Chapter 4-Force System Resultants


In Chap. 2 we showed that F  0 was the only condition for the equilibrium of a
particle. Now, what about a rigid body?

 
F  0 , but not in equilibrium. The body rotates. So F  0 is a necessary condition,
but not sufficient. There is a Torque or Moment on the body. This is what will be
discussed in this chapter.

4.2 Cross Product (Vector Product)

  
The cross product of 2 vectors P and Q is defined as the vector V which satisfies:
  
1). The line of action ofV is perpendicular to the plane containing P and Q .
2). The magnitude of V is given by:

V = PQsin  ( 0  180 )
3).The direction of V follows
 
the

right-hand rule.
V  PQ


Q



P

  
V  P  Q read as "V equals P cross Q"

Laws of Operation
Communicative
 
law
 
PQ  Q P
   
( note : P  Q  Q  P )
Multiplication by a Scalar
a  A  B    aA  B  A   aB   ( A  B ) a
       

Distributive

law
     
P  (Q1  Q2 )  P  Q1  P  Q2
 Associative
 
Law    
( P  Q )  S  P  (Q  S )

Cartesian Vector Formulation

What is iˆ  ˆj ?

ĵ

iˆ

k̂

Magnitude: iˆ  ˆj = (1)(1)sin90  = 1
Direction:  k̂

iˆ  iˆ  0 ˆj  iˆ   kˆ kˆ  iˆ  ˆj
iˆ  ˆj  kˆ ˆj  ˆj  0 kˆ  ˆj  iˆ
iˆ  kˆ   ˆj ˆj  kˆ  iˆ kˆ  kˆ  0
Here is a simple way of remembering this.

ĵ

k̂
iˆ

+
   
Now we will express V of V  PQ in the terms of rectangular components
  
V  P  Q  ( Px iˆ  Py ˆj  Pz kˆ)  (Q x iˆ  Q y ˆj  Q z kˆ)

Using the distributive and scalar mult. properties.

V  Px Q x (iˆ  iˆ)  Px Q y (iˆ  ˆj )  Px Q z (iˆ  kˆ)  Py Q x ( ˆj  iˆ)  Py Q y ( ˆj  ˆj )

 Py Q z ( ˆj  kˆ )  Pz Q x ( kˆ  iˆ)  Pz Q y (kˆ  ˆj )  Pz Q z ( kˆ  kˆ)


V  0  Px Q y ( kˆ)  Px Q z (  ˆj )  Py Q x ( kˆ)  0  Py Q z (iˆ)  Pz Q x ( ˆj )  Pz Q y (iˆ)  0
 
V  ( Py Q z  Pz Q y )iˆ  ( Pz Q x  Px Q z ) ˆj  ( Px Q y  Py Q x ) kˆ
Vx Vy Vz
The vector product can be more easily memorized.
iˆ ˆj kˆ

V  Px Py Pz
Qx Qy Qz

Does everyone remember how to do determinants?

i th term Py Q z  Q y Pz  Py Q z  Pz Q y
j th term   Px Q z  Q x Pz   Pz Q x  Px Qz Same as V x V y V z
k th term Px Q y  Q x Py  Px Q y  Py Q x

4.1 Moment of a force-scalar formulation

Def: Moment - The measure of the tendency of the force to make a rigid body
rotate about a point or fixed axis.

F


MO


r A

O d

A- Point of application of F


Def: TheMomentof F about O is defined as:

MO  r  F

 
The direction of M o is also defined as the direction which would bring r in line

with F right hand rule.
 
Note: r is a vector from O to any point on the line of action of F .
From the definition of a cross product

M 0  rF sin 
M 0  Fr sin 

From our diagram , r sin d, so

M 0  Fd Units: N-m, ft-lbs, in-lbs

 
Where d represents the perpendicular from O to the line of action of F . d is commonly
known as the moment arm.

4.3 Moment of a force- vector formulation

 
Remember: M O  r  F

r  rx iˆ  ry ˆj  rz kˆ
We also know: 
F  Fx iˆ  Fy ˆj  Fz kˆ

Thus,
iˆ ˆj kˆ

M 0  rx ry rz
Fx Fy Fz

Again, use vectors in 3D!!

