Applied Mechanics

GEE 212
Engr. Dr. Balogun A. Vincent
[email protected]
 Course information
Course Title: Applied Mechanics

Course Number: GEE 212

Course Units: 3

Term: First Semester

2020/2021

Meeting Times: Wednesdays (10 – 12 Noon)

Lab work Thursdays (1 – 2 pm)

 Grading
• Assignments/Quiz -10%

• Continuous Assessment Test - 10%

• Presentation/Attendance - 10%

• Examination - 70%

• Total - 100%
 Course Contents
• Week 1 - 3: General Introduction, Statics: Laws of statics, system of
forces and their properties, Simple problems, Friction.
• Week 4&5: Particle dynamics: Kinematics of plane motion.
Newton's laws- Kinetics of particles, momentum and energy
methods.
• Week 6&7: Kinematics of rigid body- velocity and acceleration
diagrams for simple problems.
• Week 8&9: Kinetics of rigid bodies- Two dimensional motion of rigid
bodies, energy and momentum,
• Week 9 - 11: Kinetic energy in general plane motion, power in
general plane motion, Mass Moment of inertia, Simple problems,
impulse, centre of pressure and percussion, frameworks, Simple
harmonic motions.
• Week 12: Semester Test and Revisions
 Learning Outcomes
At the end of this course student should be able to:
• State the concept and principles of mechanics

• Understand First and second moment of area

• Understand the application of vectors to resolution of forces at

equilibrium by defining their free body diagrams.

• Explain the kinematics of particles and rigid bodies by the

applications of Newton’s laws of motion.

• Replicate the principles of statics and dynamics for a given

engineering design problem.
Textbooks/references/resources
• Johnston, E. R., Beer, F., & Eisenberg, E.
(2009). Vector Mechanics for Engineers:
Statics and Dynamics. McGraw-Hill.
• Khurmi R. S. (2012). Applied Mechanics and
Strength of Materials. S. Chand & Company
Ltd, India.
• Internet based resources.
• LMS and e-library
 Week 1: Module One
• Statics: Laws of statics
• System of forces and their properties
• Simple problems
• Summary
• Questions.
 Learning Outcomes
At the end of this course student should be able to:
• Define mechanics
• State the concept and principles of mechanics
• Understand system of forces
• Understand the application of vectors to
resolution of forces at equilibrium by defining
their free body diagrams.
• Replicate the principles of statics for a given
engineering design problem.
WHAT IS APPLIED MECHANICS?

Motion / equilibrium of a body or

system of bodies under load

Applied mechanics is a branch of the physical sciences and the practical application of
mechanics.

In rigid body mechanics we presume that all objects are perfectly rigid. This means they
change neither their form nor their volume when forces act on them.
Note: Applied vs. Theoretical
 What is Mechanics?
• Mechanics is the physical science which deals
with the effect of forces on objects.
• Principles of mechanics are applicable in
vibrations, stability and strength of structures and
machines, robotics, rocket and spacecraft design,
automatic control, engine performance, fluid
flow, electrical machines and apparatus,
molecular, atomic and sub atomic behaviour.
• Mechanics is the oldest physical science dated
back to the beginning of Engineering 287 – 212
BC on the principle of lever and buoyancy.
Marwan and Waseem (2002)
• Applied mechanics is a branch of the physical
sciences and the practical application of
mechanics.
• Pure mechanics describes the response of
bodies (solids and fluids) or systems of bodies
to external behavior of a body, in either a
beginning state of rest or of motion, subjected
to the action of forces.
Applications of Mechanics
List other applications of Mechanics in your field.
 Fundamental and derived units
• Length, Mass, Time
• SI units; Metric: kg, m, s
• Imperial units: Ib, ft, sec
• Derived units
• Physical quantities are expressed in other
units which are derived from fundamental
units. E.g. area, velocity, acceleration,
pressure, etc.
 System of units
• Four systems of units used universally.
• C. G. S units
• F. P. S units (Foot Pounds and Seconds)
• M. K. S units
• S.I. units (Systeme International d’Unites): The
International System of Units.
 Units and Dimensions
• M for mass, L for length, T for time,
• F for force, and E for energy
• mass m, [M];
• length or distance [L]; x, r, d, or s, etc.
• time t, [T];
• force F
• pressure p, [F/L2]
• angles: θ, α, β, ζ, φ, [dimensionless];
• energy E, kinetic energy KE, potential energy PE,
• work W,
• tension T, D[F];
• power P, [E/T];
Problem Solving Techniques
 Cartesian Vector Notations
• i is along the x-axis
• j is along the y-axis
• Resultant
• For scalar addition, normal rules applies
• For Cartesian addition, vector rules applies
• Class Examples
 Statics: Laws of statics
Equilibrium of Forces
• Force
• A force is an agent which produces or tends to produce, destroys or
tends to destroy motion e.g. a horse pulling a cart and set it in
motion.

