Distributed Forces Centroids and Centers of Gravity

Saifur Rahman Tushar

Lecturer

Department of Industrial and Production Engineering

Bangladesh University of Textiles, Dhaka, Bangladesh
 Introduction

• The earth exerts a gravitational force on each of the particles forming a body.
These forces can be replaced by a single equivalent force equal to the weight of
the body and applied at the center of gravity for the body.

• The centroid of an area is analogous to the center of gravity of a body. The

concept of the first moment of an area is used to locate the centroid.

• Determination of the area of a surface of revolution and the volume of a body

of revolution are accomplished with the Theorems of Pappus-Guldinus.
 Center of Gravity of a 2D Body
• Center of gravity of a plate • Center of gravity of a wire

∑M y =
: xW ∑ x ∆W
= ∫ x dW

∑ M : yW
x = ∑ y ∆W
= ∫ y dW
 Centroids and First Moments of Areas
• Centroid of an area • Centroid of a line

For entire plate

W = γ tA
For an element,
xW = ∫ x dW
∆W = γ t ∆A
x ( γ La ) = ∫ x ( γ a ) dL

xW = ∫ x dW xL = ∫ xdL

Where, = first moment of line

x ( γ At ) = ∫ x ( γ t ) dA γ = specific weight (weight per about y axis

= xA ∫= x dA Qy unit volume) of the material yL = ∫ y dL

== first moment of line
t = thickness of the plate
= first moment with respect to yaxis ΔA = area of the element about x axis

= yA ∫= y dA Qx A= total area of the plate Where,

= first moment with respect to xaxis a = cross sectional area of wire
ΔL = length of the element
First Moments of Areas and Lines
• An area is symmetric with respect to an axis BB’ if for every
point P there exists a point P’ such that PP’ is perpendicular
to BB’ and is divided into two equal parts by BB’.

• The first moment of an area with respect to a line of symmetry

is zero.
• If an area possesses a line of symmetry, its centroid lies on
that axis
• If an area possesses two lines of symmetry, its centroid lies at
their intersection.
• An area is symmetric with respect to a center O if for every
element dA at (x,y) there exists an area dA’ of equal area at
(-x,-y).

• The centroid of the area coincides with the center of symmetry.

Centroids of Common Shapes of Areas
Centroids of Common Shapes of Areas
 Centroids of Common Shapes of Areas
5-8
Composite Plates and Areas

• Composite plates

X ∑W = ∑ x W
Y ∑W = ∑ y W

• Composite area

X ∑ A = ∑ xA
Y ∑ A = ∑ yA
Exercise-1
Locate the centroid of the plane area shown
Exercise-2
Locate the centroid of the plane area shown
Sample Problem-1

SOLUTION:
• Divide the area into a triangle, rectangle,
and semicircle with a circular cutout.
• Calculate the first moments of each area
with respect to the axes.
• Find the total area and first moments of
the triangle, rectangle, and semicircle.
Subtract the area and first moment of the
For the plane area shown, determine circular cutout.
the first moments with respect to the • Compute the coordinates of the area
x and y axes and the location of the centroid by dividing the first moments by
centroid. the total area.
• Find the total area and first moments of the Q x = +506.2 × 103 mm 3
triangle, rectangle, and semicircle. Subtract the
Q y = +757.7 × 103 mm 3
area and first moment of the circular cutout.
• Compute the coordinates of the area centroid by dividing the first moments by the total
area.

X =∑
x A + 757 . 7 × 10 3
mm 3
=
∑ A 13.828 ×103 mm 2

X = 54.8 mm

Y = ∑ y A
=
+ 506 .2 × 10 3
mm 3

∑ A 13.828 ×103 mm 2
Y = 36.6 mm
Sample Problem-2

The figure shown is made from a piece of thin, homogeneous

wire. Determine the location of its center of gravity.

