GEC 1211 Basic Engineering Mechanics

Mr. M. Balasrinivasan
Assistant Professor
Department of Mechanical Engineering

Module I
Vector Approach to Mechanics
OBJECTIVES:
• To impart knowledge about the basic laws of statics and dynamics and
their applications in problem solving
• To acquaint both with scalar and vector approaches for representing
forces and moments acting on particles and rigid bodies and their
equilibrium
• To give on exposure on inertial properties of surfaces and solids
• To provide an understanding on the concept of work energy principle,
friction, kinematics of motion and their relationship

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OUTCOMES:
• On completion of this course students should be able
• Analyse and resolve forces, moments and solve problems using various
principles and laws of Mechanics
• Apply the concept of equilibrium to particles and solve problems
• Apply the concept of equilibrium to rigid bodies and solve problems
• Analyse and determine the properties of surfaces
• Analyse and evaluate the fractional forces between the bodies
• Apply the laws of motion in solving dynamics problems

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• MODULE I VECTOR APPROACH TO MECHANICS 9
• Introduction - Units and Dimensions- Vectors – Vectorial representation of forces and moments –Vector Algebra and its Physical relevance in
Mechanics - Laws of Mechanics – Parallelogram and triangular Law of forces -Lame’s theorem, Coplanar Forces – Resolution and Composition of
forces- Equilibrium of a particle.

• MODULE II EQUILIBRIUM OF PARTICLE 10

• Forces in space - Equilibrium of a particle in space - Equivalent systems of forces – Principle of transmissibility – Single equivalent force

• MODULE III EQUILIBRIUM OF RIGID BODY 12

• Free body diagram – Types of supports and their reactions – requirements of stable equilibrium – Moments and Couples – Moment of a force about
a point and about an axis –Vectorial representation of moments and couples – Scalar components of a moment –Varignon’s theorem - Equilibrium
of Rigid bodies in two dimensions -Examples

• MODULE IV PROPERTIES OF SURFACES 12

• Determination of Areas – First moment of area and the Centroid of sections – Rectangle, circle, triangle from integration – T section, I section, Angle
section, Hollow section by using standard formula – second and product moments of plane area – Physical relevance - Rectangle, triangle, circle
from integration - T section, I section, Angle section, Hollow section by using standard formula – Parallel axis theorem and perpendicular axis
theorem – Polar moment of inertia- Mass moment of Area

• MODULE V FRICTION 08
• Introduction to friction- types of friction- Laws of Coloumb friction- Frictional force – simple contact friction – Rolling resistance –ladder friction

• MODULE VI LAWS OF MOTION 09

• Review of laws of motion – Newton’s law – Work Energy Equation of particles– Impulse and Momentum – Impact of elastic bodies.

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Text books
1. Beer, F.P and Johnston Jr. E.R, “Vector Mechanics for
Engineers, Dynamics & Statics”, Third SI Metric Edition, Tata
McGraw-Hill International Edition, 2001.
2. Hibbeller, R.C., Engineering Mechanics, Vol. 1 Statics, Vol. 2
Dynamics, Pearson Education Asia Pvt. Ltd., 2000.
3. Irving H. Shames, Engineering Mechanics – Statics and
Dynamics, IV Edition Pearson Education Asia Pvt. Ltd., 2003.

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Mechanics
• Mechanics is defined as the science that describes and predicts the
conditions of rest or motion of bodies under the action of forces
• Mechanics of rigid bodies, mechanics of deformable bodies, and
mechanics of fluids
• the mechanics of fluids, is subdivided into the study of incompressible
fluids and of compressible fluids.

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Engineering mechanics
• Engineering mechanics is that branch of science which deals with the behaviour of a body when the body is at rest
or in motion.
• The branch of science, which deals with the study of a body when the body is at rest, is known as Statics.
• The branch of science which deals with the study of a body when the body is in motion, is known as Dynamics.
• The study of a body in motion, when the forces which cause the motion are not considered, is called kinematics.
• The study of a body in motion, when the forces which cause the motion are considered, is called kinetics.

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• Vector Quantity
• A quantity which is completely specified by magnitude and direction
• velocity, acceleration, force and momentum

• Scalar Quantity
• A quantity, which is completely specified by magnitude only
• mass, length, time and temperature

• A Particle
• A particle is a body of infinitely small volume (or a particle is a body of negligible
dimensions) and the mass of the particle is considered to be concentrated at a point.

