STATICS 1

INTRODUCTION Rigid Body – defined as a definite

amount of matter the parts of which

STATICS Engineering Mechanics

may be defined as the
are fixed in position relative to each
other.

OF
science which considers Force – defined as that of which
the effect of forces on changes, or tends to change the state
rigid bodies. motion of a body.

RIGID BODIES  STATICS

 DYNAMICS
Force System – any arrangement where
two or more forces act on a body or on
a group of related bodies.

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AXIOMS OF MECHANICS SCALAR AND VECTOR QUANTITIES

Scalars – quantities which possess magnitude only and can be
1. The parallelogram law: The resultant of two forces is
the diagonal of the parallelogram formed on the vectors of added arithmetically.
these forces.
Vectors – quantities which possess both magnitude and direction
2. Two forces are in equilibrium only when equal in and can be combined geometrically.
magnitude, opposite in direction, and collinear in action.
PARALLELOGRAM LAW
3. A set of forces in equilibrium may be added to any system The parallelogram law states that the resultant of two forces
of forces without changing the effect of the original system. is the diagonal of the parallelogram formed on the vectors of
these forces.
4. Action and reaction forces are equal but oppositely
directed. Resultant – a single force or vector that is the equivalent of
a set of forces or vectors.

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TRIANGLE LAW The Parallelogram Law. The Triangle Law. The addition of two
If two forces are represented by their free vectors placed addition of two vectors A and B vectors A and B is defined to be
tip to tail, their resultant vector is the third side of the is defined to be the vector C the vector C that is determined
triangle, the direction of the resultant being from the tail that is determined by the by the geometric construction
of the first vector to the tip of the last vector. geometric construction shown. shown.

DIMENSIONAL CHECK
v2 = vo2 + 2as
CONVERSION OF UNITS where: A,B = components of C
where: A,B = components of C
C = resultant of A and B C = resultant of A and B
Convert: 60 miles per hour to feet per second

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RESULTANT OF
THREE OR MORE Graphical Method. Two vectors can
be added to give a resultant; this
CONCURRENT resultant in turn can be added to a
third vector, etc. until all the
FORCES vectors have been added together to
give an overall resultant. These
vectors can be added in any order.
This method is sometimes called the
• Graphical Method head-to-tail method.

RESULTANT OF • Analytical Method

FORCE SYSTEMS

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1. Determine completely the resultant of the con-current force system as

Analytical Method. The vectors can be resolved into shown.
components that coincide with arbitrarily chosen
axes.
Rx = S Fx (x-comp. of the resultant) Y
300 N
Ry = S Fy (y-comp. of the resultant)
200 N
R = Rx2 + Ry2 (resultant)

tan qx = Ry/Rx (direction of the resultant 60° 30° X

400 N
with respect to x-axis) 45°
Note: In determining the signs, follow the quadrant
signs of Cartesian Coordinate System. 50 N 100 N

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2. Compute the value of the resultant of the con-current forces shown. 3. The resultant of the concurrent forces shown is 300N pointing up along the
Y axis. Compute the values of F and θ required to give this resultant.

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4. The block is acted upon by its weight W = 200N, a horizontal force Q = Vectors as Directed Line Segments. Any
600N, and the pressure P exerted by the inclined plane. The resultant R of vector A can be represented
these forces is up and parallel to the incline thereby sliding the block up geometrically as a directed line
it. Determine P and R.
FUNDAMENTAL segment (an arrow) as shown. The
magnitude of A is denoted by A, and
the direction of A is specified by the

PROPERTIES sense of the arrow and the angle q

that it makes with a fixed reference
line.

OF VECTORS

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Unit Vectors. A unit vector is a dimensionless vector with magnitude 1. Addition of three or more vectors. Letting E,F, and G
Therefore, if l represents a unit vector (| l | = 1) with the same represent any three vectors, we have the following two
direction as A, we can write A = A l. important properties:
Equality of Vectors. Two vectors A and B are said to be equal, written as • Addition is commutative: E + F = F + E
A = B, if (1) their magnitudes are equal – that is A = B, and (2) they
have the same direction. • Addition is associative: E + (F + G) = (E + F) + G

Scalar-Vector Multiplication. The multiplication of a scalar m and a

vector A, written as mA or as Am, is defined as follows:
1. If m is positive, mA is the vector of magnitude mA that has the same
direction as A.
2. If m is negative, mA is the vector of magnitude |m|A that is oppositely
directed to A.
3. If m = 0, mA (called the null or zero vector) is a vector of zero
magnitude and arbitrary direction.

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Rectangular Components. The rectangular coordinate system is the Vector addition using rectangular components. Assume that
xyz reference frame. As shown, the unit vectors that act in the positive two vectors A and B are expressed in their rectangular forms
x-, y-, and z-coordinate directions – called the base vectors – are as follows: A = Axi + Ayj and B = Bxi + Byj. Letting C be the
labelled i, j, and k, respectively.
sum of A and B,

C = A + B = (Axi + Ayj) + (Bxi + Byj)

which, using the properties of vector addition, can be

written as

C = Cxi + Cyj
= (Axi + Bxi) + (Ayj + Byj)

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Vector addition using rectangular components. Assume that Equivalence Vectors. Equivalence implies
two vectors A and B are expressed in their rectangular forms interchangeability; two vectors are considered to be
as follows: A = Axi + Ayj and B = Bxi + Byj. Letting C be the equivalent if they can be interchanged without changing the
sum of A and B, outcome of the problem.

