Ch05.

Equilibrium of a rigid body

Two smooth pipes, each having a mass of 300 kg, are supported by
the tines of the loader’s fork attachment. How can we determine all
the reactive forces?
Again, how can we make use of an idealized model and a free body
diagram to answer this question?
 5.1 Conditions for Rigid-Body Equilibrium
Resultant force and couple moment = 0 :
equilibrium, it is expressed as
 
FR   F  0
 
( M R ) O  M O  0
Consider summing moments about some
other point, such as point A, we require
   
 
M A  r  FR  M R
O

Equilibrium in two dimensions : Any

couple moments acting on the body are
perpendicular to the plane
 5.2 Free-Body Diagrams
Necessary to show all the forces and couple moments that the
surroundings exert on the body so that these effects can be accounted
for when equations of equilibrium are applied.
Support Reactions
A support prevents the translation of a body in a given direction by
exerting a force on the body in the opposite direction.
Consider the three ways a horizontal member, beam is supported at the
end: roller, cylinder; pin; and fixed support

Roller, cylinder：Prevent the beam from translating in the vertical

direction


F
Pin：Prevent translation of the beam in any direction ϕ


Fx


Fy

Fixed support：no translation and rotation

 
Fx M


Fy
Internal forces

Internal forces will cancel each other

and should not be included on the FBD.
Only external forces T1, T2 and W on
the FBD
Weight and the Center of Gravity

Each particle has a specified weight. A system of forces can be

reduced to a single resultant force as the weight W of the body.
Location of the force application is known as the center of gravity.

When the body is uniform or made from the same material, the center
of gravity will be located at the body’s geometric center or certroid.
For non-homogenous bodies and usual shapes, the center of gravity G
will be given
Idealized models
- Needed to perform a correct force analysis of any object.
- Careful selection of supports, material, behavior and dimensions for
trusty results
- Complex cases may require developing several different models for
analysis
Idealized Models – Case 1
 Consider a steel beam used to support
the roof joists of a building.
 For force analysis, reasonable to
assume rigid body since small
deflections occur when beam is
loaded.
 Bolted connection at A will allow for
slight rotation when load is applied
=> use Pin
- Support at B offers no resistance to horizontal movement => use
Roller
- Building code requirements used to specify the roof loading
(calculations of the joist forces)
- Large roof loading forces account for extreme loading cases and for
dynamic or vibration effects
- Weight is neglected when it is small compared to the load the beam
supports
Idealized Models – Case 2
- Consider lift boom, supported by pin at A and
hydraulic cylinder at BC (treat as weightless
link)
- Assume rigid material with density known
- For design loading P, idealized model is used
for force analysis
- Average dimensions used to specify the
location of the loads and supports
Ex. 5.1：draw the free-bod diagram of the uniform beam. The beam has
a mass of 100kg。


Ay
2m Effect of applied force
 1200N acting on beam
Effect of Ax
fixed support  A
acting on MA 3m
beam 100  9.81N
Effect of gravity acting on beam
EX. 5.2：Draw the FBD of the fool lever. The force on the link at B is
100 N, the spring stretched 50 mm.

100N

F  ks  3  50  150N

Ax

Ay
 5.3 Equations of Equilibrium

For equilibrium of  Fx  0 Fx , Fy : the algebraic sums of all the
a rigid body in 2D  forces acting on the body
 Fy  0
 ∑MO : the moments of all the force
 MO  0 components about point O
Alternative Sets of Equilibrium Equations: Two alternative sets of three
independent equilibrium equations:
1. When a line passing through points
 Fx  0,  M A  0,  M B  0
A and B is not parallel to the y axis
2. When points A, B and C do not lie on MA  0
the same line MB  0
 MC  0
Ex. 5.5：Determine the horizontal and vertical components of reaction
on the beam caused by the pin B and the rocker at A. Neglect the weight
of the beam
600 sin 45 
  Fx  0
600 cos 45 Bx
 600sin 45  Bx  0
 
Ay  Bx  600 cos 45
By
y
 Bx  424 N
x
  100  2  600sin 45 5  600 cos 45 0.2  Ay  7  0
MB  0
 Ay  7  100  2  600 sin 45 5  600 cos 45 0.2
 Ay  319 N
  By  200  100  600sin 45  Ay  0
 Fy  0
 By  200  100  600sin 45  319  By  405 N
Ex. 5.7：Determine the horizontal and vertical components of reaction
at the pin A
200sin 30  1

N  80  1.5  60 N MA  0
2
200 cos 30
 N  0.75  90  60  1  0
 N  200 N

Ax
y  1m
Ay
x 
 Fx  0  Ax  200sin 30  0
 Ax  200sin 30
 Ax  100 N

 Fy  0  Ay  200cos 30  60  0
 Ay  200 cos 30  60
 Ay  233 N
Ex. 5.12：Determine the support reactions on the member. The collar at
A is fixed to the member and can slide vertically along the vertical shaft.


