Chapter II

Force Systems

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 Chapter Outline
Introduction
Two–Dimensional Force Systems
i. Rectangular components of Forces
ii. Moment and Couple
iii. Resultants of general coplanar force systems
Three-Dimensional Force Systems
i. Rectangular Components
ii. Moment and Couple Resultants

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 Introduction
• Force is a vector quantity which is specified by magnitude, direction
(orientation) and point of application – treated as fixed vector
• When applied to a rigid body, it has a tendency to produce
translation (movement in a straight line) or translation and rotation
of the body
• Its effect depends on the direction as well as on the magnitude of the
action
• Force may also be referred to as a load or weight

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 Introduction
Types of Forces
i. Contact force (Push or Pull) - applied by direct mechanical
contact of the bodies
ii. Body force (Remote Action) - applied by remote action as
gravitational, electrical, magnetic…
iii. Concentrated Force – assumed to act at a point on a body
iv. Distributed Force – in reality, all contact forces are distributed
forces as they are applied over a finite area

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 Introduction
Principle of Transmissibility - force can be applied on any point
along its line of action without changing its external effect on a rigid
body on which it acts

Collinear forces
Concurrent forces
Action – Reaction forces

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 Introduction
Effects of Forces
i. External effect
• Tendency to change motion of the body or to develop resisting
forces in the body
ii. Internal effect
• Tendency to deform the body
• Results internal forces and deformations distributed throughout
the material – will be studied in strength of materials, elasticity
and plasticity!

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 Two–Dimensional Force Systems
i. Rectangular Components of Forces
• Resolution of force vector into rectangular components

F= 𝐹𝑥2 + 𝐹𝑦2
𝐹𝑥 = 𝐹cos𝜃
𝐹𝑦 = 𝐹sin𝜃 −1
𝐹𝑦
θ= 𝑡𝑎𝑛
𝐹𝑥

𝑅 = 𝐹1 + 𝐹2 = 𝐹1𝑥 𝑖 + 𝐹1𝑦 𝑗 + 𝐹2𝑥 𝑖 + 𝐹2𝑦 𝑗

𝑹 = 𝑭𝟏𝒙 + 𝑭𝟐𝒙 𝒊 + 𝑭𝟏𝒚 + 𝑭𝟐𝒚 𝒋

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 Two–Dimensional Force Systems
i. Rectangular Components of Forces
• Resolution of force vector into rectangular components

Split the force F into

rectangular components?

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 Exercise 1

The force F has a magnitude of 6 kN

and has the indicated line of action.

Write the unit vector n associated with

F and use n to determine the x and y

scalar components of F

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 Exercise 2
The y-component of the force F which a person exerts on the handle of

the box wrench is known to be 320 N. Determine the x-component of

and the magnitude of F.

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 Exercise 3
The guy cables AB and AC are attached to

the top the transmission tower. The

tension in cable AB is 8 kN. Determine

the required tension T in cable AC such

that the net effect of the two cable

tensions is downward force at point A.

Determine the magnitude R of this

downward force.

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 Exercise 4

Two people exert the forces shown on

the potted shrub. Determine the vector

expression for the resultant R of the

forces and determine the angle which the

resultant makes with the positive y-axis.

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 Two–Dimensional Force Systems
ii. Moment
• In addition to the tendency to move a body in the direction of its application, a
force can also tend to rotate a body about an axis
• The line of action of the force neither intersects nor is parallel to the axis or
rotation
• This rotational effect is called moment, also referred to as torque
• Moment obeys all vector combination rules and may be considered as a
sliding vector with the a line of action coinciding with the moment axis

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 Two–Dimensional Force Systems
ii. Moment
• The magnitude of the tendency of a force to
rotate a body about an axis x-x
perpendicular to the plane of the body is
proportional both to the magnitude of the
force and to the moment arm, d
• Therefore, magnitude of moment is given by

𝑀 = 𝐹𝑑

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 Two–Dimensional Force Systems
ii. Moment

• Moment computed about an axis normal

to a plane and passing through a point is
customarily called moment about a point
• Stated sign conventions may be used for
moment

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 Two–Dimensional Force Systems
ii. Moment
Vector product approach of a moment

𝑴 = 𝒓 𝒙 𝑭 = 𝑭𝒓𝒔𝒊𝒏𝜽 ! Maintain the sequence r x F

• The direction and sense of M is established by applying the right-hand rule to

the sequence r x F.
• If the fingers of the right hand are curled in the direction of rotation from the
positive sense of r to the positive sense of F, the thumb points in the positive
sense of M
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 Two–Dimensional Force Systems
ii. Moment

Varignon’s Theorem
States that the moment of a force about any point is equal to the sum
of the moments of the components of the force about the same point

𝑴𝒐 = 𝒓𝒙𝑹 If 𝑹 = 𝑭𝟏 + 𝑭𝟐

𝑴𝒐 = 𝒓𝒙𝑹 = 𝒓𝒙 𝑭𝟏 + 𝑭𝟐 = 𝒓𝒙𝑭𝟏 + 𝒓𝒙𝑭𝟐

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 Exercise 1

Determine the moment of

the 5-kN force about the
point O and about point B

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 Exercise 2
A man exerts a force F on the handle of
the stationary wheelbarrow at A. the mass
of the wheelbarrow along with its load of
dirt is 85 kg with center of mass at G. For
the configuration shown, what force F
must the man apply at A to make the net
moment about the tire contact point B
equal to zero?

