Edition

Eighth Vector Mechanics for Engineers: Statics

Structure Mechanics – Beams and Trusses
Focus is on two important types of engineering structures i.e planar
Difference between internal & external forces:
structures:
Internal force - 1) P – axial force
a)Beams - usually long, straight, prismatic members designed
to support loads applied at various points along the member. 2) V – Shearing force
b)Trusses - A truss consists of straight members connected at 3) M – Bending moment
joints. No member is continuous through a joint.

External force - 1) Self wt of body

Analysis of structure: 2) Contact forces
The current chapter is concerned with determining the internal 3) Reaction at support.
forces (i.e., tension/compression, shear, and bending) which hold
together the various parts of a given member. Application of external forces to a planar structure causes internal

1) Analysis for stability - External Stability actions consisting of –

- Internal Stability 1) Bending moment (M)

2) Finding internal forces in each member 2) Shear forces (V)

3) Finding displacement at each joint 3) Possibility of the axial forces (P)

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Edition
Eighth Vector Mechanics for Engineers: Statics
Types of supports
Roller support
Beam:
A - Here rotation is free
It is a structural member designed to support loads. C - X – Translation is free
D
It is a structural member which resist forces which are applied transversally to - Y- Translation is RESTRICTED
their axis It can resist a force is only one specific direction coincident with the line of action. [OR]

It is a structural member loaded axially along their centroidal axis. It can resist a force that acts r to the plane CD

Beams are usually long, straight prismatic bar

Hinged support:
- Here Rotation is free
Types of supports: - X – Translation is RESTRICTED
 These supports are based on the kind of resistance they offer to the acting - Y – Translation is RESTRICTED
forces. Therefore, reaction has two components since it can resist force in two directions.

Fixed support:
- Here Rotation is Restricted
- X – Translation is Restricted
- Y – Translation is Restricted

Therefore, reaction has three components since it can resist two components of
Reactions and Moments.
Here we restrict ourselves to three types of External supports later as we progress we will study
two more type of support i.e. internal.

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Edition
Eighth Vector Mechanics for Engineers: Statics
Various Types of Beam Loading and Support
• Beam - structural member designed to support
loads applied at various points along its length.

• Different Types of Loadings on Beams-

1) Concentrated Load
2) distributed Load
3) Uniformly varying Loads
4) Distributed Loads or a combination of above

• Beam design is two-step process:

(c) Uniformly Distributed Load
1) determine shearing forces and bending
moments produced by applied loads
2) select cross-section best suited to resist
shearing forces and bending moments
(d) Uniformly varying Loads

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Edition
Eighth Vector Mechanics for Engineers: Statics
The necessary and sufficient condition for the static equilibrium
• For a rigid body in static equilibrium, the external forces and
moments are balanced and will impart no translational or
rotational motion to the body.

• The necessary and sufficient condition for the static equilibrium of a

body are that the resultant force and couple from all external forces
form a system equivalent to zero,
   
 F 0  M O  r F  0

• Resolving each force and moment into its rectangular components

leads to 6 scalar equations which also express the conditions for
static equilibrium,
 Fx 0  Fy 0  Fz 0
 M x 0  M y 0  M z 0

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Edition
Eighth Vector Mechanics for Engineers: Statics
Equilibrium of a Rigid Body in Three Dimensions
• Six scalar equations are required to express the
conditions for the equilibrium of a rigid body in the
general three dimensional case.
 Fx 0  Fy 0  Fz 0
 M x 0  M y 0  M z 0

• These equations can be solved for no more than 6

unknowns which generally represent reactions at supports
or connections.
• The scalar equations are conveniently obtained by applying the
vector forms of the conditions for equilibrium,
   
 F 0  M O  r F  0

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Edition
Eighth Vector Mechanics for Engineers: Statics
Types of Beam:
Beams are classified according to way in which they are supported. From statics point of
view beams are of two types-
1. Statically Determinate beams.
2. Statically Indeterminate beams.
Statically determinate
 Here reactions are statically determinable by method of statics.
 Reactions at beam supports are determinate if they involve only three
unknowns. Otherwise, they are statically indeterminate.
 Equations of statical equilibrium are sufficient to determine the unknown forces or
reactions.
Statically indeterminate
 Here number of unknowns is greater than the no. of equations available i.e.
 Support reactions are not determinable by method of statics
 Here properties of Beams with regard to its resistance to bending must be taken into
account.

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Edition
Eighth Vector Mechanics for Engineers: Statics
Various Types of Beam Loading and Support

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Edition
Eighth Vector Mechanics for Engineers: Statics
Statically Indeterminate Reactions

• More unknowns than • Fewer unknowns than • Equal number unknowns

equations equations, partially and equations but
constrained improperly constrained
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Edition
Eighth Vector Mechanics for Engineers: Statics
Calculation of beam reactions –
When the forces are applied in one plane, three
equations of statical equilibrium are available for
analysis.
∑Fx = ∑H = 0

∑Fy = ∑V = 0

∑Mz = ∑M = 0 ∑FX =0 RAX =0

∑MA =0 + 200 +100 x 0.2 +160 x 0.3 – RB x 0.4 =0

Sign convention followed: -
↑ + Ve ↓ - Ve → ←
+ Ve - Ve RBY =670N 

∑MB =0 + RAY x 0.4 +200 – 100 x 0.2 – 160 x 0.1 =0

+ Ve + Ve - Ve - Ve
RAY =-410 
Clockwise +Ve Anticlockwise -Ve Check ∑ Fy =0  +ve -410-100-160+670 =0

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Edition
Eighth Vector Mechanics for Engineers: Statics
Internal Hinge
If a internal hinge is given such as shown in fig. –
• A Hinge like this is capable of transmitting only
horizontal and vertical forces.
• No moment can be transmitted at Hinged joint.
• Therefore it is a prefect location for purpose of
computing reactions.
• Reactions at Hinge for one beam act in opposite
direction on the other Beam.
Further
The introduction of hinges into a determinate beam makes
the beam unstable (proved later).
We get one additional equation at the hinge and this is
most popularly known as condition equation i.e. moment
is restricted at hinge therefore = 0

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Edition
Eighth Vector Mechanics for Engineers: Statics
Link Support

• Link act as a string

• Moment at link is restricted
• X - translation is restricted
• Therefore, we get two additional eqns
(condition equations) i.e. s= 0 and
• HS = Fxs = 0
• It is also known as internal Roller.

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