Far Eastern University August 2021

Institute of Architecture and Fine Arts

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LECTURE READING 5: RESULTANT OF CONCURRENT FORCES

A concurrent force system is a system of two or more forces whose lines of action ALL intersect at a
common point. However, all of the individual vectors might not actually be in contact with the common point. These
are the most simple force systems to resolve with any one of many graphical or algebraic options.

A resultant force is the single force and associated torque obtained by combining a system of forces and
torques acting on a rigid body. The defining feature of a resultant force, or resultant force-torque, is that it has the
same effect on the rigid body as the original system of forces.

Several forces can act on a body or point, each force having different direction and magnitude. In structural
the focus is on the resultant force acting on the body. The resultant of concurrent forces (acting in the same plane)
can be found using the parallelogram law, the triangle rule or the polygon rule.

Two or more forces are concurrent is their direction crosses through a common point. For example, two
concurrent forces F1 and F2 are acting on the same point P. In order to find their resultant R, we can apply either
the parallelogram law or triangle rule.

If there are several forces acting on the same point, we can apply the polygon rule to find their resultant.

The resultant force is the vector sum between the components

 Far Eastern University August 2021
Institute of Architecture and Fine Arts
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For the formulas:

Rx = ƩFx

Ry = ƩFy

R = √(Rx)2 +(Ry)2
R = √( Ʃ Fx )2 +(Ʃ Fy)2
Ry Ʃ Fy
tan ϴx = =
Rx Ʃ Fx

PROBLEM 1.

Find the resultant of the concurrent force system shown.

Compute first for the hypotenuse of the given slopes

Let ƩFv = summation forces vertical and ƩFH = summation forces horizontal
 Far Eastern University August 2021
Institute of Architecture and Fine Arts
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2 2
Rx = ƩFH = 722 ( ) - 200 cos 600 - 448 ( ) + 400 sin 200
√13 √5
Rx = 36.60 lb 

3 1
Ry = ƩFv = 722 ( ) + 200 sin 600 - 448 ( ) - 400 cos 200
√ 13 √5
Ry = 197.72 lb 

R = √( Ʃ F H )2 +( Ʃ Fv )2 = √ ¿ ¿

R = 201.08 lb ↗ ANSWER

Ʃ Fy 197 .72
tan ϴx = =
Ʃ Fx 36.60

ϴx = 79.510 ANSWER

PROBLEM 2.

The resultant of the concurrent forces shown is 300 N pointing up along the Y-axis. Compute the values
of F and α required to give this resultant.

From the problem: Let Rv = vertical resultant and RH = horizontal resultant

Rv = 300 N

RH = 0

ƩFv = F sin α - 250 sin 300 = F sin α - 125

ƩFH = F cos α + 250 cos 300 - 450 = F cos α - 233.49

Rv = ƩFv

300 = F sin α - 125

 Far Eastern University August 2021
Institute of Architecture and Fine Arts
___________________________________________________________________________
F sin α = 425 ..............eq. 1

RH = ƩFH

0 = F cos α - 233.49

F cos α = 233.49 ...............eq. 2

Eq 1 divided by eq 2

F sin α 425 sin α

= F is cancelled out, tan α =
F cos α 233.49 cos α

tan α = 1.82

α = 61.210 ANSWER

substitute α to eq.1

F sin α = 425

F sin 61.210 = 425

F = 484.94 N ANSWER

PROBLEM 3.

The horses on opposite banks of a canal pull a barge moving parallel to the banks by means of two
horizontal ropes. The tensions in these ropes are 200 N and 240 N while the angle between them is 60 0. Find the
resultant pull on the barge and the angles between each of the ropes and the sides of the canal.

y 200 N

600 ϴ R x

α = 600 - ϴ

240 N

From the problem:

 Far Eastern University August 2021
Institute of Architecture and Fine Arts
___________________________________________________________________________

RH = R

Rv = 0

ƩFv = 200 sin ϴ - 240 sin (60 - ϴ) from trigonometry:

Sin (60 - ϴ) = sin 60 cos ϴ - sin ϴ cos 60
ƩFv = 200 sin ϴ - 240 (sin 60 cos ϴ - sin ϴ cos 60)

ƩFv = 320 sin ϴ - 207.85 cos ϴ

Rv = ƩFv

0 = 320 sin ϴ - 207.85 cos ϴ

320 sin ϴ = 207.85 cos ϴ

sin ϴ 207.85
=
cos ϴ 320

207.85
tan ϴ =
320

ϴ = 330 ANSWER

α = 60 - ϴ = 60 - 33

α = 270 ANSWER

ƩFH = 200 cos ϴ + 240 cos (60 - ϴ)

ƩFH = 200 cos 330 + 240 cos (60 – 330)

ƩFH = 381.58 kN

RH = ƩFH

R = 381.58 kN ANSWER
 Far Eastern University August 2021
Institute of Architecture and Fine Arts
___________________________________________________________________________