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 Assignment #1
The woman maintains a slow steady motion
over the indicated 135o range as she exercises
her triceps muscle. For this condition, the
tension in the cable can be assumed to be
constant at mg = 50 N. Determine and plot
the moment M of the cable tension as applied
at A about the elbow joint O over the range
0 ⩽ 𝜃 ⩽ 135o. Find the maximum value of
M and the value of 𝜃 for which it occurs.

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 Two–Dimensional Force Systems
iii. Couple
• Couple is a moment produced by two equal,
opposite and non-collinear forces
• The resultant force is zero, the forces will only
have a tendency of rotating the body

𝑴 = 𝑭 𝒂 + 𝒅 − 𝑭𝒂 = 𝑭𝒅

𝑴 = 𝒓𝑨 𝒙𝑭 + 𝒓𝑩 𝒙 −𝑭 = 𝒓𝑨 − 𝒓𝑩 𝑭 = 𝒓𝒙𝑭

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 Two–Dimensional Force Systems
iii. Couple
• No reference for moment center, is
the same for all moment centers
• May be represented by free vector
• The direction is established by right-
hand rule

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 Two–Dimensional Force Systems
Equivalent Couples
• Changing the values of F and d does not change a given couple as
long as the product Fd remains the same.

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 Two–Dimensional Force Systems
Force-Couple Systems

• The effect of a force acting on a body is

a) the tendency to push or pull the body in the direction of the force
b) to rotate the body about any fixed axis which does not intersect the
line of the force
• This dual effect can be replaced by an equal parallel force and a couple
to compensate for the change in the moment of the force

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 Two–Dimensional Force Systems
Force-Couple Systems

• Reversing this process, we can combine a given couple and a force

which lies in the place of the couple (normal to the couple vector) to
produce a single, equivalent force

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 Exercise 1

For F = 300 N, compute the

combined moment of the two
forces about
(a) point O,
(b) point C and
(c) point D

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 Exercise 2
The indicated force-couple system is applied to a small shaft at the center of the
plate. Replace this system by a single force and specify the coordinate of the point
on the x-axis through which the line of action of this resultant forces passes.

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 Exercise 3
An overhead view of a portion of an
exercise machine is shown. If the
tension in the cable is T = 780 N,
determine the equivalent force-couple
system at
(a) Point B and
(b) Point O.
Record your answers in vector format.

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 Two–Dimensional Force Systems
Resultants
• An object is usually acted upon by a group or system of forces
• System of forces can be reduced to simplest Resultant form without
altering the external effect on the rigid body
• Statics: Resultant of all the forces acting on the body is zero -
Equilibrium
• Dynamics: Resultant of all forces acting on the body is mass x
acceleration

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 Two–Dimensional Force Systems
Resultants
𝑹 = 𝑭𝟏 + 𝑭𝟐 + 𝑭𝟑 +. . .+= ෍ 𝑭

𝑹 𝒙 = ෍ 𝑭𝒙

𝑹 𝒚 = ෍ 𝑭𝒚

𝟐 𝟐

𝑹= ෍ 𝑭𝒙 + ෍ 𝑭𝒚

𝑹 ෍𝑭𝒚
𝒚
𝜽 = 𝐭𝐚𝐧−𝟏 = 𝐭𝐚𝐧−𝟏
𝑹𝒙 σ 𝑭𝒙

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 Two–Dimensional Force Systems
Resultants
• Reducing system of forces to a force couple system at an arbitrarily
chosen point O. 𝑅 = ෍𝐹 𝑀𝑜 = ෍ 𝑀 = ෍ 𝐹𝑑 𝑅𝑑 = 𝑀𝑜

• Varignon’s theorem for nonconcurrent force systems (principles of

moments) - the moment of the resultant force about any point O equals
the sum of the moments of the original forces of the system about the
same point 𝑀𝑜 = ෍ 𝑀 = ෍ 𝐹𝑑

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 Exercise 1
Determine the force magnitude F
and direction ϴ (measured
clockwise from the positive y-axis)
that will cause the resultant R of
the four applied forces to be
directed to the right with a
magnitude of 9 kN.

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 Exercise 2

Replace the three forces which act

on the bent bar by a force-couple
system at the support A. Then
determine the x-intercept of the
line of action of the stand-alone
resultant force R.

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 Exercise 3
If the resultant of the loads shown passes through point B,
determine the equivalent force-couple system at O.

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 Exercise 4
Four people are attempting to move a stage
platform across the floor. If they exert the
horizontal forces shown, determine

a) The equivalent force-couple system at O

and

b) The points on the x- and y-axes through

which the line of action of the single
resultant force R passes.

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 Exercise 5
Determine the resultant R of the three forces acting on the simple truss.
Specify the points on the x- and y-axes through which R must pass.

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