Resultant moment of a system of forces

  
M RO  ( r  F )
1). Given

24" 100 lb

60o
O

Find: a). Moment of the 100 lb force about O.

b). Magnitude of a horizontal force applied at A which create the same moment
about O.
c). The smallest force applied at A which creates the same moment about O.
d). Distance from O a 240 lb vertical force must act to create the same moment
about O.

a). 24" 100

M O  Fd  100(24 cos 60  )
M O  1200 in  lbs
MO
60 

------------
O

P
60 P
b). 30 
L 24

MO
60
O
M O  Fd
2 Ways
1) Components
M 0  Pperp d  1200  P cos 30  ( 24)
P=57.7 lbs
2) Perpendicular line to force
M O  Pl  1200  P (24 cos 30  )
P=57.7 lbs
 A

c). 24 P
MO
60

O
Why is P perpendicular to the lever?
-P is smallest when d in M=Fd is a maximum. This
M O  Fd occurs when P is perpendicular to the lever.
1200  P ( 24)
P  50 lbs
-If P is not perpendicular to the lever, we have
components parallel and perpendicular to the lever,
thus the parallel component is "robbing" the
perpendicular component of some force which
could contribute to creating the moment.

d). A
B M O  Fd
1200  240(d cos 60  )
240 d  10 in
MO
60

O
2). Given: The rectangular platform is hinged at A and B and supported by a cable which
passes over a frictionless hook at E. The tension in the cable is 1349N.
y 0.9 m

E 2.3 m

1.5 m
A
B
C x

2.25 m
z
D
Find: Moment about the coordinate axes of the force exerted by the cable at C.

   rOC  0iˆ  0 ˆj  2.25kˆ
3-D use: M O  rOC  FC

 (0.9  0)iˆ  (1.5  0) ˆj  (0  2.25)kˆ  

  FC  426iˆ  710 ˆj  1065kˆ
FC  FC u CE  1349 

 0.9 2  1.5 2  2.25 2 

iˆ ˆj kˆ

MO  0 0 2.25  0  0  2.25( 1) ( 2  3) [710iˆ  426 ˆj ]
426 710  1065

M O  1598iˆ  959 ˆj  0 k Nm

M x  1598 Nm
M y  959 Nm
M z  0 Nm
  
Note: M O  rOE  FC could have been used also.
iˆ ˆ
j kˆ

M O  0 .9 1.5 0 j  710 kˆ ]  1.5( 1) 2  2 [ 1065iˆ  426 kˆ ]
 0.9( 1) 2 1 [ 1065 ˆ
426 710  1065

M  959 ˆ
j  ˆ
639k  1598i ˆ
ˆ  639 k
O

M ˆ
 1598i  959 ˆ
j  0kˆ Nm
O
4.4 Principle of Moments

Also known as Varigon's Theorem

Let's say we have several concurrent

 
forces.

We can determine its resultant
R  F1  F2 ...

 
The moment of R about 0, where r is the position vector from 0 to a point on the
line of action of R .
  
MO  r  R
   
]M O  r  ( F1  F2  ...)
    
M O  r  F1  r  F2  ...

The moment about a given point 0 of the resultant of several concurrent forces is
equal to the sum of the moments of the various forces about the same point 0.

4.5 Moment of a force about a specified axis


y
F
 C
MO
 
u r A

0 x

z

Def: The moment M of F about  is the projection OC of the moment M O on axis  .
    
M   u  M O  u  (r  F )
A triple scalar product
May be written as:

ux uy uz
  
M  u  ( r  F )  rx ry rz
Fx Fy Fz

4.6 Moment of a couple

  
Def: Couple - 2 forces F and  F having the same magnitude, parallel lines of
action, and opposite direction.
d d

 
F F

Fy  0 but will rotate!

Suppose we have
    
M  rA  F  rB  ( F ) Summing
moments
 
about O.
 
M  ( rA  rB )  F
 B
rB      
  But: rB  r  rA  r  rA  rB
r F
 
0 
F
Thus: M  r  F

rA
A


Note that the right hand

side has NO reference to 0, thus M is the same for ANY
moments center. M is a free vector.
 
Think of it this way: F creates a moment about some point,  F , creates another
moment about the same point, usually in the opposite direction. The difference between
these 2 moments is always the same.

As long as the magnitude and direction of M does not change, you have equivalent
couples.

In the scalar world:

d
M  Fd

F
1). Given: A device called a rolamite is used to replace slipping motion with rolling
motion. If the belt, which wraps between the rollers, is subjected to a
tension of 15 N, determine the reactive forces N of the top and bottom
plates on the rollers so that the resultant couple acting on the rollers is
equal to zero.
.