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• The Parallelogram Law for the Addition of Forces. Two forces acting on a particle may be replaced by a single
force, called their resultant, obtained by drawing the diagonal of the parallelogram with sides equal to the
given forces.
• The Principle of Transmissibility. The conditions of equilibrium or of motion of a rigid body remain unchanged
if a force acting at a given point of the rigid body is replaced by a force of the same magnitude and same
direction, but acting at a different point, provided that the two forces have the same line of action.
• FIRST LAW. If the resultant force acting on a particle is zero, the particle remains at rest (if originally at rest) or
moves with constant speed in a straight line (if originally in motion).
• SECOND LAW. If the resultant force acting on a particle is not zero, the particle has an acceleration
proportional to the magnitude of the resultant and in the direction of this resultant force.
• F = ma
• THIRD LAW. The forces of action and reaction between bodies in contact have the same magnitude, same
line of action, and opposite sense.
• Newton’s Law of Gravitation. Two particles of mass M and m are mutually attracted with equal and opposite
forces F and –F of magnitude F, given by the formula

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SI Prefixes

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LAW OF PARALLELOGRAM OF FORCES
• If two forces, acting at a point be represented in magnitude and
direction by the two adjacent sides of a parallelogram, then their
resultant is represented in magnitude and direction by the diagonal of
the parallelogram passing through that point

�
� � �
� �

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LAW OF PARALLELOGRAM OF FORCES
• 
• Magnitude of Resultant (R)

• Direction of Resultant

�
� � �
� �

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Law of Triangle of Forces

• “if three forces acting at a point be represented in magnitude and

direction by the three sides of a triangle, taken in order, they will be in
equilibrium.”

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LAMI’S THEOREM
•  If three forces acting at a point are in equilibrium, each force will be
proportional to the sine of the angle between the other two forces.

� �
� �

�
�

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P1. Two forces are acting at a point O as shown. Determine the
resultant in magnitude and direction.
R
• 
𝜃

� �
� �

 
𝑄 sin 𝜃
𝛼=tan
−1
( 𝑃+𝑄 cos𝜃 )
�
�
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 P2. Two tugboats are pulling a barge. If the resultant of the forces exerted by
the tugboats is a 5000N force directed along the axis of the barge, determine
the tension in each of the ropes, given that α = 45˚

• 

  0.966 𝑄 P
1=
𝑃+0.259 𝑄  𝑃+0.259 𝑄=0.966 𝑄
  𝑃= 0. 707 𝑄
2.5 7 2
  ×10 =(0.707 𝑄) +𝑄 2
+0.5176 (0.707 𝑄)𝑄 𝑄=3661.260
 𝑃=
𝑁 2588.51 𝑁
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P3. A weight of 1000 N is supported by two chains as shown.
Determine the tension in each chain.

Given : Weight at C = 1000 N

∠CAB = 30° T1 T2
∠CBA = 60°
90˚
∠ACB = 90° 60˚
30˚
  𝑃 𝑄 𝑅
= = 90˚ 90˚
sin 𝛼 sin 𝛽 sin 𝛾 120˚ 150˚
  𝑇1 𝑇2 1000
= =
sin150 sin 120 sin 90 1000N

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 P4. Determine the tension developed in each cord required for
equilibrium of the 20-kg lamp.

TCA
180 - 53.13 =
5 126.87˚ 180˚ - 30˚ = 150˚
4
𝜃 = 53.13˚ � TDE
�3 TCD 30˚

45˚ TDC
180 - 45 = 135˚ 90˚ 90˚

TDF = 20kg
TCB = 20(9.81) = 196.2N

  𝜃= 𝑜𝑝𝑝 = 4
tan −1 4
𝑎𝑑𝑗 3  
𝜃=tan 𝜃=53.13°
3  
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  𝑃 𝑄 𝑅 180˚ - 30˚ = 150˚
= =
sin 𝛼 sin 𝛽 sin 𝛾 TDE
  𝑇 𝐷𝐸 𝑇 𝐷𝐶 𝑇 𝐷𝐹 30˚
= =
sin 90 sin( 90+30) sin 150 TDC
  𝑇 𝐷𝐸 𝑇 𝐷𝐶 196.2  𝑇 𝐷𝐸 𝑇 𝐷𝐶 196.2 90˚ 90˚
= = = =
sin 90 sin 120 sin 150 1 0.866 0.5
TDF = 20kg
196.2   𝑇 𝐷𝐶 = 196.2 = 20(9.81) = 196.2N
𝑇  𝐷𝐸 = =392.4 𝑁 𝑇  𝐷𝐶 =339.818 𝑁
0.5 0.866 0.5
TCA
  𝑇 𝐶𝐴 𝑇 𝐶𝐵 𝑇 𝐶𝐷 TDC = TCD 180 - 53.13 =
= = 5 126.87˚
sin135 sin 126.87 sin( 45+53.13) 4
𝜃 = 53.13˚ �
𝑇
  𝐶𝐴 𝑇 𝐶𝐵 339.818 �3
= = TCD
sin135 sin 126.87 sin( 98.13)
  𝑇 𝐶𝐴 339.818   𝑇 𝐶𝐴 339.818 45˚
= = 𝑇  𝐶 𝐴 =242.70 𝑁
sin135 sin(98.13) 0.707 0.9899 180 - 45 = 135˚

