CON4331 STRUCTURAL MECHANICS

│CHAPTER 1│

Understanding on the Fundamental Principles of Structural

Mechanics

 Learning Objectives
 Apply the equilibrium of forces in static condition.
 Carry out resolution of forces.
 Apply the concept of free body diagram.
 Construct force polygons
 Calculate support reactions of determinate structures.

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1. Principles of Statics

Statics is the study of how forces act and react on rigid bodies which are
at rest or not in motion. This study is the basis of the engineering
principles, which guide the design of all structures. Before designing
any structure, one must first know the forces applied to it.

1.1 Newton’s Third Law of Motion

Newton’s Third Law of Motion states that for every action there is
always an equal and opposite reaction.

The study of statics has many applications in daily life. Anyone who has
used a ladder should have a deep appreciation of the laws that govern
the stability of the ladder. Hopefully the reactions generated by the
ground surface and the wall surface are sufficient to maintain
equilibrium. If these forces cannot be developed, an accident will
likely occur.

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1.2 Equilibrium of Structures

A structure is considered to be in equilibrium if it remains at rest when
subject to a system of forces and moments. If a structure is in
equilibrium, then all its members and any parts of it are also in
equilibrium.

For a structure to be in equilibrium, all the forces and moments

(including support reactions) acting on it must balance each other. For
a plane structure subject to forces in its own plane, the conditions for
equilibrium can be expressed by the following equations of equilibrium:

 Fx  0,  Fy  0,  M z  0

The third equation above states that the sum of moments of all forces
about any point in the plane of the structure is zero.

 Fx  0,
F1 + (-F2) = 0
F1 = F2

 Fy  0,
F3 + (-F4) = 0
F3 = F4

1.3 Forces and their resultants

Forces are vectors, and because of this they have both magnitude and
direction. This is extremely important to realize because an analysis of
a structure cannot be completed by simply knowing the magnitude of
forces without the direction of application.

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1.3.1 Techniques of finding resultants

In solving statics problems, often it is advantageous to replace all the

forces, which act on a body with a single force. This single force,
called a resultant, must produce the same movement and effects that
all the original forces would produce on the body.

 Vector addition using trigonometric functions

 Resolution into rectangular components

1.3.1.1 Vector addition using trigonometric functions

The resultant of two vectors can be found by placing the two vectors
(which act at the same point) in a tip-to-tail fashion and completing the
triangle with a vector.

The resultant vector (c) is the sum of the original two vectors (a and b)
and therefore replaces the original two vectors.

By using Cosine Law,

c2 = a2 +b2 –2*a*b*cos C

The resultant of three or more vectors can be found by placing the

vectors (which act at the same point) in a tip-to-tail fashion and
completing the polygon.

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The polygon method requires finding an intermediate resultant, r’.

This intermediate resultant is to be the sum of the two preceding
vectors and will subsequently be added to the next vector to find
another intermediate resultant. This process will repeat itself until the
last vector has to be added to the last intermediate resultant.

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1.3.1.2 Resultant of Parallel Force Systems

The resultant of a parallel force system must have the same net effect
on the body as the parallel system, which it is replacing. That means
the translational characteristics, as well as the rotational characteristics,
must be equal.

Example 1

The following body is acted upon by a group of parallel forces. Find the
resultant of the forces.

Solution

Considering the translational effects, the magnitude of the resultant can

be found by simply summing the forces involved.

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R = 5 + 8 –3 N = 10 N

This 10 N force has to act at a particular point that gives the resultant the
same rotational characteristics as the real system. If point O is chosen as
the reference point, the moments from the real system would be as
follow:

Take moment about point O,

R*x = 5*3 + 8*7 – 3*11
x = 3.8 m

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2. Equilibrium

A loaded building as shown in the following figure is in equilibrium if it

does not move as a rigid body. Rigid body movement can be either a
translation (movement in a straight line) or a rotation or a combination
of both.

In this case we must have some physical means to tie up the building on
to the ground in the first place, and through these ties the load can be
transmitted from the structure to the ground. These ties are called
restraints, or constraints or supports.

 Fx  0,  Fy  0,  M z  0

2.1 Tie up a body or a structure

A body in a plane has three degrees of freedom, which means that the
body is free to move about in x-direction, in y-direction as well as
rotation.

If we want to maintain this body in equilibrium and prevent it from

moving away under the loads, we must tie it up with some ties to the
foundation.

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It is seen that we have used two ties to tie up the body of A. This body
now cannot have translational displacements in both x and y directions.
But it can still rotate about A. In order to prevent it from rotation too,
we used another tie to tie up the body.

In conclusion, at least three ties are necessary in order to tie up a body

onto a foundation so that it cannot disappear or rotate under the action
of external loads, and it can be maintained in the conditions of
equilibrium.

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Note that the above arrangements of the three ties or restraints cannot
maintain the body, or the structure, in equilibrium. Do you know why?

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3. Types of Structures

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4. Types of Supports

Pin or Hinge Support

A pin or hinge support is represented by the symbol

HB or HB
VB VB

Prevented: Horizontal translation and vertical translation

Allowed: Rotation

Roller Support

A roller support is represented by the symbol

or
VB VB

Prevented: Vertical translation

Allowed: Horizontal translation and Rotation

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Fixed Support

A fixed support is represented by the symbol

MB
HB
or HB V
VB MB B

Prevented: Horizontal translation, Vertical translation and

Rotation

Allowed: None

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Example 2

Beam ABCD has a pinned support at A and a roller support at C. It

carries two concentrated loads of 20 kN each and a uniformly distributed
load of 4 kN/m over the right hand half as shown. Determine the
support reactions.

