DYNAMIC EQUILIBRIUM

Analysis as a Rigid Body

We went on to describe the physical meaning of static equilibrium as one in which a body
is either at rest or is moving in a straight line with constant velocity. In other words, we
were talking about bodies that had zero acceleration. Applying the general equation F = ma
to them naturally gave a zero resultant force.
It is obvious that accelerating bodies cannot be in static equilibrium. But if we retain
the definition of equilibrium to include any case in which the resultant force is zero, a state
of dynamic equilibrium can be created for accelerated bodies. We merely add a dynamic
reaction (i.e., inertia force) which balances the resultant of the accelerating forces. This
combination of the applied forces together with the inertia force has a zero resultant;
hence all the equations and methods of static equilibrium may be applied to this
combination of applied and inertia forces.
 We have shown above that the resultant of the accelerating forces in rectilinear
𝑾
translation is equivalent to 𝒈 𝒂 acting through the gravity center in the direction of the
acceleration. Dynamic equilibrium can therefore be created by adding an equilibrant which
is equal, opposite, and collinear with this resultant. In other words, the equilibrant is an
𝑾
inertia force having the magnitude 𝒈 𝒂 acting through the gravity center but directed
opposite to the acceleration. This procedure is known as the application of d'Alembert's
principle.

The student should remember that a free-body diagram which includes the inertia
𝑾
the inertia force 𝒈 𝒂 (sometimes called the reversed effective force) as well as the real or
applied forces represents a force system whose resultant is zero. Since the condition of
zero resultant governed the development of static equilibrium, all the equation and
methods of statics may be applied to such a free-body diagram even though the body it
represents actually is accelerating. It is particularly advantageous to use dynamic
equilibrium to eliminate two unknown forces by taking a moment sum about their
intersection
Illustrative Problem #1
The cart shown in the figure is given a rightward acceleration of 8.05 ft/𝑠 2 . The sum of the friction forces under the
wheels is 20 lb. Find the values of the Normal Forces on wheels and the force P.

W = 1000 lb
P FBD: W = 1000 lb
3’
2’ 𝒂 = 8.05 ft/𝒔𝟐
5’ 5’

𝟏𝟎𝟎𝟎 𝑾
250 lb = 𝟑𝟐.𝟐
(8.05) = 𝒂
𝒈
P
3’
2’

5’ 𝑭𝟏 5’ 𝑭𝟐

𝑹𝟏 𝑹𝟐

𝑭𝟏 + 𝑭𝟐 = 𝟐𝟎 𝒍𝒃
Solution:
Σ𝑴𝑨 = 0
𝑅1 (10′ ) + 𝐹1 (2′ )+ 𝐹2 (2′ )− 𝑊(5′ ) − 250(1′ ) = 0
𝑅1 (10′ ) + 2′ ( 𝐹1 + 𝐹2 ) − 𝑊(5′ )− 250(1′ ) = 0
𝑅1 (10′ ) + 2′ (20 𝑙𝑏) − 1000 𝑙𝑏(5′ ) − 250(1′ ) = 0
𝑅1 (10′ ) − 5210 𝑙𝑏 · 𝑓𝑡 = 0
A 𝑅1 (10 𝑓𝑡) = 5210 𝑙𝑏 · 𝑓𝑡
2’ 5210 𝑙𝑏 · 𝑓𝑡
Σ𝑭𝒚 = 0 𝑅1 =
10 𝑓𝑡
𝑭𝟏 + 𝑭𝟐 = 𝟐𝟎 𝒍𝒃 𝑅1 + 𝑅2 − 𝑊 = 0 𝑹𝟏 = 𝟓𝟐𝟏 𝒍𝒃
𝑅2 = 𝑊− 𝑅1
𝑅2 = 1000 𝑙𝑏 −521 𝑙𝑏
𝑹𝟐 = 𝟒𝟕𝟗 𝒍𝒃