C = A + B = (Axi + Ayj) + (Bxi + Byj) • Fixed vectors. Equivalent vectors have the same magnitude,
direction and point of application.
which, using the properties of vector addition, can be • Sliding vectors. Equivalent vectors have the same
written as magnitude, direction and line of action.
• Free vectors. Equivalent vectors have the same magnitude
and direction.
C = Cxi + Cyj
= (Axi + Bxi) + (Ayj + Byj)

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5. Using rectangular components, find the resultant R of the vectors P and Q 6. If R is the resultant of the forces P and Q, find P and Q.
shown.

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7. Determine the resultant of the three concurrent forces as shown.

MOMENT OF A FORCE
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The moment of a force about an axis or line is the measure

of its ability to produce turning or twisting about the
MOMENT OF A FORCE
axis.
The magnitude of the moment of a force about an axis which The moment is equal to twice the area of the triangle formed
is perpendicular to a plane containing the line of action of by joining the center of moments with the ends of the
the force is defined as the product of the force and the force.
perpendicular distance from the axis to the line of action
of the force.
That is: Mo = F x d

where: F = force
d = perpendicular distance or the
moment arm

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PRINCIPLE OF TRANSMISSIBILTY PRINCIPLE OF MOMENTS:VARIGNON’S THEOREM

The moment of a force is equivalent to the sum of moments of
The effect of an external force on a rigid body remains its components.
unchanged if that force is moved along its line of action.

Rxd=SFxd

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8. Assuming clockwise moments as positive, compute the moment of force F = 9. In the figure below, a force F passing through C causes a clockwise moment
450 N and a force P = 361 N about points A, B, and C. of 120 N-m about A and a clockwise moment of 70 N-m about B. Determine the
force and its x-intercept ix.

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10. A force P passing through points A and B has a clockwise moment of 300 N- 11. The moment of a certain force F is 180 N-m clockwise about O and 90 N-m
m about O. Compute the value of P. counter-clockwise about B. If its moment about A is zero, determine the
force.

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12. Determine the resultant of the parallel forces system acting on the bar
RESULTANT OF PARALLEL FORCES AB shown below.

PARALLEL FORCES – one in which the action lines of all the

forces are parallel.

Rx = S Fx
Ry = S Fy

R = Rx2 + Ry2 ; tan qx = Ry/Rx

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13. A parallel force system acts on the lever shown below. Determine the 14. A beam of length L supports a load which varies from w N/m at the right
magnitude and position of the resultant. end to zero at the left end. Determine the magnitude and position of the
resultant load.

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 STATICS 1

15. The beam AB supports a load which varies from an intensity of 50 N/m to
COUPLE – two parallel, non-
200 N/m. Calculate the magnitude and position of the resultant load.
collinear forces that are equal
COUPLE in magnitude and opposite in
direction. It is a special case
in which the resultant has zero
magnitude but does have a
moment. This moment sum is
constant and independent of the
moment center.

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16. Determine the resultant of the parallel forces shown below. Determine 17. Determine the resultant moment about point A of the system of forces
also the moments at points A, B, C, D and E. shown below. Each square is 1m on a side.

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 STATICS 1

18. The cantilever truss shown carries a vertical load of 2400 N. The truss
is supported by bearings at A and B which exert the forces Av, Ah and Bh. The RESOLUTION OF A FORCE INTO A FORCE AND A COUPLE
four constitute two couples which must have opposite moment effects to
prevent movement of the truss. Determine the magnitude of the supporting
forces. It sometimes becomes necessary to replace a force acting at
a given point by an equal force acting through some other
point. This introduces a couple.

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19. A short compression member carries eccentric load P = 200 N situated 0.2m 20. Replace the system of forces acting on the frame by a resultant R at A
from the axis of the member. Determine the equivalent axial load and a couple and a couple acting horizontally through B and C.
that is applied at the axis of the member.

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 STATICS 1

21. The rectangular framework shown is subjected to the indicated non-

RESULTANT OF PARALLEL FORCES concurrent system of forces. Determine the magnitude and direction of the
resultant, also its moment arm relative to the origin O.

Rx = S Fx
Ry = S Fy

R = Rx2 + Ry2

tan qx = Ry/Rx
R x d = SM

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22. In a certain non-concurrent force system, it is found that SFx = -80 N, 23. Compute the resultant of the three forces shown below. Locate its
SFy = +160 N and S Mo = 480 N-m in a counter-clockwise sense. Determine the intersection with the X and Y-axes. Each square is 1m on a side.
point that which the resultant intersects at X-axis.

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 STATICS 1

24. Determine the resultant of the three forces acting on the dam and locate
its intersection with the base AB. For good design, this intersection should
occur within the middle third of the base. Does it?

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