20 kN
20 kN
4 kN/m
A
B C D

3m 1.5m 1.5m 3m

Solution

20 kN
20 kN
4 kN/m
A
B C D
HA
VA V
3m 1.5m 1.5m C 3m

X = 0, HA = 0

Take moment about A (take anti-clockwise as +ve) ,

-20*3 - 20*9 - 4*(4.5)*(4.5 + 4.5/2) + Vc*6 = 0
Vc = 60.25 kN

Y = 0, VA + VC - 20 - 20 - 4*4.5 = 0
VA = -2.25 kN, (-ve sign indicates VA acts in opposite direction)
VA = 2.25 kN ()

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Example 3

Find the support reactions for the simple beam shown.

5 4
40 kN 50 kN 3

A D
B C

5m 2.5m 2.5m

Solution

5 4
40 kN 40 kN
50 kN
3

A 30 kN
D
B C
HA
VA VD
5m 2.5m 2.5m

Resolve the 50 kN inclined external load into horizontal and vertical

components as shown.

X = 0, HA – 30 = 0,  HA = 30 kN

Take moment about A (take anti-clockwise as +ve),

-40*5 - 40*7.5 + VD*10 = 0
VD = 50 kN

Y = 0, VA + VD - 40 - 40 = 0
VA = 30 kN

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Example 4

Determine the reaction forces of the truss.

30 kN
30 kN

20 kN

5m
A B

5m 5m 5m 5m

Solution

30 kN
30 kN

20 kN 5m

A B
HA
VA VB
5m 5m 5m 5m

X = 0, HA – 20 = 0,  HA = 20 kN

Take moment about A (Take anti-clockwise as +ve),

-30*10 - 30*15 + 20*2.5 + VB*20 = 0
VB = 35 kN

Y = 0, VA + VB - 30 - 30 = 0
VA = 25 kN

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Example 5

Determine the support reactions for the frame shown.

5 4
20 kN 3
25 kN

C D
4m

10 kN
B
4m

A E

12 m

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Solution

5 4
20 kN
20 kN 3
25 kN

15 kN
C D
4m

10 kN
B
4m

A E
HA
VA VE
12 m

Resolve the 25 kN inclined external load into horizontal and vertical

components as shown.

X = 0, HA + 10 – 15 =0
HA = 5 kN

Take moment about A (take anti-clockwise as +ve),

-10*4 - 20*12 + 15*8 + VE*12 = 0
VE = 13.3 kN

Y = 0, VA + VE - 20 - 20 = 0
VA = 26.7 kN

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Example 6

Find the reactions for the cantilever beam shown.

6 kN 4 kN/m
4 kNm
A B
1.5m 1.5m 1.5m 1.5m

Solution

6 kN 4 kN/m
MA 4 kNm
HA
A B
VA
1.5m 1.5m 1.5m 1.5m

X = 0, HA = 0 kN

Y = 0, VA - 6 - 4*1.5/2 = 0
VA = 9 kN

Take moment about A (take anti-clockwise as +ve),

-6*1.5 - 4*(1.5/2)*(6 - 1.5*1/3) + 4 + MA = 0
MA = 21.5 kNm

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Example 7

Determine the support reactions for the frame shown.

8 kN/m
3 kN/m

B C
3 kN/m

12m
A
8m

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Solution

5 kN/m
3 kN/m
3 kN/m
B C
3 kN/m

12m
A
HA MA
VA
8m
X = 0, -HA + 3*12 = 0,  HA = 36 kN

Y = 0, VA - 3*8 - 5*8/2 = 0
VA = 44 kN

Take moment about A (take anti-clockwise as +ve),

-3*12*6 - 3*8*4 - 5*(8/2)*(8*2/3) + MA = 0
MA = 418.7 kNm

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 Revision
Read reference 2 on P.17 – 35, P.139 - 161

 Main Reference
1. Mechanics of Materials, 8th Edition (2011), R.C. Hibbeler, Prentice Hall.
2. Statics and Mechanics of Materials, SI Edition (2004), R.C. Hibbeler,
Prentice Hall

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│TUTORIAL 1│

Determine the support reactions for the following structures.

Q1.
8 kN/m

A
B C
3m 2m

Q2.

40 kN

12 kN/m

A B C D

2m 2m 5m

Q3.

4 kN

2 kN/m

A B C D

2m 2m 5m

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│TUTORIAL 1│

Q4.

500 kNm
40 kN/m

A B C D
6m 2m 2m

Q5.
500 kg

800 kg/m

A B C D
500mm 200mm
100mm

Q6.
800 N
500 N

200 Nm

A B C D
500mm 300mm
200mm

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│TUTORIAL 1│

Q7.

250 N/m

A
B C
700mm 500mm

Q8.
1200 N

1500N/m

A B C D

200mm 600mm 500mm

Q9.
800 N

600 N/m

A B C D

700mm 200mm 300mm

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│TUTORIAL 1│

Q10.

60 kN
150 kNm

A B C D
4m 3m 2m

Q11.

800 kg

300 kg/m

A B C
2m 3m

Q12.

1500 N/m
500 Nm

A B C
1.2m 0.7m

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