Solution
Since the figure is formed of homogeneous wire, its center of
gravity coincides with the centroid of the corresponding line
 Determination of Centroids by Integration
x A = ∫ xdA = ∫∫ x dxdy = ∫ xel dA • Double integration to find the first moment
may be avoided by defining dA as a thin
yA = ∫ ydA = ∫∫ y dxdy = ∫ yel dA
rectangle or strip.

a−x a+x
xel =
x+ =
2 2
yel = y
= (a − x)dy
dA
xA = ∫ xel dA
x A = ∫ xel dA
x A = ∫ xel dA a+x
= ∫ x ( ydx )
= ∫ 2  ( a − x ) dy  =∫
2r
3
1 
cosθ  r 2 dθ 
2 
yA = ∫ yel dA yA = ∫ yel dA yA = ∫ yel dA
1 
∫ y ( a − x ) dy 
2r
y = =∫ sin θ  r 2 dθ 
= ∫ ( ydx ) 3 2 
2
y
Sample Problem-3

SOLUTION:
• Determine the constant k.
• Evaluate the total area.
• Using either vertical or horizontal
strips, perform a single integration to
find the first moments.
Determine by direct integration the
location of the centroid of a parabolic • Evaluate the centroid coordinates.
spandrel.
SOLUTION:
• Determine the constant k.
• Substituting x = a and y = b

y = k x2
b
b=ka 2
⇒k = 2
a
b a
y= 2x 2
or x = 1 2 y1 2
a b
• Evaluate the total area.
A = ∫ dA
a  3 a
b b x
= ∫ y dx = ∫ 2 x 2 dx =  2 
0a  a 3  0
ab
=
3
• Using vertical strips, perform a single integration
to find the first moments.
a
 b 
Q y = ∫ xel dA = ∫ xydx = ∫ x 2 x 2 dx
0 a 
a
 b x4  a 2b
= 2  =
 a 4  0 4
a 2
y 1 b 2
Q x = ∫ yel dA = ∫ ydx = ∫  2 x  dx
2 02a 
a
 b2 x5  ab 2
= 4  =
 2a 5  0 10
• Or, using horizontal strips, perform a single
integration to find the first moments.

a+x a − x2
b 2
Q y = ∫ xel dA = ∫ (a − x )dy = ∫ dy
2 0 2

1 b  2 a 2  a 2
b
= ∫ a − y dy =
2 0  b 
 4
 a 
Q x = ∫ yel dA = ∫ y (a − x )dy = ∫ y a − 1 2 y1 2 dy
 b 
b
 a 3 2 ab 2
= ∫  ay − 1 2 y dy =
0 b  10
• Evaluate the centroid coordinates.
xA = Q y
ab a 2b 3
x = x= a
3 4 4

yA = Q x
ab ab 2 3
y = y= b
3 10 10
Center of Gravity of a 3D Body: Centroid of a Volume

• Center of gravity G • Results are independent of body orientation,

 
− W j = ∑ (− ∆W j ) x W = ∫ xdW yW = ∫ ydW z W = ∫ zdW
   
rG × (− W j ) = ∑ [r × (− ∆W j )] • For homogeneous bodies,
   
rGW × (− j ) = (∑ r ∆W ) × (− j )
W = γ V and dW = γ dV
 
W = ∫ dW rGW = ∫ r dW x V = ∫ xdV yV = ∫ ydV z V = ∫ zdV
Centroids of Common 3D Shapes
Composite 3D Bodies

• Moment of the total weight concentrated at the

center of gravity G is equal to the sum of the
moments of the weights of the component parts.
X ∑W = ∑ xW Y ∑ W = ∑ yW Z ∑W = ∑ zW

• For homogeneous bodies,

X ∑V = ∑ xV Y ∑ V = ∑ yV Z ∑V = ∑ zV
Exercise-4

For the machine element shown , locate x and y coordinate of the center of gravity
Sample problem- 4
SOLUTION:
• Form the machine element from a
rectangular parallelepiped and a
quarter cylinder and then subtracting
two 1-in. diameter cylinders.

Locate the center of gravity of the

steel machine element. The diameter
of each hole is 1 in.
 (
X = ∑ x V ∑ V = 3.08 in 4 ) (5.286 in 3 )
X = 0.577 in.

(
Y = ∑ yV ∑ V = − 5.047 in 4 ) (5.286 in 3 )
Y = 0.577 in.

(
Z = ∑ z V ∑ V = 1.618 in 4 ) (5.286 in 3 )
Z = 0.577 in.