Effects of a Force
• May change the motion = body at rest = set in motion.
• May retard the motion of a body.
• May retard the forces, already aching on a body, thus bringing it to
rest or in equilibrium.
• May give rise to the internal stresses in the body on which it acts.
 Force
• Characteristics of a force
– Magnitude
– Direction
– Type of force
– The point at which (or through which) the force acts on the body.

• Principles of physical independence of forces

• Principle of transmissibility of forces

• A rigid body is a body which can retain its shape and size even
if subjected to some external forces.
 System of forces
• Coplanar forces
• Collinear forces
• Concurrent forces
• Coplanar concurrent
• Coplanar non-concurrent
• Non-planar concurrent
• Non planar non concurrent
 Resolution of force
• This is the process of breaking-up the given force into a
number of components without changing its effect on
the body.

• Principle of resolution
• The algebraic sum of the resolved parts of a number of
forces in a given direction is equal to the resolved part
of their resultant in the same direction.

• Resultant force
Method of resolution of the resultant
force
• Resolve all the forces horizontally and find the
algebraic sum of all the horizontal
components. (i.e. ∑H).
• Then, resolve vertical forces (∑V)
• Resultant R =
• The resultant force inclined at an angle Ө with
the horizontal
• Tan Ө =
 Example 1
• A triangle ABC has its side AB = 40mm along
positive x-axis and side BC=30mm along
positive y-axis. Three forces of 40N, 50N and
30N act along sides AB, BC and CA
respectively. Define the magnitude of the
resultant of such a system of forces.
 Equilibrium of forces
• For a particle to be at equilibrium, the
resultant of a number of forces acting on the
particle must be zero.

• Principle of equilibrium
– Two force principle
– Three force principle
– Four force principle
 Methods for the equilibrium of
coplanar forces
• To evaluation the equilibrium of coplanar
forces i.e forces acting on the same plane

Two methods:
• Analytical
• Graphical.
 Analytical method
• Lami’s theorem:
• If three coplanar forces acting at a point be in
equilibrium, then each force is proportional to
the sine of an angle between the other two.
• Mathematically,
 Example 2
• An electric light fixture weighing 15N hangs
from a point C, by two strings AC and BC. The
string AC is inclined at 60o to the horizontal
and BC at 45o to the vertical as shown below.
 Example 3
• A string ABCD, attached to two fixed points A
and D has the portions AB and CD inclined at
angles of 30o and 60o respectively to the
vertical are shown.
 Example 4
• Two equal heavy spheres of 50mm radius are
in equilibrium within a smooth cup of 150mm
radius show that the reaction between the
cups of one space is double than that of
between the two spheres.
Graphical method for the equilibrium
of forces
• The graphical method is achieved by drawing
the vector diagram of the forces. This is
achieved by studying the:

• Converse of the law of triangle of forces

• Converse of the law of polygon of forces.

 Example 5
• An electric light fixture weighing 15N hangs
from a point C, by two strings AC and BC. The
string AC is inclined at 60o to the horizontal
and BC at 45o to the vertical as shown below.

Bow's Notation is a labeling convention

whereby the spaces in between any
group of forces is labeled with a capital
letter such that each force is then
straddled by two letters
 EXAMPLE 6
• Five strings are tied at a point and are pulled
in all directions, equally spaced from one
another. If the magnitude of the pulls on three
consecutive strings is 50N, 70N and 60N
respectively. Find graphically the magnitude of
the pulls on two other strings.
 Conditions of equilibrium
• Body may move in any one direction.
∑ 𝑚𝑚 = 0 , ∑ 𝑉𝑉 = 0
• Body may rotate about itself without moving
hence, resultant moment of all forces = 0.
• Body may move in any one direction and also
rotate about itself at the same time.
• Body may be completely at rest and no
resultant force nor a couple acting on it.
 Types of equilibrium
• Stable
F

F
• Unstable

F
• Neutral
 Static equilibrium
• For a rigid body in static equilibrium, the external forces and moments
are balanced and will impart no translational or rotational motion to the
body.