  𝑇 𝐶𝐵 339.818   𝑇 𝐶𝐵 339.818 𝑇  =274.59 𝑁

= = 𝐶𝐵
sin126.87 sin(98.13) 0.7999 0.9899
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TCB
19
RESOLUTION OF A FORCE
• finding the components of a given force in two given directions
• a force F resolved into a component Fx along the x axis and a component Fy along the y axis.
• The parallelogram drawn to obtain the two components is a rectangle, and Fx and Fy are called
rectangular components.
• Horizontal forces moving along → direction will be considered as positive direction.
• Vertical forces moving along ↑ direction will be considered as positive direction.

From ∆le OAB

B
C   𝜃¿ 𝑎𝑑𝑗   𝜃= 𝑜𝑝𝑝
sin
cos h𝑦𝑝
h𝑦𝑝
  𝜃¿ 𝐹𝑥   𝜃= 𝐹𝑦
Fy cos sin
𝐹 𝐹
𝐹
  𝑥 =𝐹 cos 𝜃 𝐹
  𝑦 =𝐹 sin 𝜃

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• Resultant
 
• Several forces acting on a particle can be replaced by a single force R that has the
same effect as several forces on the particle.
• Single equivalent force.
Magnitude of Resultant,
The angle made by the resultant with horizontal

• Equilibrium
• When the resultant of all the forces acting on a particle is zero, the particle is in
equilibrium.
• There will be no unbalanced force on a system.

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 P5. Four forces act on bolt A as shown. Determine the resultant of
the forces on the bolt.
Force Fx Fy F2y = F2cos20˚ F = F sin30˚
1y 1
F1 F1cos30˚ F1sin30˚
= 150 x 0.866 = 150 x 0.5
F2 F
= 150 N 1
= 129.9 N = 75 N
F2x = F2sin20˚ F1x = F1Rcos30˚
= 200.445 N
- F2sin20˚ F2cos20˚ 4.068˚
F2 Fx for F2 goes in the
= 80 N
= - 80 x 0.342
left direction.
= 80 x 0.939 F4x = F4cos15˚
= - 27.36 N “X” will be negative= 75.12 N
F3 for left direction.
F4
0 - F3 = - 110 N
= 110 N Fy for F3 goes in the
F3
F4cos15˚ - F4sin15˚ downward F = F
direction.
4x 4 sin15˚
F4 2 2
  be negative2for
“Y” will 2  𝑅= √ ( 199.94 ) + ( 14.22 )
= 100 N = 100 x 0.966
= 96.6 N
= - 100 x 0.259
= - 25.9 N √
𝑅= ( Σ 𝐹 𝑥 ) +( Σ 𝐹 𝑦 )
downward direction.
𝑅=200.445
  𝑁
𝚺Fx 𝚺Fy
= 129.9 – 27.36 + 96.6 = 75 + 75.12 – 110 – 25.9   Σ𝐹𝑦   14.22
tan 𝛼 = tan 𝛼= 𝛼=4.068°
 
= 199.94 N = 14.22 N Σ 𝐹𝑥 199.94

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P6. The forces F1, F2, and F3, all of which act on point A of the bracket, are
specified in three different ways. Determine the x and y scalar components of
each of the three forces.
Force Fx Fy

F1 = 600 N F1x = 600 cos35˚ F1y = 600 sin35˚

= 491 N = 344 N
F2x = - 500 cos𝜃 F2y = 500 sin𝜃
F2 = 500 N = -500 (adj/hyp) = 500 (opp/hyp)
= -500 (4/5) = 500 (3/5)
= -400 N = 300 N
F3x = 800 sin𝛼 F3y = -800 cos𝛼
F3 = 800 N = 800 sin 26.6˚ = -800 cos 26.6˚
= 358 N = -716 N

  𝛼 = 𝑜𝑝𝑝
tan
𝑎𝑑𝑗
  𝛼 = 0.2
tan
0.4
α  ¿ 26.6 °

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