 Fx  0  Ax  0
 
Ax  Fy  0

MA  N B  900  0
 N B  900 N

NB

MB  0  M A  500  900  1.5  1 cos 45   0

 M A  500  900  1.5  1 cos 45 

 M A  1486 N .m
 5.4 Two- and Three-Force Members
Simplify some equilibrium problems by recognizing members that are
subjected to only 2 or 3 forces
Two-Force Members
- A two-force member has forces applied at only two points on a
member.
- Two forces acting on the member must have the same magnitude, act
in opposite directions, and have the same line of action, directed along
the line joining the two points where these forces act.

  
FA  FB  F  Fx  0 MA  MB  0
Three-Force Members
- If a member is subjected to only three forces, it is called a three-
force member.
- When subjected to three forces, the forces are concurrent or parallel
Ex. 5.13：Determine the force of the pin on the lever at A if the weight
of the members is negligible.

 0.7 
  tan 
1
  60.3
 0.4  O

 Fx  0  FA cos   F cos 45  400  0
 
 Fy  0  FA sin   F sin 45  0 F
45

 FA  1.07kN 

 FB  1.32kN F 
FA
Equilibrium in Three Dimensions
 5.5 Free Body Diagrams
 To solve three-dimensional equilibrium is to draw a FBD
 Consider types of reaction that can occur at the supports
Support Reactions
Important to recognize the symbols used to represent each of these
supports and to clearly understand how the forces and couple
moments are developed

As in the two-dimensional case:

 A force is developed by a support that restricts the translation of its
attached member.
 A couple moment is developed when rotation of the attached
member is prevented.
 5.5 Free Body Diagrams
 To solve three-dimensional equilibrium is to draw a FBD
 Consider types of reaction that can occur at the supports
Support Reactions
Important to recognize the symbols used to represent each of these
supports and to clearly understand how the forces and couple
moments are developed
Ex. 5.13：Consider two rods and plate with their associated FBD. The x,
y, z axes are established on the diagram and the unknown reaction
components are indicated in the positive sense. The weight is neglected.

z B Cx z
 O z

Az  
Cy M Az
  AZ
x  Bx y Ax Ay
Ay 
M Ax y
No couple moments x

developed at each bearing
  T
Az z Cz
 
Cx Cy
x  y
Ax
No couple moments are

Bz developed at the hinge.
 5.6 Equations of Equilibrium
Vector Equations of Equilibrium
Two conditions for equilibrium of a F  0
rigid body in vector form:  MO  0

Scalar Equations of Equilibrium

   
If all the applied external forces F  F i  F j  F k  0
x y z
and couple moments are expressed    
in Cartesian vector form M O  M x i  M y j  M z k  0
 Fx  0
the sum of the external force components acting in the
 Fy  0
x, y and z directions must be zero
 Fz  0
Mx  0
My  0
the sum of the moment components about the x, y and
z axes to be zero
Mz  0
 5.7 Constraints and Statical Determinacy
Redundant Constraints
 More supports than needed for equilibrium
 Statically indeterminate: more unknown loadings on the body than
equations of equilibrium available for their solution

Example:
In 2D, there are 5 unknowns but 3
equilibrium equations can be drawn.
Example:
In 3D, there are 8 unknowns but 6 equilibrium equations can be
drawn
Improper Constraints: Having the same number of unknown reactive
forces as available equations of equilibrium does not always guarantee
that a body will be stable when subjected to a particular loading.

Example: Loading P will cause the beam

to rotate slightly about, and so the beam
is improperly constrained ∑MA ≠0

The moments of these forces about A

and B are all zero, the loading P will
rotate the member about the AB axis,
∑MAB ≠0