• The necessary and sufficient condition for the static equilibrium of a body
are that the resultant force and couple from all external forces form a system
equivalent to zero,
   
∑ F = 0 ∑ M O = ∑ (r × F ) = 0

• Resolving each force and moment into its rectangular components leads to
6 scalar equations which also express the conditions for static equilibrium,

∑ Fx = 0 ∑ Fy = 0 ∑ Fz = 0
∑Mx = 0 ∑My = 0 ∑Mz = 0
Free-body diagram
First step in the static equilibrium analysis of a rigid
body is identification of all forces acting on the
body with a free-body diagram.

• Select the extent of the free-body and detach

it from the ground and all other bodies.

• Indicate point of application, magnitude, and

direction of external forces, including the rigid
body weight.

• Indicate point of application and assumed

direction of unknown applied forces. These
usually consist of reactions through which the
ground and other bodies oppose the possible
motion of the rigid body.

• Include the dimensions necessary to

compute the moments of the forces.
Reactions at supports and connections
for a two-dimensional structure
• Reactions equivalent to a
force with known line of
action.
Reactions at supports and connections
for a two-dimensional structure
• Reactions equivalent to a
force of unknown direction
and magnitude.

• Reactions equivalent to a
force and a couple.
Equilibrium of a rigid body in two
dimensions
• For all forces and moments acting on a two-
dimensional structure,
Fz = 0 M x = M y = 0 M z = M O
• Equations of equilibrium become

∑ Fx = 0 ∑ Fy = 0 ∑ M A = 0
where A is any point in the plane of the
structure.

• The 3 equations can be solved for no more than

3 unknowns.

• The 3 equations can not be augmented with

additional equations, but they can be replaced
∑ Fx = 0 ∑ M A = 0 ∑ M B = 0
 Example 7
SOLUTION:
• Create a free-body diagram for the crane.

• Determine B by solving the equation for the

sum of the moments of all forces about A.
Note there will be no contribution from the
unknown reactions at A.

• Determine the reactions at A by solving

A fixed crane has a mass of 1000 kg and the equations for the sum of all
is used to lift a 2400 kg crate. It is held horizontal force components and all
in place by a pin at A and a rocker at B. vertical force components.
The center of gravity of the crane is
located at G. • Check the values obtained for the
Determine the components of the reactions by verifying that the sum of the
reactions at A and B. moments about B of all forces is zero.
 Solution
• Determine B by solving the equation for the sum
of the moments of all forces about A.
∑ M A = 0 : + B(1.5m ) − 9.81 kN(2m )
− 23.5 kN(6m ) = 0
B = +107.1 kN

• Determine the reactions at A by solving the

equations for the sum of all horizontal forces and
• Create the free-body diagram. all vertical forces.

∑ Fx = 0 : Ax + B = 0
Ax = −107.1 kN

∑ Fy = 0 : Ay − 9.81 kN − 23.5 kN = 0
Ay = +33.3 kN

• Check the values obtained.

 Example 8
SOLUTION:
• Create a free-body diagram for the car
with the coordinate system aligned with
the track.

• Determine the reactions at the wheels by

solving equations for the sum of moments
about points above each axle.

• Determine the cable tension by solving

A loading car is at rest on an inclined the equation for the sum of force
track. The gross weight of the car and its components parallel to the track.
load is 5500 lb, and it is applied at G. The
cart is held in position by the cable.
• Check the values obtained by verifying that
Determine the tension in the cable and the sum of force components
the reaction at each pair of wheels. perpendicular to the track are zero.
 Solution
• Determine the reactions at the wheels.

∑ M A = 0 : − (2320 lb ) 25in. − (4980 lb ) 6in.

+ R2 (50in.) = 0
R2 = 1758 lb

∑ M B = 0 : + (2320 lb ) 25in. − (4980 lb ) 6in.

− R1 (50in.) = 0
R1 = 562 lb
• Create a free-body diagram
• Determine the cable tension.
W x = +(5500 lb ) cos 25
= +4980 lb ∑ Fx = 0 : + 4980 lb − T = 0
T = +4980 lb
W y = −(5500 lb ) sin 25
= −2320 lb
 Example 9
SOLUTION:
• Create a free-body diagram for the frame
and cable.

