic\Static\1st Class

Chapter Seven Kinematics of a Particle

KINEMATICS OF A PARTICLE

Dynamics: is a branch of rigid body mechanics which deals with the accelerated
motion of a body. The subject of dynamics will be presented in two parts:

 Kinematics: which treats only the geometric aspects of the motion, and

 Kinetics: which is the analysis of the forces causing the motion.

Rectilinear Kinematics: Continuous Motion

This subject deals the kinematics of a particle that moves along a
rectilinear or straight line path. The kinematics of a particle is characterized by
specifying, at any given instant, the particle's position, velocity, and
acceleration.
The position (s): is used to specify the location of the particle at any given
instant. The magnitude of s is the distance from O to the particle, usually
measured in meters (m) or feet (ft), and the sense of
direction is defined by the algebraic sign on s.
In this case s is positive since the coordinate axis is positive to the right of
the origin. Likewise, it is negative if the particle is located to the left of O.
Realize that position is a vector quantity since it has both magnitude and
direction.
Here, however, it is being represented by the algebraic scalar s since the
direction always remains along the coordinate axis.

The displacement (s) of the particle: is defined as the change in its position.
For example, if the particle moves from one point to another, the displacement
is

s = s' – s …(7-1)
In this case s is positive since the particle's final
position is to the right of its initial position, i.e., s' > s.

University of Qadisiyah\College of Eng.\Civil Eng. Dept. (260) Mechanic\Dynamic\1st Class