EQUILIBRIUM

OF FORCE
SYSTEMS

engineering
mechanics review
course 2
PROBLEM NO. 1
A loading car is at rest on a track forming an angle of 25° with the vertical.
The gross weight of the car and its load is 5500 lb, and it is applied at G.
The car is held by a cable.

1 Determine the tension in the cable.

2 Determine the reaction at the upper

wheel.
3 Determine the reaction at the lower
wheel.
PROBLEM NO. 1 1 Tension in the cable
T = 4,984.69 lb Applying equilibrium equations:
∑FH = 0] 5500 cos25° - T = 0
W = 5500 lb
T = 4,984.69 lb
5500cos25º y
25º 5500sin25º 2 Reaction at the upper wheel
∑ML = 0] RU (50) - 4,984.69 (24)
+ 5500cos25° (30) - 5500sin25° (25) = 0
RU RU = 564.04 lb

3 Reaction at the lower wheel

RL ∑MU = 0] - RL (50) - 4,984.69(24)
x + 5500cos25° (30) + 5500sin25°(25) = 0
RL =1,760.36 lb
PROBLEM NO. 2
In the figure below, if P = 80 lb, determine the following:

1 reaction at A
2 reaction at B
3 tension and slope in
segment AC of the cable
4 tension and slope in
segment CD of the cable
5 tension and slope in
segment DB of the cable
 PROBLEM NO. 2 Assumption: All joints are pin-
By connected.
RBsinβ RB
a The moment at all joints is zero.
Ay 1 Draw the free-body diagram.
RA β
2 Calculate for the support
Bx
RBcosβ reactions.
θ
5
Ax tan β = β = 59.036°
3
β
∑MA = 0] 80 (3) + 50 (7) + RB cos59.036°
θ
(2) - RB sin59.036° (10) = 0
RB = 78.19 lb 2
= 80 lb
RBx = 78.19 cos59.036° = 40.23 lb
RBy = 78.19 sin59.036° = 67.05 lb
 PROBLEM NO. 2

By
67.05 RB
78.19
Ay
62.95 Calculating for the reaction at A:
74.71
RA ∑Fx = 0] -Ax + 40.23 = 0 Bx = 40.23 lb
40.23
Bx ∑Fy = 0] Ay - 80 - 50 + 67.05 = 0
Ay = 62.95 lb
Ax
40.23
RA = Ax2 + Ay2 = (40.23)2 + (62.95)2

RA = 74.71 lb 1

= 80 lb
 PROBLEM NO. 2
3 Tension in segment AC
By
67.05 Consider Joint A:
78.19
62.95 ∑Fx = 0]
Ay
62.95
74.71 74.71 TACX = 40.23 lb
RA

40.23
Bx ∑Fy = 0]
40.23 TACX
θAC TACY = 62.95 lb
Ax
40.23
\ TAC = 74.71 lb
TAC
TACY

= 80 lb TACY 62.95
tan θAC = = θAC = 57.42°
TACX 40.23
 PROBLEM NO. 2
4 Tension in segment CD
By
67.05 Consider Joint C:
78.19
∑Fx = 0]
Ay
62.95 62.95
74.71
RA 74.71 TCDX = 40.23 lb
TCDY
40.23
Bx TCD ∑Fy = 0]
TCDY + 62.95-80 = 0
Ax 40.23 TCDX
40.23
TCDY = 17.05 lb
= 80 lb
TCD = TCDX2 + TCDY2 = (40.23)2 + (17.05)2

= 80 lb TCD = 43.69 lb

TCDY 17.05
tan θCD = = θCD = 22.97°
TCDX 40.23
PROBLEM NO. 3
As shown in the figure, cable ACB supports a load uniformly distributed
along the horizontal. The lowest point C is located 9 m to the right of point A.
Determine the value of the following:
1 the value of the vertical distance a
2 the minimum tension, in N
3 the maximum tension, in N
4 tension at B, in N
5 slope at A, in degrees
6 slope at B, in degrees
PROBLEM NO. 3

1 Locate the lowest point.

(-9, a) By squared property of parabola:
(6, a–2.25) (-9)2 ( 6 )2
O =
x a a – 2.25
81a - 182.25 = 36a a = 4.05 m 1

60 (9.81) = 588.6 N/m

PROBLEM NO. 3

Ay 2 Cut at the lowest point then isolate

TA one side.
W = 588.6 (9) = 5,297.4 N
W ∑MA = 0] 5,297.4 (4.50) - TO (4.05) = 0
Ax TO = 5,886 N
4.05 m
O
TO ∑Fx = 0] 5,886 - Ax = 0 Ax = 5,886 N
∑Fy = 0] Ay - 5,297.4 = 0 Ay = 5,297.4 N

TA = Ax2 + Ay2 = (5,886)2 + (5,297.4)2

588.6 N/m
TA = 7,918.80 N
 PROBLEM NO. 3

5,297.4 N
7918.8 N 3 Analyze the cable as a whole.
By TB
∑Fx = 0] Bx - 5,886 = 0 Bx = 5,886 N
∑Fy = 0] 5,297.4 - 588.6 (15) + By = 0
5,886 N
By = 3,531.6 N
O Bx
TB = Bx2 + By2 = (5,886)2 + (3531.6)2

TB = 6,864.20 N 4
588.6 N/m
 PROBLEM NO. 3

Notes:
5,297.4 N 1 Maximum tension occurs
7918.8 N at the highest support.
3,531.6 N 6,864.20 N
Tmax = TA = 7,918.80 N 3
θA
5,886 N θB
O 5,886 N 2 Minimum tension occurs
at the lowest point.

Tmin = TO = 5,886.0 N 2
588.6 N/m

AY 5,297.4 BY 3,531.6
tan θA = = θA = 41.99° 5 tan θB = = θB = 30.96° 6
AX 5,886 BX 5,886
 PROBLEM NO. 4
A uniform cable weighing 15 N/m is suspended from points A and B. The
force in the cable at B is known to be 500 N. Calculate the:
1 Force in the cable at A

( )
TB = 500 N w ox
TA T = To cosh
To
T= Tensile force at any point of the
cable
To = Tensile force at the lowest point
of the cable
15 N/m
wo = uniformly distributed load
x= horizontal distance of the point
from the lowest point
 PROBLEM NO. 4 TB = 500 N
TA y=
To
wo
[ ( ) ]
cosh
w ox
To
-1

y = vertical distance of the point

= yB from the lowest point

15 N/m yB =
To
wo
[ ( ) ]
cosh
w ox B
To
-1
1 Force in the cable at A

( )
TB = To cosh
wo xB 8=
To
15
[ ( ) ]
cosh
15xB
To
-1
To
Substituting eq. 1:
( )
500 = To cosh
15 xB
To 8=
To
( 500
)
-1 To = 380 N
15 To
500
To
= cosh( )
15 xB
To
eq. 1
 ( )
PROBLEM NO. 4 TB = 500 N wo xA
TA TA = To cosh
To

yA=
= yB
TA = 380 cosh [ 15(14.055)
380 ]
TA = 440 N
15 N/m
1 Force in the cable at A
2 the span L L = xA + xB
Using equation 1:
y=
To
wo
[ ( ) ]
cosh
w ox
To
-1 500
= cosh ( )
15 xB
xB = 19.639 m
380 380
4=
380
15
[ ( )]
cosh
15xA
380
-1 L = 14.055 + 19.638
L = 33.693 m
xA = 14.055 m