• Solve 3 equilibrium equations for the

reaction force components and couple at
E.

The frame supports part of the roof of a

small building. The tension in the cable is
150 kN.
Determine the reaction at the fixed end E.
 Solution
• Solve 3 equilibrium equations for the
reaction force components and couple.
4.5
∑ Fx = 0 : E x + (150 kN ) = 0
7.5
E x = −90.0 kN

6
∑ Fy = 0 : E y − 4(20 kN ) − (150 kN ) = 0
7.5
E y = +200 kN

• Create a free-body diagram for ∑ M E = 0 : + 20 kN(7.2 m ) + 20 kN(5.4 m )

the frame and cable.
+ 20 kN(3.6 m ) + 20 kN(1.8 m )
6
− (150 kN )4.5 m + M E = 0
7.5
M E = 180.0 kN ⋅ m
Equilibrium of a two-force body
• Consider a plate subjected to two forces F1 and F2

• For static equilibrium, the sum of moments about A must

be zero. The moment of F2 must be zero. It follows that
the line of action of F2 must pass through A.

• Similarly, the line of action of F1 must pass through B for

the sum of moments about B to be zero.

• Requiring that the sum of forces in any direction be zero

leads to the conclusion that F1 and F2 must have equal
magnitude but opposite sense.
Equilibrium of a three-force body
• Consider a rigid body subjected to forces acting at only 3
points.

• Assuming that their lines of action intersect, the moment

of F1 and F2 about the point of intersection represented by
D is zero.

• Since the rigid body is in equilibrium, the sum of the

moments of F1, F2, and F3 about any axis must be zero. It
follows that the moment of F3 about D must be zero as well
and that the line of action of F3 must pass through D.

• The lines of action of the three forces must be concurrent

or parallel.
 Example 10
SOLUTION:
• Create a free-body diagram of the joist. Note
that the joist is a 3 force body acted upon by
the rope, its weight, and the reaction at A.

• The three forces must be concurrent for static

equilibrium. Therefore, the reaction R must
A man raises a 10 kg joist, of length pass through the intersection of the lines of
4 m, by pulling on a rope. action of the weight and rope forces.
Find the tension in the rope and Determine the direction of the reaction force
the reaction at A. R.

• Utilize a force triangle to determine the

magnitude of the reaction force R.
 Solution
• Create a free-body diagram of the joist.

• Determine the direction of the reaction force

R.

AF = AB cos 45 = (4 m ) cos 45 = 2.828 m

CD = AE = 12 AF = 1.414 m
BD = CD cot(45 + 20) = (1.414 m ) tan 20 = 0.515 m
CE = BF − BD = (2.828 − 0.515) m = 2.313 m
CE 2.313
tanα = = = 1.636
AE 1.414

α = 58.6
Example 11
• Determine the magnitude of the reaction force R.

T R 98.1 N
= =
sin 31.4 sin 110 sin 38.6

T = 81.9 N
R = 147.8 N
 Assignment
• A rope is connected between two points A and
B 120cm apart at the same level. A load of
200N is suspended from a point C on the rope
45cm from A as shown below:

Find the load that should be suspended from

the rope D 30cm from B, which will keep the
rope CD level.
 Summary
• Introduced applied mechanics
• Types of forces
• Equilibrium of forces
• Examples and problems based applications of
the equilibrium of forces
• Assignments.
 Important Points
• Statics is the study of bodies that are at rest or move
with constant velocity.
• A particle has a mass but a size that can be neglected.
• A rigid body does not deform under load.
• Concentrated forces are assumed to act at a point on a
body.
• Newton's three laws of motion should be understood.
• Mass is the measure of a quantity of matter that does
not change from one location to another.
 Important points
• Weight refers to the gravitational attraction of the earth on
a body or quantity of mass. Its magnitude depends upon
the elevation at which the mass is located.
• In the SI system the unit of force, the Newton, is a derived
unit.
• The meter, second, and kilogram are base units.
• Perform numerical calculations with several significant
figures and then report the final answer to three significant
figures.
• Algebraic manipulations of an equation can be checked in
part by verifying that the equation remains dimensionally
homogeneous.
• Know the rules for rounding off numbers.
ANY ?