Ministry of Higher education

and scientific research almustansyria

university/College of Engineering
Department of Civil Engineering
The first stage/Morning study

Freictio

)‫هذا التقرير من متطلبات معالجة الدرجة لمادة (الميكانيك الهندسي‬

‫المستوى األول‬
‫الفصل الدراسي األول‬
2024-2023:‫العام‬

‫عبدالرحمن مؤيد زكي‬:‫األسم‬

E:‫الشعبة‬

‫ميثاق ألبير‬:‫دكتور‬
 Definition:
Friction is defined as the contact resistance exerted by one body upon a
second body when the second body moves or tends to move past the first
body.

Friction is a retarding force always acting opposite to the motion or

tendency to move.

Whenever a tendency exists for one contacting surface to slide along another
surface the friction forces developed are always in a direction to oppose this
tendency.

a) In some types of machines we want to minimize the retarding effect of

friction forces.
Examples : bearings of all types, power screws, gears, flow of fluid in pipes,
propulsion of aircraft, missiles through the atmosphere.

b) In some situations we wish to maximize the effect of friction as in brakes,

clutches, belt drives and wedges.
Wheeled vehicles depend on friction for both starting and stopping and
ordinary walking depends on friction between the shoe and ground.

 Types of Friction:
Dry Friction: Dry friction develops when the unlubricated surface of two
solids are in contact under a condition of sliding or a tendency to slide. This
type of friction is also known as Coulomb friction.

Fluid Friction: Fluid friction is developed when adjacent layers in a fluid

(liquid or gas) are moving at different velocities

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 Mechanism of Friction:
Friction exists primarily because of the roughness of the contact surface.
Consider a block of weight w resting on a horizontal surface. The contacting
surface possesses a certain amount of roughness. Let P be the horizontal force
applied which will vary continuously from zero to a value sufficient to just
move the block and then to maintain the motion. The free body diagram of
the block shows active forces (i .e, applied force P and weight of block w)
and reactive forces (i. e, normal reaction N and tangential frictional force F).

Frictional force F has the remarkable property of adjusting itself in magnitude

equal to the applied force P till the limiting equilibrium condition.

The above discussion can be represented by a graph with applied force P v/s
frictional force F as shown in Fig.

Referring the graph we may now recognize three distinct types of problems.
Here, we have static friction, limiting friction and kinetic friction

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1. Static Friction:If in the problem there is neither the condition of
impending motion nor that of motion then to determine the actual force, we
first assume static equilibrium and take F as frictional force required to
maintain the equilibrium condition.
Here, we have three possibilities.
(i) F < Fmax = Body is in the static equilibrium condition which means body is
purely at rest.
(ii) F = Fmax = Body is in limiting equilibrium condition which means
impending motion and hence F = Fmax = µsN is valid equation.
(iii) F > Fmax= Body is in motion which means F = Fk = µkN is valid equation
the condition is impossible, since the surfaces cannot support more force than
the maximum frictional force. Therefore, the assumption of
equilibrium is invalid, the motion occurs.

2. Limiting Friction: The condition of impending motion is known to exist.

Here a body which is in equilibrium is on a verge of slipping which means
the body is in limiting equilibrium condition. “It is the maximum value of
friction force that the surface can exert on the block and is designated as
Fmax.”.This mainly depends on roughness of the materials of the surfaces and
of the normal contact force which these surfaces exert on each other.Fmax =
µsN is valid equation.

3
3. Kinetic Friction: The condition of relative motion is known to exist
between the contacting surfaces. So, the body is in motion.
Kinetic friction takes place Fk = µkN is valid equation.

 LAWS OF FRICTION
1. The frictional force is always tangential to the contact surface and acts in
the direction opposite to that in which the body tends to move.
2. The magnitude of frictional force is self-adjusting to the applied force till
the limiting frictional force is reached and at the limiting frictional force the
body will have the impending motion.
3. Limiting frictional force Fmax is directly proportional to normal reaction
(Fmax = µsN).
4. For a body in motion, kinetic frictional force Fk developed is less than that
of limiting frictional force Fmax and the relation Fk = µkN is applicable.
5. Frictional force depends upon the roughness of the surface and the material
in contact.
6. Frictional force is independent of the area of contact between the two
surfaces.
7. Frictional force is independent of speed of the body.
8. Coefficient of static friction µs.is always greater than coefficient of kinetic
friction µk . (µk may be 25% smaller than µs.in general).
Note: µs. & µk are dimensionless.

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 Types of Friction Problems:
The first step in solving a friction problem is to identify its type
1) In the first type of problem, the condition of impending motion is known
to exist. Here a body which is in equilibrium is on the verge of slipping, and
the friction force equals the limiting static friction . The equations of
equilibrium will holds good.
2) In the second type of problem, neither the condition of impending motion
nor the condition of motion is known to exist. To determine the actual
friction conditions, we first assume static equilibrium and then solve for the
friction force F necessary for equilibrium. Three outcomes are possible:
a) F < ()
Here the friction force necessary for equilibrium can be supported and
therefore the body is in static equilibrium as assumed.
We emphasize that the actual friction force F is less than the limiting value
(i.e, ) and that F is determined by the equations of equilibrium.
b) F = ()
Since the friction force F is at its maximum value , motion impends. The
assumption of static equilibrium is valid.
c) F > ()
This condition is impossible, because the surfaces cannot support more force
than the maximum . The assumption of equilibrium is therefore invalid, and
motion occurs. The friction force F is equal to .
3) In the third type of problem, relative motion is known to exist between the
contacting surfaces, and thus the kinetic coefficient of friction clearly applies.

5
Problems : Will the 200N block be held in equilibrium by the horizontal
force of 300N, if µ=0.3.

Sol:
Assume 300N force
is sufficient to hold the block from sliding down
the plan. Let F acts down the plane.
F + 200 sin= 300 cos
F = 300 cos-200sin=160N
For balance to exist, a frictional resistance of
F=160kg would be required acting down plane.
-N + 300sin + 200cos = 0
N=323N
However, the maximum value obtained
(limiting friction)
Fi = µN = 0.3 x 323 = 97N
The value of F necessary to hold the block from moving up the plane is
160N.
Therefore it means that the block will move up the plane.

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References:
1. Ferdinand L. Singer, “Engineering Mechanics-Statics & Dynamics”,
Harper International Edition.
2. J.L.Meriam, L.G.Kraige, “Engineering Mechanics-Statics”, John Wiley &
Sons Pte Ltd.
3. Joseph F. Shelley,” Vector Mechanics for Engineers”. Mc Graw Hill
international Editions.