RESULTANT OF FORCE SYSTEMS

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MODULE 2

STATICS OF RIGID BODIES 1

ENGR. BRENZ EDUARD C. ILAGAN
Session 2

2.1 Introduction
The effect of a system of forces on a body is usually expressed in terms of a
resultant. The value of this resultant determines the motion of the body. As we
shall see, if the resultant is zero, the body will be in equilibrium and will not
change its original state of motion. This is the province of statics. But is the
resultant of a force system is not zero, the body will have a varying state of
motion, thereby creating a problem in dynamics. In this Chapter we shall
consider the technique for determining the resultant effect of various types of
coplanar force systems. When these coplanar types are mastered, it is only a
simple step to the more general case of noncoplanar or space system of forces
which will be discussed in the coming Chapters.

2.2 Forces and Components

In Engineering, forces are not generally at right angles. While the resultant of
such forces may be found graphically, it is not always convenient to do so. It is
frequently desirable to resolve each force into a pair of right angle components
for analytical calculations.

Consider a force F acting upon a given body. The effect of the force is to move
the body rightward and upward.

The relation between these components (Fx; Fy) and F is determined by the
basic definitions of sine and cosine of the angle Ɵx between F and the X-axis,
which are usually written in the following form.
Fx = Fcosϴx Fy = Fsinϴx

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ENGR. BRENZ EDUARD C. ILAGAN
The components Fx and Fy are considered positive if they ac in the positive
direction of the X and Y axis, and negative if directed in the negative sense of
the reference axis. The choice of the X and Y axis is arbitrary and if desired the
angle between F and the Y-axis, designated as Ɵy may also be used.

It is obvious that the magnitude, inclination and direction of a force can be

derived when its rectangular components are known. Assuming values of Fx
and Fy to be known then we obtain the following equations.

𝐹 = √𝐹𝑥 2 + 𝐹𝑦 2
𝐹𝑦
𝑡𝑎𝑛𝜃𝑥 =
𝐹𝑥

2.3 Resultant of Three or More Concurrent Forces

The determination of the resultant of three or more concurrent forces that are
not collinear requires the determining the sum of three or more vectors. There
are two ways of accomplishing the addition of three or more vectors; graphically
and analytically.

 Graphically
Two vectors can be added to give a resultant; this resultant in turn can
be added to a third vector, etc. until all the vectors have been added
together to give an overall resultant. These vectors can be added in any
order.

 Analytically
The vectors can be resolved into components that coincide with
arbitrarily chosen axes. The component of each vector with respect to
these axes can be added algebraically, and the resulting additions will
be the components of the overall resultant vector.

𝑅𝑥 = ΣX
𝑅𝑦 = ΣY
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ENGR. BRENZ EDUARD C. ILAGAN
 Having thereby computed the components of the resultant R, we can
now determine its magnitude and inclination by using the following
equations.

𝑅 = √(ΣX)2 + (ΣY)2

ΣY
tan 𝜃𝑥 =
ΣX

The pointing of R is determined by the signs of its rectangular

components ΣX and ΣY.

2.4 Moment of a Force

The moment of a force about an axis or line is the measure of its ability to
produce a turning or twisting about the axis. The magnitude of the moment of
a force about an axis which is perpendicular to a plane containing the line of
action of the force is defined as the product of the force and the perpendicular
distance from the axis to the line action of the force.

In the figure shown, the moment of the horizontal force F about the vertical axis
Y equals F times d or Fd. The distance d is frequently called the moment arm
of the force. In this Course Subject, we shall assume the sign to be positive
when it is in clockwise direction, vice versa. To avoid confusion, it will be helpful
to indicate the positive sense of moments in a particular case by a curved arrow.

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ENGR. BRENZ EDUARD C. ILAGAN
2.5 The Principle of Moments (Varignon’s Theorem)

Varignom’s Theorem states that the moment of a force is equivalent to the sum
of the moments of its component.

Applications.
Let’s consider the figure below.

In some cases it is more convenient to determine the moment of a force from

the sum of the moments of its components rather than from the force itself.

2.6 Resultant of Parallel Forces

A parallel force system is one in which the action lines of all the forces are
parallel. The resultant of such a system is determine when it is known
magnitude, direction and position. One of the outstanding differences between
a concurrent and a parallel force system is that in the former the position of the
resultant is known by inspection whereas in the latter it is not.
Consider the system of parallel forces P, Q, and S shown with the Y axis parallel
to the forces so that none of the forces have an X component.

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ENGR. BRENZ EDUARD C. ILAGAN
Knowing that the Resultant R is

𝑅 = √(ΣX)2 + (ΣY)2

Which reduces to

𝑅 = ΣF

Obviously the line of action of R is parallel to the forces comprising the system.
To determine the position of R, we select some convenient point O as a moment
center and employ that the moment of a resultant is equal to the moment of its
parts.

𝑅. 𝑑 = ΣMo

The relative position of R with respect to O is determined from the fact that the
resultant must produce the same moment effect as the original system.

2.7 Couples

Sometimes the resultant of a force system will be zero in magnitude and yet
have a resultant moment sum. The special case in which the resultant has zero
magnitude but does have a moment is said to consist of a couple. We define a
couple as made up of two equal, parallel, oppositely directed forces. The
perpendicular distance between the action lines of the forces is called the
moment arm of the couple.

It is evident that the magnitude of the resultant of these two forces is zero. Their
moment sum is constant and independent of the moment center. This is
provided by selecting the moment centers at A and B to give respectively

ΣMA = 𝐹 . 𝑑

ΣMB = 𝐹 (𝑑 + 𝑎) − 𝐹 . 𝑎 = 𝐹 . 𝑑

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ENGR. BRENZ EDUARD C. ILAGAN
We conclude that the moment of a couple C is equal to the product of one of
the forces composing the couple multiplied by the perpendicular distance
between their action lines as expressed by the equation.
C=𝐹. 𝑑

2.8 Resolution of a Force into a Force and a Couple

It sometimes becomes necessary to replace a force acting at a given point by

and equal force acting through some other point. This introduces a couple.

As shown in the figure, let a known force F be actin through A. By adding two
collinear forces F’ and F” equal and parallel to F at B, the effect of F in
unchanged. The forces F and F” form a couple having the moment arm d. Since
the moment of a couple is independent of its moment center, it is convenient to
represent this couple by the curved vector C = Fd.

2.9 Resultant of Non-Concurrent Force Systems

It will be shown in kinetics of rigid bodies that the effect of an unbalanced non-
concurrent force system on a body is to give the body a motionconsisting of a
combined translation and rotation. The translational effect is determined by the
magnitude of the resultant R whose components are ΣX and ΣY. The rotational
effect is determined by the moment of the resultant force which may be
expressed in terms of the applied forces by R.d = ΣM

It is necessary to remember that a resultant of a force system is defined as a

force which produces the same effect as the original set of forces. The
components of the resultant must therefore equal the component effects of the
given force systems. This statement may be expressed by the following
relations:

𝑅𝑥 = ΣX
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ENGR. BRENZ EDUARD C. ILAGAN
 𝑅𝑦 = ΣY

𝑀𝑜𝑚𝑒𝑛𝑡 𝑜𝑓 𝑅 = 𝑅 . 𝑑 = ΣM

The magnitude and direction of the resultant are determined from the first two
of these relations by the use of:

𝑅 = √(Rx)2 + (Ry)2 = √(ΣX)2 + (ΣY)2

Ry ΣY
tan 𝜃𝑥 = =
Rx ΣX

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ENGR. BRENZ EDUARD C. ILAGAN