Σ𝑭𝒙 = 0
𝑃 − 𝐹1 − 𝐹2 − 250 𝑙𝑏 = 0
𝑃 = 250 𝑙𝑏+( 𝐹1 + 𝐹2 )
𝑃 = 250 𝑙𝑏 + 20 𝑙𝑏
𝑷 = 𝟐𝟕𝟎 𝒍𝒃
Illustrative Problem #2
4
The frame of a certain machine accelerates rightward at 5 g ft/s 2 . As shown in the figure., it carries a uniform bent bar
ABC weighing 100 lb pinned to it at C and braced by the uniform strut DE which weighs 50 lb. Determine the components
of the pin pressure at D. 40 lb
FBD: @ member ABC
4’ 4’ W= 10 lb/ft
𝟒 A 2’ 2’
𝐃𝐲 B
𝟐 𝑾
A B 𝒂 = 𝐠 ft/𝒔 𝟒𝟎 𝟒
32 lb = ( g) = 𝒂
𝟓 𝐠 𝟓 g
2’
2’ D 𝐃𝐱
D 𝟔𝟎 𝟒 𝑾
48 lb = ( g) = 𝒂
1’
𝐠 𝟓 g
4’ 60 lb 3’
4’
@ member DE 𝐂𝐱
C
C E 𝐃𝐲
2’ 2’ 𝐂𝐲
Solution:
Σ𝑴𝒄 = 0 𝐃𝐱
D
′ ′ ′ )− 𝟒𝟖𝒍𝒃 ′
50 lb
𝑫𝒙 (𝟒 ) − 𝟒𝟎𝒍𝒃 (𝟐 ) − 𝟑𝟐𝒍𝒃(𝟔 (𝟑 ) = 𝟎
𝑫𝒙 (𝟒′ ) = 𝟒𝟏𝟔 𝒇𝒕 · 𝒍𝒃 𝑾 𝟓𝟎 𝟒 2’
g𝒂
= ( g)
𝐠 𝟓
Σ𝑴𝑬 = 0 𝑫𝒙 = 𝟏𝟎𝟒 𝒍𝒃
′ ′ 40 lb
𝑫𝒚 (𝟒 ) − 𝟓𝟎𝒍𝒃 (𝟐 )−𝑫𝒙(𝟒′ )− 𝟒𝟎𝒍𝒃 (𝟐′ ) = 𝟎
𝐄𝐲
𝑫𝒚 (𝟒′ ) = 𝟗𝟎𝒍𝒃 (𝟐′ ) +𝟏𝟎𝟒 𝐥𝐛 (𝟒′ ) 2’
𝑫𝒚 = 𝟏𝟒𝟗 𝒍𝒃 𝐄𝐱
E
Illustrative Problem #3
2T
The uniform crate shown in the figure weighs 200 lb. It is pulled up the incline by a counterweight W of 400 a/2
lb. Find the maximum and minimum values of d so that the crate does not tip over as it slides up the incline.

FBD: First, let’s find the acceleration

200 lb T T
T
400 lb
Σ𝑭𝒚 = 𝑭𝒏𝒆𝒕 = 𝒎𝒂
a
400 𝑎
𝟒𝟎𝟎 − 𝟐𝑻 = ( )
𝑔 2
2T 400 𝑎
Σ𝑭𝒙 = 𝑭𝒏𝒆𝒕 = 𝒎𝒂 𝟐𝑻 = 400 − ( )
𝑊 𝑔 2
𝑻 − 𝒇 − 𝑾𝒙 = 𝑎 𝒇= μ N 100
𝑔 𝑻= 200 − 𝑎
𝟑 200 = 0.20 (160 lb) 𝑔
𝑻 − 𝟑𝟐 − 𝟐𝟎𝟎 = 𝑎
𝟓 𝑔 = 32 lb
200 𝑻 =𝑻
𝑻 = 𝟏𝟓𝟐 + 𝑎 200 100
𝑔 N = W cos 𝛳 𝟏𝟓𝟐 + 𝑎 = 200 − 𝑎
32.2 32.2
𝑻 = 𝟏𝟖𝟗 𝒍𝒃 = 200 (4/5)
𝒂 = 𝟓. 𝟏𝟓 ft/𝒔𝟐
= 160 lb
Find the maximum and minimum values of d so that the crate does not tip over as it slides up the incline.

Σ𝑴𝑨 = 0
200 lb 𝑊
T 𝑻 (𝒅) −𝑾𝒙 (𝟑′ ) − 𝑎 (𝟑′ )−𝑾𝒚 (𝟏′ ) = 𝟎
𝑔
𝟑 ′ ′
𝟒 ′
𝟏𝟖𝟒 𝒍𝒃 (𝒅) −𝟐𝟎𝟎( )(𝟑 )−𝟑𝟐 𝒍𝒃 (𝟑 ) −𝟐𝟎𝟎 ( )(𝟏 ) = 𝟎
𝟓 𝟓
𝟏𝟖𝟒 𝒍𝒃 (𝒅) = 𝟔𝟏𝟔 𝒇𝒕 · 𝒍𝒃
Maximum d with
𝒅 = 𝟑. 𝟑𝟓𝒇𝒕
tipping possible @ B

𝒇= 32 lb
A
200 𝑊 B Σ𝑴𝑩 = 0
(5.15) = 𝑎 𝑊
32.2 𝑔 𝑻 (𝒅) −𝑾𝒙 (𝟑′ ) − 𝑎 (𝟑′ )+𝑾𝒚 (𝟏′ ) = 𝟎
𝑔
𝟑𝟐 𝒍𝒃 = N = 160 lb 𝟑 ′ 𝟒
N = 160 lb 𝟏𝟖𝟒 𝒍𝒃 (𝒅) −𝟐𝟎𝟎( )(𝟑 )−𝟑𝟐 𝒍𝒃 (𝟑′ ) +𝟐𝟎𝟎 ( )(𝟏′ ) = 𝟎
𝟓 𝟓
N = 160 lb 𝟏𝟖𝟒 𝒍𝒃 (𝒅) = 𝟐𝟗𝟔 𝒇𝒕 · 𝒍𝒃
𝒅 = 𝟏. 𝟔𝟏 𝒇𝒕
Minimum d with tipping
possible @ A
Seat work:

1. Problem 1077

2. Problem 1078

3. Problem 1089