Solution:

M N  MT
N  50 cos(30)   15 75
T  26 N
2). Given: The rodshown below is supported by two brackets at A and B. Given that the
magnitude of F is 700 N.

A (0,0,0,)
B (0.4,0.2,0)
C (0,6,0,0.3)
D (0,0.2,0)


Find: The moment about axis AB M AB due to F .
    
M AB  u AB .(rAC  F ) rAC  0.6i  0 j  0.3k

   (0  0.6)iˆ  (0.2  0) ˆj  (0  0.3)kˆ 

F  Fu CD  700 

 0 .6 2
 0. 2 2
 0. 3 2

 
j  600kˆ
F  600i  200 ˆ
 0.4iˆ  0.2 ˆj  0kˆ
u AB   0.894iˆ  0.447 ˆj
0.4 2  0.2 2

0.894 0.447 0
M AB  0.6 0 0.3  0.894[(0)(300)  ( 200)(0.3)]  0.447[(0.6)(300)  ( 600)(0.3)] 
 600 200  300

M AB  53.64 Nm
 
3). Given: F  iˆ  3 ˆj lbs

y B

F
0 x
 A (4,-1)
F
B (3,2)

A 0' (2,-2)
0'
 
Find: M O and M O due to the couple
'

      
M O  rOA  F  rOB  (  F ) ) rOA  4iˆ  ˆj rOB  3iˆ  2 ˆj

iˆ ˆj kˆ
 
rOA  F  4 1 0  0iˆ  0 ˆj  ( 4(3)  ( 1)(1)) kˆ  13kˆ ft lbs
1 3 0

iˆ ˆj kˆ
 
rOB  (  F )  3 2 0  0iˆ  0 ˆj  (3( 3)  ( 1)(2))kˆ  7 kˆ ft lbs
1 3 0

 
M O  13kˆ  7 kˆ  M O  6kˆ ft lbs

   
M O  rBA  F rBA  iˆ  3 ˆj

iˆ ˆj kˆ
 
rBA  F  1 3 0  0iˆ  0 ˆj  (1(3)  (1)(3)) kˆ  6kˆ ft lbs
1 3 0

      
M O '  rO ' A  F  rO ' B  ( F ) rO ' A  2iˆ  ˆj rO ' B  iˆ  4 ˆj
 iˆ ˆj kˆ
 
rO ' A  F  2 1 0  0iˆ  0 ˆj  ( 2(3)  (1)(1)) kˆ  5kˆ ft lbs
1 3 0

iˆ ˆj kˆ
 
rO ' B  (  F )  1 4 0  0iˆ  0 ˆj  (1( 3)  ( 1)( 4))kˆ  1kˆ ft lbs
1 3 0

 
M O '  5kˆ  1kˆ  M O '  6kˆ ft lbs
4.7-4.9 Force Couple Systems

Let us look at the following


F

 A
r
O


We want for one reason or another, to have F act at point 0. How do we do this?

We can move F along its line of action,

but we cannot just move it to 0 because if we
do so we will modify the action of F on the body.

Let do the following


 F
F

d
 A
r
O


F

We haven't changed anything


MO 
F
  
MO  r  F Moment of a couple.

M  Fd  Magnitude
O
 
Thus any force F acting on a rigid body may be moved

to an arbitrary point 0, provided
that a couple of moment equal to the moment of F about 0 is added.

Since M is a free vector it may be applied anywhere. For convenience the couple
vector is
usually attached at 0.

This is known as a force-couple system.

The opposite can also be done. Any force-couple system may be replaced by a single
equivalent force. How is this done?
 
This is done by moving the force F in the plane perpendicular to M until its
moment about 0 becomes equal to the moment of the couple to be eliminated.
1). Given:

60 o
B

300 mm

200 N 400 N

O
60 mm
200 N

Find: replace the couple and force by an equivalent, single force applied to the lever.
Determine the distance from 0 to the point of application of this force.

60 o
B B B B
C
300 mm

400 N
   o
400 N
24 Nm 60 Nm 84 Nm 60
O O O O
24 Nm d

400 N 400 N

M  Fd M  24  60 M  Fd
M  400 0.3 cos 60  M  84 Nm 84  400 OC cos 60
M  60 Nm OC  0.42 m
OC  420 mm