REVIEW – STRUCTURAL ENGINEERING AND CONSTRUCTION

STATICS 1 Principle of transmissibility of forces

MECHANICS: The state of rest of motion of a rigid

Mechanics can be defined as the branch body is unaltered if a force acting in the
of physics concerned with the body is replaced by another force of the same
state of rest or motion of bodies that magnitude and direction but acting anywhere on
subjected to the action of forces. OR the body along the line of action of the
It may be defined as the study of forces replaced force.
acting on body when it is at rest or in motion For example the force F acting on a
is called mechanics. rigid body at point A. According to the
Classification of Mechanics principle of transmissibility of forces, this
The engineering mechanics are classified as force has the same effect on the body as a
shown force F applied at point B.

BRANCHES OF MECHANICS:
Mechanics can be divided into two branches.
1. Static.
2. Dynamics.
a) Statics
It is the branch of mechanics that
The following two points should be considered
deals with the study of forces acting on a
while using this principle.
body in equilibrium. Either the body at rest
1. In engineering mechanics we deal with only
or in uniform motion is called statics
rigid bodies. If deformation of the body is to
be considered in a problem. The law of
b) Dynamics:
transmissibility of forces will not hold good.
It is the branch of mechanics that
2. By transmission of the force only the state
deals with the study of forces on body in
of the body is unaltered, but not the internal
motion is called dynamics. It is further
stresses which may develop in the body.
divided into two branches.
Therefore this law can be applied only to
i) Kinetics
problems in which rigid bodies are involved.
ii) Kinematics
Systems of forces
i) Kinetics
When numbers of forces acting on the
It is the branch of the dynamics which
body then it is said to be system of forces
deals the study of body in motion under
the influence of force i.e. is the
Types of system of forces
relationship between force and motion are
considered or the effect of the force are
1. Collinear forces
studied
In this system, line of action of forces act
along the same line is called collinear
ii) Kinematics:
forces. For example consider a rope is being
It is the branch of the dynamics that
pulled by two players as shown in figure
deals with the study of body in motion with
out considering the force.

2. Coplanar forces
When all forces acting on the body are in the
same plane the forces are coplanar

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 REVIEW – STRUCTURAL ENGINEERING AND CONSTRUCTION

1. It is required that the resultant force

3. Coplanar Concurrent force system acting on the eyebolt in the figure shown be
A concurrent force system contains forces directed along positive x-axis and that F2
whose lines-of action meet at same one point. have a minimum magnitude. Determine this
Forces may be tensile (pulling) or Forces may magnitude, the angle θ, and the corresponding
be compressive (pushing) resultant force.

2. The magnitudes of the three forces applied

4. Non Concurrent Co-Planar Forces to the eye bolt are T1 = 110 lb, T2 = 40 lb,
A system of forces acting on the same plane and T3 = 150 lb. Replace these forces with a
but whose line of action does not pass through single equivalent force R.
the same point is known as non-concurrent
coplanar forces or system for example a ladder
resting against a wall and a man is standing
on the rung but not on the center of gravity.

5. Coplanar parallel forces

When the forces acting on the body are in the
same plane but their line of actions
are parallel to each other known as coplanar
parallel forces for example forces acting on
the beams and two boys are sitting on the sea
saw.
3. The stock mounted on the lathe is subjected
6. Non coplanar parallel forces
to a force of 60N. Determine the coordinate
In this case all the forces are parallel to
direction angle β and express the force as a
each other but not in the same plane, for
Cartesian vector.
example the force acting on the table when a
book is kept on it.

RESULTANT FORCE
A resultant force is a single force, which
produce same affect so that of number of
forces can produce is called resultant force

COMPOSITION OF FORCES
The process of finding out the resultant Force
of given forces (components vector) is called
composition of forces. A resultant force may
be determined by following methods
1. Parallelogram laws of forces or method
2. Triangle law of forces or triangular method
3. Polygon law of forces or polygon method

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4. The forces P1 = 110 lb, P2 = 200 lb, and P3 EQUILIBRIUM OF PARTICLE AND BODY
= 150 lb are equivalent to a single force R. Equilibrium of a Particle
Determine (a) the magnitude of R; and (b) the When the resultant of all forces acting on a
coordinates of the point where the line of particle is zero, the particle is said to be
action of R crosses the yz-plane. in equilibrium.
A particle which is acted upon two forces

Newton’s First Law:

If the resultant force on a particle is zero,
the particle will remain at rest or will
continue at constant speed in a straight line.

8. Determine the maximum weight of the

flowerpot that can be supported without
exceeding a cable tension of 50 lb in either
cable AB or AC.

5. Replace the three forces acting on the

bracket by a single, equivalent force.

9. If the bucket and its contents have a total

weight of 20 lb, determine the force in the
6. Find the forces Q1, Q2, and Q3 so that the
supporting cables DA, DB, and DC.
two force systems are equivalent.

7. Find the x- and y-coordinates of the point

where the resultant of the three forces
crosses the plate.

10. The boom AB is held in equilibrium by a

ball-and-socket joint A and a pulley and cord
system as shown. Determine the x, y, z
components of reaction at A and the tension in
cable DEC if F = 1500kips.

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BEAMS AND FRAMES

Moment of a force
18. Neglecting friction and the weights of the
The tendency of a force to move the
members, compute the magnitudes of the pin
body in the direction of its application a
reactions at A and C for the folding table
force can tend to rotate a body about an axis.
shown.
This axis may be any line which is neither
intersects nor parallel to the line of the
action of the force. This rational tendency of
force is known as the moment of force.

11. Determine (1) the moment of the force F

about point C; and (2) the perpendicular
distance between C and the line of action of
F.

19. Determine the forces in members (a) BF;

and (b) EF. Indicate tension or compression.

12. A moment of 50 lb • ft about O is required

to loosen the nut. Determine the smallest
magnitude of the force F and the corresponding
angle θ that will turn the nut.

14. Determine the horizontal and vertical

components of force at C which member ABC
exerts on member CEF.

13. The trap door is held open by the rope AB.

If the tension in the rope is T = 40 lb,
determine its moment about the y-axis.

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